whywhywhy wrote:impatiens wrote:I learned in Catholic school that limbo and purgatory were synonymous. fwiw
Impatients,
From the Catholic Encyclopedia:
Limbo
Catholic Encyclopedia on CD-ROM
Contains 11,632 articles. Browse off-line, ad-free, printer-friendly.
Get it here for only $29.95
(Late Lat. limbus) a word of Teutonic derivation, meaning literally "hem" or "border," as of a garment, or anything joined on (cf. Italian lembo or English limb).
In theological usage the name is applied to (a) the temporary place or state of the souls of the just who, although purified from sin, were excluded from the beatific
vision until Christ's triumphant ascension into Heaven (the "limbus patrum"); or (b) to the permanent place or state of those unbaptized children and others who,
dying without grievous personal sin, are excluded from the beatific vision on account of original sin alone (the "limbus infantium" or "puerorum").
:
:
:
:
It is principally on the strength of these Scriptural texts, harmonized with the general doctrine of the Fall and Redemption of mankind, that Catholic tradition has
defended the existence of the limbus patrum as a temporary state or place of happiness distinct from Purgatory.
Purgatory
Catholic Encyclopedia on CD-ROM
Contains 11,632 articles. Browse off-line, ad-free, printer-friendly.
Get it here for only $29.95
The subject is treated under these heads:
I. Catholic Doctrine
II. Errors
III. Proofs
IV. Duration and Nature
V. Succouring the Dead
VI. Indulgences
VII. Invocation of Souls
VIII. Utility of Prayer for the Departed
I. CATHOLIC DOCTRINE
Purgatory (Lat., "purgare", to make clean, to purify) in accordance with Catholic teaching is a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing
this life in God's grace, are, not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions.
There is a difference between the two. Limbo will hold souls that although without sin (such as an unbaptized child) are excluded from the beatific vision (The
immediate knowledge of God). Purgatory is a temporary “jail” for those who are not free of venial sins.
From the Catholic Encyclopedia
Venial Sins
All sins are not equal before God, nor dare anyone assert that the daily faults of human frailty will be punished with the same severity that is meted out to serious
violation of God's law. On the other hand whosoever comes into God's presence must be perfectly pure for in the strictest sense His "eyes are too pure, to behold
evil" (Habakkuk 1:13). For unrepented venial faults for the payment of temporal punishment due to sin at time of death, the Church has always taught the doctrine of
purgatory.
Why,
Thanks for that clarification. Makes sense. It's possible that I merged the two definitions in my memory; it's been a long time since I was Catholic
Btw, differences between venial and mortal sins are clear, an example of the former would be stealing, murder for the latter.
But those definitions actually make limbo sound worse than purgatory.
Particularly the differences in definition a and b of Limbo. Def a indicates that it's a temporary place/state. While def b indicates that it's permanent. Glaring contradictions, if u ask me.
Also from my understanding, unbaptized includes not only infants born into Catholic families and who die before this ritual is performed on them, but also all those of other beliefs or
faiths who haven't been baptized into the Catholic religion e.g. Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, basically everyone else on the planet.
Even as a child of 5 or 6 this never rang true for me, and when I foolishly but politely dared to ask the nuns about it (among other things
I or my questions were
routinely and summarily dismissed as being impertinent, impudent, irrelevant, wicked, etc. a la "children should be seen but not heard"!
So while you say that purgatory is a temporary "jail" , it appears that limbo is also permanent one for unbaptized "Catholic" infants, and millions/billions of others.
Far as I can see most, if not all religions regard themselves as "the chosen one". Any wonder I rejected "mine" at age 16, when I was able to; and have had no
interest in any exclusive clubs/religions since!
Btw, isn't it interesting to also notice how similar and similarly divisive "nationalism" or fanatic patriotism is to religion(s).
So back to that news item which HB posted:
"Limbo -- the place where the Catholic Church teaches that babies go if they die before being baptized -- may have its days numbered.
According to Italian media reports on Tuesday, an international theological commission will advise Pope Benedict to eliminate the teaching about limbo from the
Catholic catechism."
If so, this appears to be a good start, long overdue imo; as well as an enormous shift, theologically and symbolically.