If Limbo was eliminated by the Roman Catholic church what happened to all those lost babies souls did they go to heaven because of changes here?

Answer 1

I hardly think that the Church's ongoing discernment of what happens to these children actually changes their eternal destiny, thus they don't "go" anywhere based on our sincere, yet incomplete understanding of God's kingdom.

Limbo is a theological construct to try to explain what happens to children who die without the benefit of baptism. Actually, it is a rather pessimistic opinion, in that if limbo is defined as the 'place' outside of heaven where souls live perhaps in a state of natural happiness because they lack baptism through no fault of their own, it is really nothing more than a 'kinder, gentler' suburb of hell because the inhabitants of such a 'place' still lack the Beatific Vision of God.

The increasing desire of the Church to 'retire' limbo as a legitimate theological opinion (which is all it ever was anyway, an opinion,) is the implied assertion that the necessity of baptism trumps the soverign grace and mercy of God over these poor souls. In reality, we really don't know what happens to children (or for that matter, aborted fetuses) who die without the benefit of baptism, and it is very dangerous to assert, even in a theoretical kind of way, whether these or any souls are in heaven or in hell.

Yes, baptism is necessary for salvation-- this is scripture. But if formal Sacramental Baptism according to the rules and practices of this world is absolutely necessary, we are just one small step away from asserting that some people are predestined to damnation in the way that a classic Calvinist would argue. A child who dies without baptism through no fault of his own lacks any freedom to choose his destiny, making the slippery slope into predestination even slicker.

Of course, we already say that ritual baptism is not formally necessary in all cases, i.e. "baptism of blood" and "baptism of desire", so that points us toward a reasonable (albeit inconclusive) theory in favor of the alternative to hell via some gratuitous act of divine providence.

I can't say that these souls enjoy the Beatific Vision of heaven, but my opinion and hope, however, is that the Blood of Christ was shed and is effective for the salvation of even these poor little souls. What place might they have if they are in heaven? Are they little unadorned, undeveloped flowers which nonethess add glory to God's kingdom? Might they be the giants who along with the saints have the 'high place' in the kingdom because of their childlike innocence? Might they be in a different 'place' altogether? I have no idea. My guess is that we will all be amazed by the efficiency and justice of God's mercy in the world to come. I don't want to spoil my joy and anticipation by asserting through ignorant pride that I have guessed it right 'down here'... in favor of one or any of these possibilties.

My opinion, of course, is subject to correction and revision by the Church, and I invite such clarification. I do submit to the authentic magisterium of the Church and not simply to opinion based on argument from pious opinion or the sincere, but largely uninformed opinion of a childhood catechist (sorry, Sr. V!).