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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Re: Abortion	Greg	Monday, November 19, 2012
Question: A question was asked about the souls of aborted foetuses and whether they can to heaven. The answer said aborted babies go to be with God. By this statement does the author mean they go to heaven? As Catholics we know that when we die we can go to heaven, purgatory, or hell. Except in the case of the saints we do now where our dear departed go after death. Not only don't we know, but the Church teaches we cannot know. Saying that the souls of aborted foetuses go directly to heaven is in contradiction to this. Can you please state which Church teaching requires us to believe that the souls of aborted foetuses go straight to heaven.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Greg: You are incorrect. There is no contradiction. When any of us die in a state of grace we go to be with God. To be with God is to be in heaven. Those in purgatory are there temporarily and then go to heaven. People who die as babies or pre-born babies go directly to God. They do not go to purgatory as they have no sins of any kind, no residue of sin, and no bad works to purge in purgatory; and they do not go to hell. Everyone goes either to heaven (some with a pit stop in purgatory) or hell. There is no where else to go. The issue with unbaptized babies, is not their eternal destination (which is always heaven), but whether or not they are given the beatific vision. In the past theologians proposed, but it never became a formal teaching, that unbaptized babies go to limbo, or to a state of eternal bliss, but not in the beatific vision (a sort of a anteroom to heaven to live in bliss for eternity). All the Chuch says is what is stateed in the Catechism )bold is my emphasis): 1261 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," allow us to hope that there is a 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. My language of "go be with God" matches that of the Catechism, "the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God". One must be with God or the devil, there is no other alternative. In April of 2007, however, Pope Benedict XVI authorized the publication of a report that expresses the hope that babies who die without baptism may be in the beatific vision after all. The International Theological Commission report concluded that "there are serious theological and liturgical grounds for the hope that such babies are saved and enjoy the beatific vision." See the entire report here. God Bless, Bro. Ignatius Mary Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below: Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum. Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum

Question Title

Posted By

Question Date

Re: Abortion

Greg

Monday, November 19, 2012

Question:

A question was asked about the souls of aborted foetuses and whether they can to heaven. The answer said aborted babies go to be with God. By this statement does the author mean they go to heaven?

As Catholics we know that when we die we can go to heaven, purgatory, or hell. Except in the case of the saints we do now where our dear departed go after death. Not only don't we know, but the Church teaches we cannot know.

Saying that the souls of aborted foetuses go directly to heaven is in contradiction to this.

Can you please state which Church teaching requires us to believe that the souls of aborted foetuses go straight to heaven.

Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD

Greg:

You are incorrect. There is no contradiction. When any of us die in a state of grace we go to be with God. To be with God is to be in heaven. Those in purgatory are there temporarily and then go to heaven.

People who die as babies or pre-born babies go directly to God. They do not go to purgatory as they have no sins of any kind, no residue of sin, and no bad works to purge in purgatory; and they do not go to hell.

Everyone goes either to heaven (some with a pit stop in purgatory) or hell. There is no where else to go.

The issue with unbaptized babies, is not their eternal destination (which is always heaven), but whether or not they are given the beatific vision.

In the past theologians proposed, but it never became a formal teaching, that unbaptized babies go to limbo, or to a state of eternal bliss, but not in the beatific vision (a sort of a anteroom to heaven to live in bliss for eternity).

All the Chuch says is what is stateed in the Catechism )bold is my emphasis):

1261 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," allow us to hope that there is a 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.

My language of "go be with God" matches that of the Catechism, "the Church can only entrust them to the mercy of God". One must be with God or the devil, there is no other alternative.

In April of 2007, however, Pope Benedict XVI authorized the publication of a report that expresses the hope that babies who die without baptism may be in the beatific vision after all. The International Theological Commission report concluded that "there are serious theological and liturgical grounds for the hope that such babies are saved and enjoy the beatific vision."

See the entire report here.

God Bless,
Bro. Ignatius Mary

Footer Notes: This forum is for general questions on the faith. See specific Topic Forums below:
Spiritual Warfare, demons, the occult go to our Spiritul Warfare Q&S Forum.
Liturgy Questions go to our Liturgy and Liturgical Law Q&A Forum
Liturgy of the Hours (Divine Office) Questions go to our Divine Office Q&A Forum
Defenfing the Faith Questions go to our Defending the Faith Q&A Forum
Church History Questions go to our Church History Q&A Forum