Limbo is part and parcel of God's Infinite Mercy, say the Theologians!

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I'll buy that. The Lord said "My Father's house has many mansions [John 14:2]." Some are probably a tad nicer than others. The Blessed Virgin's, for example. What's so improbable about the Lord God providing an eternal reward for the totally innocent?

(Zenit.org).- The key concept for the recently released study on the theological concept of limbo is hope based on God's mercy, said the secretary of the International Theological Commission.

Jesuit Father Luis Ladaria explained why the commission theologians decided to study the question of salvation for infants who die without baptism.

Father Ladaria, a professor at the Pontifical Gregorian University, said it was urgent to reflect on the salvation of these infants.

The 41-page document, "The Hope of Salvation for Infants Who Die without Being Baptized," was released April 20 and posted on the Vatican Web site on Sunday.

Father Ladaria said it is necessary to remember that limbo "is a theory with no explicit basis in Revelation" and is a concept that "was progressively abandoned in recent times."

He said the theologians who have reflected on this theme over the last few years concluded that "from a theological point of view, the development of a theology of hope and an ecclesiology of communion, together with a recognition of the greatness of divine mercy, challenge an unduly restrictive view of salvation."

Beatific vision

The document, Father Ladaria told ZENIT, concludes that "there are theological and liturgical grounds for hope that unbaptized infants who die will be saved and enjoy the beatific vision."

The key concept of this document, said the theologian, is hope, based on God’s mercy.

The Jesuit said the document touches on pastoral and doctrinal points and recalled that it is not a teaching of the magisterium, but a text with "a certain theological authority."

The function of the International Theological Commission is to help the Holy See to examine doctrinal questions of great importance.

The commission is made up of theologians from various schools and nations. The members are named by the Pope after receiving suggestions from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and consulting the respective episcopal conferences. ZE07052815