The answer depends on the definition of the term “predestination”. The idea of predestination is in Sacred Scripture, so it cannot be entirely false:

[Romans]
{8:28} And we know that, for those who love God, all things work together unto good, for those who, in accordance with his purpose, are called to be saints.
{8:29} For those whom he foreknew, he also predestined, in conformity with the image of his Son, so that he might be the Firstborn among many brothers.
{8:30} And those whom he predestined, he also called. And those whom he called, he also justified. And those whom he justified, he also glorified.

On the other hand, there are some grave doctrinal errors on predestination among some Protestants. And unfortunately, some of these ideas have made some in-roads among the Catholic faithful.

The claim of Calvinism is that God predestines some human persons to Heaven and other human persons to Hell. The reason for this choice is said to be mysterious, so that it cannot be understood, even partially, by reason, nor by faith. Those predestined to each place have no choice. Such a claim is, from a Catholic point of view, utter heresy.

The claim of Lutheranism is that God predestines some human persons to Heaven. Other human persons are passed over for predestination to Heaven; they are passively omitted from salvation. These human persons cannot possibly end up in Hell, and they will necessarily sin gravely and deserve Hell. But in effect they have no choice in the matter, since — according to this theory — they cannot possibly obtain eternal salvation. Again, this idea is heretical and is rejected by Catholic teaching.

The Catholic view is that the very meaning of the word “predestination” includes free will and grace, as well as the knowledge of God of our entire lives. No one is predestined to Hell by the active or passive decision of God.

“To God, all moments of time are present in their immediacy. When therefore he establishes his eternal plan of ‘predestination’, he includes in it each person’s free response to his grace….” (CCC 600).

“God predestines no one to go to hell; for this, a willful turning away from God (a mortal sin) is necessary, and persistence in it until the end.” (CCC 1037).

God knows the whole future with absolute certitude, because He is all-knowing. So He knows who will end up in Heaven, and who will end up in Hell. But His knowledge does not determine the outcome. For according to the teaching of Pope John Paul II:

“Since salvation is offered to all, it must be made concretely available to all.” (Redemptoris Missio, n. 10).

It is abject heresy to claim that some persons necessarily end up in Hell because God chose to withhold predestination to Heaven, or because God chose to withhold some type of grace that was essential for salvation.

No one is sent to Hell by God unless they choose to commit a grave sin, with full knowledge of its grave immorality and full deliberation (called an actual mortal sin), AND they never repent through the last moment of life. This is called final impenitence; it is that sin spoken of by Jesus as the only unforgiveable sin and the only eternal sin: blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. And so blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is not any word or deed against the Spirit of God. It is nothing other than final impenitence.

Since Jesus says that final impenitence is the only unforgivable sin, no one is ever sent to Hell for any other reason. Salvation is offered to all human persons in a way that makes salvation concretely attainable. The only persons who lose that salvation are those who die unrepentant from an actual mortal sin of commission or omission.

All who die in a state of grace will have eternal life in Heaven. All who die in a state of unrepented actual mortal sin will have eternal punishment in Hell. There is no third case.

And no one is sent to Hell due to a type of “predestination” which excludes free will or which excludes a true and fully-attainable offer of salvation from God. All in Hell are there because their own free will decision to sin gravely and to refuse to repent.

by
Ronald L. Conte Jr.
Roman Catholic theologian and
translator of the Catholic Public Domain Version of the Bible.