06/24/2007

Coming to terms with a world minus limbo

By Kathy Gibbons
Features editor
kgibbons@
record-eagle.com

Read Kathy's past columns here

Maybe if I went to church more often, I would have known.

But I could hardly believe it when I read recently that limbo is no more. That would be the Catholic church's limbo in the sense of unbaptized babies fluttering around in the universe on little wings, sort of lost in space, which is the way I grew up picturing it. Because that's what we learned, that unbaptized babies are condemned to eternity in limbo — it's not hell, but it's not inside the pearly gates, either.

Sure enough, a quick search turned up articles from news organizations around the globe. The Vatican's International Theological Commission issued a document in late April that, while advisory, has the pope's endorsement. Bottom line, the commission said that limbo "reflects an unduly restrictive view of salvation” and that God "wants all human beings to be saved.”

So. Just like that. No more limbo.

I guess people who were paying attention saw it coming. According to the stories, the church dropped limbo from its catechism curriculum back in 1992. But did I know? My kids had catechism after that, but limbo never came up.

Meanwhile, I have spent my life worrying about babies in limbo, starting from Catholic grade school. I know women who have secretly dabbed drops of holy water and made the sign of the cross on the foreheads of babies whose parents weren't sufficiently limbo-motivated to have them baptized. I always wondered what could be more motivating than that, never thinking about all the little non-Catholic babies who weren't baptized and whose parents believed they were just fine for eternity.

I have always been guilt- and limbo-motivated. I've also been a scaredy cat passenger when driving with other people who I think go too fast.

So here comes the Vatican this month with its new "Ten Commandments” for driving, hitting me once again where I live. Motivated by wanting to warn drivers against the sins of road rage, they suggest making the sign of the cross before departing on a drive, and saying the rosary in transit.

Where were they when my kids were learning to drive?

So it seems the Catholic church is full of surprises these days. I'm glad they've done away with an unforgiving outlook on what happens to the souls of unbaptized babies. Even their new Ten Commandments for driving demonstrate an awareness of a reality in people's lives today.

Based on that, what might be next? A relaxing of the stand on birth control? Women priests?

But maybe here, we enter the realm of miracles.