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Question Title	Posted By	Question Date
Souls of Babies	Nate	Saturday, July 30, 2016
Question: A couple of questions that I have not been able to get a full answer. There may probably be different opinions but I trust yours. First: You have stated, which I agree with, that the souls of babies go to be with God. As has been said by some, why object to abortion if that child is going directly to God. We know there are many, many reasons why abortion is an intrinsic evil, but putting that aside, I read once, and for the life if me I have been unable to find it again, I vaguely remember that either St. Augustine, or St. Thomas Aquinas believes that when babies die they are given a test similar to that given to the angels and they are allowed to choose God or NOT. I know that all of us are put the test to decide for or against God and nobody goes to hell by accident. The teaching was that supposedly the souls of infants are somehow given the same choice. Your response please. The Church teaches that the soul is created by God at the moment of conception. But what about the souls of those at that point that are either aborted by the day after pill, or some other cause, or even those that are several days to 9 months after conception, do the souls of those children remain at that stage? In other words, what age will be the soul in heaven. I know that once we die we are out of time and there is actually no age, since there is no time, in heaven. Would the soul of a child at the point of conception be the same as a person who died at a very old age? I know there is nothing direct in scripture regarding this, but maybe there are some hints or examples that have been overlooked and maybe somethings that have been taught not necessarily by the Church but by some saints. Thanks for your reply and God Bless you.
Question Answered by Bro. Ignatius Mary, OMSM(r), LTh, DD Dear Nate: I have not heard the idea of a "test", but this is not theologically or ontologically tenable. To be given a test one must have reached the age of accountability. St. Augustine speculated that unbaptized babies may suffer a milder form of hell. St. Thomas Aquinas developed the theory that unbaptized babies would experience a place of natural happiness. This place of happiness did not include the beatific vision. The Saint called this state of natural happiness “limbo.” The Limbo of the Infants was taught unofficially for many years as it seemed to be the only theory that explained the fate of unbaptized babies. Others suggest that unbaptized babies will see God in the beatific vision. God is not restrained by His Sacraments, thus He can provide way for the unbaptized to still find heaven, as He does with those in invincible ignorance, for example. This recognition that God is not restrained by His Sacraments is reflected in the Catechism: 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. All speculations aside, we should not really say more than the Church says. There is a Vatican Commission study on the issue of unbaptized babies, The Hope Of Salvation For Infants Who Die Without Being Baptised. As for the appearance of babies in heaven we do not know know what "age" we will appear in heaven. Certainly a zygote that was aborted will not appear as a zygote. Some suggest that we all will appear at an "ideal" age, such as 30-33. But, we just do not know. Any comment more than that would be shear conjecture. 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

Souls of Babies

Nate

Saturday, July 30, 2016

Question:

A couple of questions that I have not been able to get a full answer. There may probably be different opinions but I trust yours.

First: You have stated, which I agree with, that the souls of babies go to be with God. As has been said by some, why object to abortion if that child is going directly to God. We know there are many, many reasons why abortion is an intrinsic evil, but putting that aside, I read once, and for the life if me I have been unable to find it again, I vaguely remember that either St. Augustine, or St. Thomas Aquinas believes that when babies die they are given a test similar to that given to the angels and they are allowed to choose God or NOT. I know that all of us are put the test to decide for or against God and nobody goes to hell by accident. The teaching was that supposedly the souls of infants are somehow given the same choice. Your response please.

The Church teaches that the soul is created by God at the moment of conception. But what about the souls of those at that point that are either aborted by the day after pill, or some other cause, or even those that are several days to 9 months after conception, do the souls of those children remain at that stage?

In other words, what age will be the soul in heaven. I know that once we die we are out of time and there is actually no age, since there is no time, in heaven. Would the soul of a child at the point of conception be the same as a person who died at a very old age?

I know there is nothing direct in scripture regarding this, but maybe there are some hints or examples that have been overlooked and maybe somethings that have been taught not necessarily by the Church but by some saints.

Thanks for your reply and God Bless you.

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

Dear Nate:

I have not heard the idea of a "test", but this is not theologically or ontologically tenable. To be given a test one must have reached the age of accountability.

St. Augustine speculated that unbaptized babies may suffer a milder form of hell. St. Thomas Aquinas developed the theory that unbaptized babies would experience a place of natural happiness. This place of happiness did not include the beatific vision. The Saint called this state of natural happiness “limbo.” The Limbo of the Infants was taught unofficially for many years as it seemed to be the only theory that explained the fate of unbaptized babies.

Others suggest that unbaptized babies will see God in the beatific vision.

God is not restrained by His Sacraments, thus He can provide way for the unbaptized to still find heaven, as He does with those in invincible ignorance, for example. This recognition that God is not restrained by His Sacraments is reflected in the Catechism:

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.

All speculations aside, we should not really say more than the Church says.

There is a Vatican Commission study on the issue of unbaptized babies, The Hope Of Salvation For Infants Who Die Without Being Baptised.

As for the appearance of babies in heaven we do not know know what "age" we will appear in heaven. Certainly a zygote that was aborted will not appear as a zygote. Some suggest that we all will appear at an "ideal" age, such as 30-33. But, we just do not know. Any comment more than that would be shear conjecture.

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