What do Catholics believe about limbo?

Answer 1

Limbo has never been a Catholic doctrine. It is merely a theological opinion. Basically, it addresses the question of what happens to babies who die without Baptism. Where do they go? Well, people who believe in limbo say that since the babies never sinned, they don't go to hell, but since they did not receive baptism, they cannot go to heaven either. So, the belief is that babies who die without baptism go to a place of eternal happiness, but it is not heaven and they are not with God. But remember, this is not a doctrine of the Church, so Catholics are free to believe or not believe in limbo.

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Catholic AnswerIt's just Catholic, not Roman Catholic. Roman is an epithet first commonly used in England after the protestant revolt to describe the Catholic Church. It is never used by the official Catholic Church.

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Limbo is a theological opinion noted above to try and explain what happens to innocent children who die without baptism, although please note that we cannot count on this as it is only an opinion, and does not relieve of us the obligation to baptize babies. There is also a limbo of the saints, which is where the saints of the Old Testament were before Christ's sacrifice of Himself upon the cross. Limbo is as good an explanation as any for us to believe in, but it is only an opinion either way. The fate of innocents who die without baptism has not been revealed to us.

from The Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, English translation 19941261 As regards children who have died without Baptism, the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God, as she does in her funeral rites for them. Indeed, the great mercy of God who desires that all men should be saved, and Jesus' tenderness toward children which caused Him to say: "Let the children come to me, do not hinder them," (Mk10:14; cf. 1 Tim 2:4.) Allow us to hope that there is way of salvation for children who have died without Baptism. All the more urgent is the Church's call not to prevent little children coming to Christ through the gift of Holy Baptism.