[AnAmericanMother]

Hmmmm . . . . very odd.

I had always understood that by his suicide, Judas rejected the final mercy of God which he could have obtained by repentance.

[Bosco]

My understanding as well.

In Judas and Peter, we have two examples of how people can respond to God's grace. Judas felt bad about what he did (metamelomai) and committed suicide. Peter felt bad about what he did and changed his mind (metanoia), receiving God's grace and forgiveness. Another term for it is "repentance".

[trisham]

I had always understood that by his suicide, Judas rejected the final mercy of God which he could have obtained by repentance.

***********

Good point. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

[nickcarraway]

True. It is possible that he could have repented in the moments before his death. It isn't a dogmatic teaching of the Church that he lost Salvation. But, many reputable doctors of the Church, etc, taught that he was went to hell.

[Hermann the Cherusker]

Judas is damned.

Not only does Catholic art depict this (at a favorite Church in Pittsburgh - Sacred Heart, he is shown crouched over and disfigured while his Guardian Angel weeps over him), but the Liturgy is perfectly clear:

"O God who punished Judas for his crime, and rewarded the Good Thief for his penitence ..." (Traditional Collect for Holy Thursday and Good Friday).

What is wrong with all these little modernist rats we have scurrying around the Church? Do you really think the typical Catholic woke up this morning all worked up and worried over the fact that most people view Judas as a treacherous lowlife who was rightly damned for his impenitence? Does the average Catholic really think that the link of Judas and the Jews is one of the most critical issues needing resolution in today's world?