Are people who commit suicide condemned to hell?

Jimmy Akin explains what the Catholic Church teaches about suicide.

Jimmy Akin was born in Texas and grew up nominally Protestant. At age 20 he experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant pastor or seminary professor, Jimmy started an intensive study of the Bible, but the more he immersed himself in Scripture, the more he found it to support the Catholic faith. He entered the Church in 1992. His conversion story, “A Triumph and a Tragedy,” is published in the book Surprised By Truth.

Akin is Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a member on the Catholic Answers Speakers Bureau, a weekly guest on the global radio program, Catholic Answers LIVE, a contributing editor for Catholic Answers Magazine, and the author of numerous publications, including the books Mass Confusion, The Salvation Controversy, The Fathers Know Best, and Mass Revision.

[paulnewsome]

My heart breaks for this man who has been burdened by his own son's suicide. I'm glad he called in to share this so that many people could pray for him. As I struggle with taking my own life I'm reminded of the pain that would be brought upon my own three children and this helps me to refrain from such an act.

[llfvtuk]

Tearing up. What a terrible thing to have to go through. Nice job comforting this man with the facts, Jimmy.

[rcharmel]

Who else cried while listening to this video?

[eastgateshut]

Jimmy akin is a duked out gangsta. And He's got some pimped out outfits that really get him in character mode. Way to go Jimmy, your awesome!

[michaellawlor]

this puts everything in perspective. Poor poor man.
He has my prayers and my love.

[mariahernandez-nnpz]

I love love you guys!! How wonderful you guys are with your listeners and how beautiful and intelligent you sound to the listeners helps tremendously when wanting to get a straight honest answer and I do appreciate your hard work and studying and the devotion you put into your radio show and I will be praying for you all and I've prayed for this man and his family. thank you so much!

[granmabern]

The Catholic Church made people bury their dead after a suicide outside of consecrated cemeteries, and refused public funerals for them, in order to PREVENT people from choosing suicide, because the act itself of unlawfully taking one's life is sinful, and because the Church knows how tempting suicide can look to someone dealing with grief or mental instability.  This can be harsh for loved ones who are left behind, but it is medicinal.  Uniting our sufferings to Christ in His Sacrements is the answer to the questions that suicide does not answer. 

[etrnlygrtful]

When we have a relative, friend that pass away however way they died...we should continue praying for them, prayer for the dead & the litany of the saints especially in the first consecutive 40 days. It is assumed that it is within that time that the soul of the deceased is still with us & has not crossed over. The prayers is like a plea to the saints and angels to take our loved one to the next life, so they can safely cross over. Also offer mass for them, every month or in their death anniversaries.

I can't believe the family's priest can't give him any comfort, he could have just said to the father, we have & we must keep praying for the repose of his soul & to the saints & Mary for their intercession for God is forgiving. He should have not given any definitive response as to where his soul is going...only God knows that.

[itsit]

I started to cry when I watched this. All the info is great to know, seeing as some victims of pedophile priests have committed suicide because they could not live with their bad memories. Please do not think I am anti-Catholic, in fact I *am* a Catholic who loves his Church so much.

[bradheal]

We are in hell right now. Devil spelled backwards is lived so it’s an inversion of lives that means he’s here and that means this is hell

[etrnlygrtful]

The conditions Jimmy mentioned though before a suicide can be qualified as mortal sin. 1 GRAVE MATTER...this is confusing, taking one's life or others is a grave matter. 2. ADEQUATE KNOWLEDGE...if you take your own life isn't that adequate, those who commit suicide do so with the intent to take their lives & they usually plans how to do it, 3. DELIBERATE CONSENT....if the person is taking his own life who is he asking for consent.? Now if we talk about ASSISTED SUICIDE...this is a different story, because then you give your permission to others to take your life.

All my life as a Catholic taking one's life or another person's life deliberate or premeditated is automatically a mortal sin. But whether they go to hell or purgatory is up to God hence we need to pray for their souls, The greatest comfort we can have is the trust we have that our Lord is a forgiving God.

[mikeniklas]

Jesus Christ died for all sin...the will of the father in the gospel of john explains "all that the father givith me i will in no wise cast out". he goes on to say"once you are in my hands you are in my father's hands and no one can pluck you out of my father's hands".once you believe jesus Christ died for all your sins was buried and rose again on the third day according to the scriptures you will have everlasting life and he will raise you up in the last days.

[zachanderson]

If someone qualified who is reading can answer this, Jimmy Akin only mentioned mortal sin. If the suicide did not meet the requirements for mortal sin, wouldn't it be a venial sin? We can go to Hell if we refuse to repent from venial sins too, right?