¿Limbo?

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Dogma? No. Commonly held belief? Yes. It stemmed from St. Augustine stating that “unbaptized babies all go to Hell.” People couldn’t imagine babies being punished for something out of their control, so Limbo (an area technically in Hell that was a “lesser paradise”) was conceived.

Today, we don’t talk about Limbo (which, though no longer commonly held is not in violation of Church teaching) but say that we simply don’t know what happens to unbaptized babies and offer them into God’s Mercy. This is why it is encouraged to have babies baptized as soon as possible and why, when there is danger of death, anyone is allowed to baptize.
 
powerofk said:
Dogma? No. Commonly held belief? Yes. It stemmed from St. Augustine stating that “unbaptized babies all go to Hell.” People couldn’t imagine babies being punished for something out of their control, so Limbo (an area technically in Hell that was a “lesser paradise”) was conceived.

Today, we don’t talk about Limbo (which, though no longer commonly held is not in violation of Church teaching) but say that we simply don’t know what happens to unbaptized babies and offer them into God’s Mercy. This is why it is encouraged to have babies baptized as soon as possible and why, when there is danger of death, anyone is allowed to baptize.
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Quite correct. 👍

The following is a good resource on where the Church stands currently:

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20070419_un-baptised-infants_en.html
 
If it was a dogma we would all believe it now. Limbo is just a theory of where unbaptized children end up if they die.
 
God knows us before the womb, ref. Jer. 1:5 there is a relationship.
Not a sparrow falls without the knowledge of God, ref Jesus in the Gospel.
We are worth more than many sparrows …
The Church has always taught that while there is no Salvation apart
from the Church, if someone is not part of it through no fault of their own,
The Merits of Jesus Christ can save them.
In God’s inexhaustible Mercy, and all things are possible to God,
it is easily hopeful and fathomable children who die without Baptism,
can be Baptized by a Holy Angel or some means. God knows their whole life if the ills
of the fall of humankind in His Providence did not kill them.
A related thing would be the false teaching of predestination means
we are created to be vessels of mercy or destruction at the time we are created.
…
Yes, I can’t teach categorically these children who suffered the unearned suffering
of dying before Baptism by means of Jesus go to Heaven because the Church says
we are only allowed that hope; but I seriously doubt Sanctifying Grace would be denied
such a child … including the billions who died from abortion worldwide. The Holy Bible
shows God’s immense tenderness toward the poor and suffering. As point of interest,
Bishop Ayo-Maria Atoyebi of Nigeria wrote a prayer of Baptism for children who have
been murdered by abortion, and has a Imprimatur on it. I’m sure two or three gathered
In His Name have prayed it. Jesus comforted us that whatever we ask in His Name
will be granted and He is The Priest.
…
God Bless.
 
The children’s Limbo is not a dogmatic teaching of the Church. I’m not sure about the Limbo of the Fathers.
 
Confiteor_Deo said:
I tried looking at the Catholic Encyclopedia to find out before posting but I couldn’t find it. I must have skimmed over it too quickly. Thanks for clearing that up!
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I wasn’t sure myself, so I had to look it up. Found it a bit surprising, though, since the Limbus Patrum has at least some direct support from Sacred Scripture, while the limbo of Infants is just a theological speculation. But then, I’m not an expert. Always welcome. 🙂
 
As many wise posts have insisted, Limbo was always only a theological solution to the question of unbaptised babies. I believe this was an argument from a time where the Church may have been a little too harsh in its ruminations of doctrine.
I may be an old softie, but I cannot conceive of a loving Creator who would refuse the souls of innocents, many millions aborted, due to the lack of baptism by water. We are taught of baptism of desire which I see as a solution to the pedants. However, I believe Jesus came so that all men could be saved and in a loving Father who agrees in letting the little children to come to him. I rely on Abba to care for all of us as much as we allow Him.Little children easily recognise their Father.
 
IsaiahSpirit said:
God knows us before the womb, ref. Jer. 1:5 there is a relationship.
Not a sparrow falls without the knowledge of God, ref Jesus in the Gospel.
We are worth more than many sparrows …
The Church has always taught that while there is no Salvation apart
from the Church, if someone is not part of it through no fault of their own,
The Merits of Jesus Christ can save them.
In God’s inexhaustible Mercy, and all things are possible to God,
it is easily hopeful and fathomable children who die without Baptism,
can be Baptized by a Holy Angel or some means. God knows their whole life if the ills
of the fall of humankind in His Providence did not kill them.
A related thing would be the false teaching of predestination means
we are created to be vessels of mercy or destruction at the time we are created.
…
Yes, I can’t teach categorically these children who suffered the unearned suffering
of dying before Baptism by means of Jesus go to Heaven because the Church says
we are only allowed that hope; but I seriously doubt Sanctifying Grace would be denied
such a child … including the billions who died from abortion worldwide. The Holy Bible
shows God’s immense tenderness toward the poor and suffering. As point of interest,
Bishop Ayo-Maria Atoyebi of Nigeria wrote a prayer of Baptism for children who have
been murdered by abortion, and has a Imprimatur on it. I’m sure two or three gathered
In His Name have prayed it. Jesus comforted us that whatever we ask in His Name
will be granted and He is The Priest.
…
God Bless.
Click to expand...
Here is the Catholic teaching from paragraph 1260, Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition.

**CCC 1260 **“Since Christ died for all, and since all men are in fact called to one and the same destiny, which is divine, we must hold that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of being made partakers, in a way known to God, of the Paschal mystery.”
 
RPRPsych said:
I wasn’t sure myself, so I had to look it up. Found it a bit surprising, though, since the Limbus Patrum has at least some direct support from Sacred Scripture…
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And, in addition, is ubiquitously held throughout all of Apostolic Christianity (hence the icons of the harrowing of Sheol, various liturgical texts about Christ dialoguing with the Fathers in Sheol, etc.). I’m rather surprised by that one myself.
 
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