It’s true though. Quit bullshitting him and let him know the truth. I mean, why beat around the bush when this is the thing you believe? Perhaps Francis personally doesn’t believe it, but the Vatican has reaffirmed that atheists don’t go to heaven and Francis doesn’t step out of line when the church corrects him. How is it any different than a generic corporate response or Secretary of State response?
Official belief is that they can't say who's in hell anyway, and one of the 3 theological virtues in Catholicism is the hope that everyone is saved from hell. So it wasn't out of character to do a little bit of wishful thinking in this situation.
From what I understand the clearest guide from Christ himself says 2 things: love god and love your neighbor. Any of this other evangelical bullshit is heresy.
The pope didn't actually say the kids dad was in heaven but also Christians are supposed to "weep with those who weep" ie the pope should have comforted the kid in this situation anyway
John Paul 2, in a true counterreformation moment, confirmed that there is no salvation outside catholic church in the declaration Dominus Iesus in year 2000. This means not only atheists and non-christians but non-roman catholic christians too. Eat that heretics.
Of course this was so shockingly backwards move to 1600's, especially in light of the loudly propagandised "ecumenism" of JP2, that everyone including the offcial author (later pope Benedict XVI) completely ignored it, but it was still official document on the matter of faith by pope who is infallible in the matters of faith, so here they are.