The Roman Catholic Church teaches that heaven is the ultimate end and fulfillment of humanity's deepest longings, a state of supreme happiness where the faithful experience perfect union with God. Here's what heaven means to Catholics ¹ ² ³: - *Eternal Communion with God*: Heaven is a living, personal relationship with the Holy Trinity, where believers are united with God in a state of perfect happiness and fulfillment. - *Beatific Vision*: In heaven, the blessed experience an intuitive vision of God's divine essence, seeing Him "face to face" without any mediation. - *Perfect Life*: Heaven is a state of definitive happiness, where the faithful live in perfect communion with God, the Virgin Mary, angels, and all the blessed. - *Communion of Saints*: Heaven is a blessed community of all those perfectly incorporated into Christ, where the faithful retain their true identity and find their deepest longings fulfilled. *Key Aspects of Heaven* - *Union with God*: Heaven is being with Christ, experiencing the fullness of divine love and joy in His presence. - *Transcendence*: Heaven transcends human understanding and description, with Scripture using images like life, light, peace, and wedding feasts to convey its beauty. - *Diversity of Experience*: The Church teaches that the faithful may experience heaven differently, based on their merits and holiness, with some experiencing greater joy and intimacy with God than others. - *No Sin or Suffering*: Heaven is free from sin, suffering, and sadness, with the blessed experiencing perfect harmony with God's will ⁴ ² ¹. *The Church's Teaching on Heaven* - The Catechism of the Catholic Church describes heaven as a perfect life with the Most Holy Trinity, a communion of life and love with God, the Virgin Mary, angels, and all the blessed. - Through Jesus Christ's death and resurrection, heaven has been "opened" to humanity, allowing believers to participate in His heavenly glorification ².