In Heaven We'll Meet Again: The Saints and Scripture on Our Heavenly Reunion

by François René Blot

In wise and consoling letters written to a mother sorrowing over the death of her child, Fr. François René Blot, S.J. here summons the Church’s greatest saints who testify with one voice that death’s wound, though grievous, separates us but for a short while from those who die before us.

Acknowledging that profound sorrow at the death of loved ones is appropriate (after all, even Jesus wept for the death of his friend Lazarus), Fr. Blot nonetheless gives us reason to be joyful even in the midst of our sorrow: in heaven our loves and friendships will finally be free of the many hindrances — small and large — that keep them from being perfect in this life.

Moreover, the saints say, in heaven we will love and know the love of countless souls we never met on earth, our Guardian Angel, and all the choirs of angels! Soon after it was written, a Catholic Cardinal called this book “a pearl set in the fine gold of the doctrine of the Fathers” and a newspaper declared that it “deserves a distinguished place in all Christian libraries and should be on the table of every pious family that faithfully preserves the memory of its deceased members.”

Let the saints’ testimony in these beautiful pages assuage your grief and renew your hope! Let them increase your gratitude for the sacrifice of Christ whose death on the Cross opened heaven for us, and made these heavenly reunions possible!

Genres: Catholic, Theology, Religion

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1863

Reviews

[Shari · Rating 5 out of 5]

This little book had a great big impact on my heart. My Daddy passed away 6 months ago. In the weeks before his death while on hospice, we had some really deep and hard conversations. One common thing he always said was "I'll pray for you and you pray for me and one day we'll merrily meet in Heaven".

This book, originally written in 1863 by a French Catholic priest and re-published by Sophia Press, was a balm for my hurting heart. So much comfort and consolation packed into the wise words of the Saints and the Scriptures.

[Sammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful little book is worth a read for anyone who is grieving, whether your loss is recent or in the distant past.

I lost three babies to early miscarriages last year, and the grief was unreal. It took me a long time to get to a place where I could think about my lost children without immediately weeping. So when I found this book, it both intrigued and frightened me. I wanted to read it -- to get a taste for how I might meet my little saints someday. But I was also dreadfully scared to crack it open and open the floodgates to my tears at the same time.

I predicted that reading this would be dark but with a glimmer of hope for how I, God willing, will encounter my children (and all my departed loved ones) in heaven someday. I finally got the courage to read it almost a year after my first loss, and I must say -- I'm disappointed in myself for not picking it up sooner.

This lovely read is composed of several letters from a priest to a widow who was grieving not just her husband, but several children lost at an early age. The writer is both gentle in his tone with her, and yet fervent in his instructions to be uplifted by what some of the doctors of the Church and some of the most well-respected, admired saints in history have to say about the hope of eternal life and the Church Triumphant.

I was dreadfully wrong to think this book would bring me down in the slightest. Instead, it lifted me up and helped me to see my sweet babies as gifts -- and to look ever more forward to sainthood, be that much more motivated to walk the right path in this life, and to be increasingly grateful to God for His love and mercy. I can't convey enough what a balm to my still-aching heart this book was.

Please pick it up sooner than later. You won't be sorry.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you are early in your grief journey, and looking for consoling reads as I was, I highly recommend starting with Grieving the Loss of a Loved One: Daily Meditations by Lorene Hanley Duquin. I would save In Heaven We’ll Meet Again for months down the road due to it's argumentative/deeply philosophical nature (I am reading it about 1 year after my loved one’s death).

Reading this allowed me to draw closer to God and have greater trust in his plan.

I would encourage the reader to ponder upon each of Fr Bolt’s conclusions - ultimately, what is outside of space and time is a mystery that we can only begin to grasp with our human intellects. That being said, this is an excellent study on the nature of heaven and our reunion with our loved ones.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh!!!! Such a treasure, this! So much more than letters of encouragement to a mother who has lost a child. Rather, this book gives a glimpse of what relationships might look like in Heaven - with lots of Scriptural support and quotes from the Church Fathers. If anything, this short read from the 1800s will inspire you to deeper relationships with others while on earth, because it all matters! I especially enjoyed the letter discussing those persons who we won't see in Heaven (if there's no sadness in Heaven but my loved one is in Hell, how am I not sad about that?) - this is explained beautifully. He also discusses those souls in Purgatory, and how those souls in Heaven are rooting for us on our own pilgrimage there. This is a must-read for a Catholic!

[Angela Maison · Rating 3 out of 5]

No spoilers here. I found this book very difficult to read. Perhaps because I am a tired, busy, grieving single mother. I was hoping for something that gave an easier read and more hope. Maybe another try later on in my life.

[Joann Glasser · Rating 5 out of 5]

a book to read for comfort

[Mary Greyerbiehl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very difficult read, but holds much food for thought.