Dr. Geraghty, In St. Catherine's Purgation and Purgatory (Paulist Press, 1979), it is mentioned twice that both original and actual sins are purged. Given the fact that the Church found her work sound, why did the Church not teach that unbaptized infants go through, we can assume, a slight purgation in Purgatory rather than to remain in Limbo? I would assume the same for those unbaptized souls who, living a virtuous life, were able to be saved through Purgation.

After reading Plato and Plotinus, this work of St. Catherine has really moved me and I have found her work a great meditation. Similar themes I found in Dante's Inferno.

Thank you.

Dear Wayne,

Purgatory is a place for the punishment of sin. Unbaptized babies are not guilty of sin. Therefor they are not in Purgatory. Now certain great theologians surmised that unbaptized infants could not go to heaven because they had not the supernatural grace to see God face to face. This was no sin on their part. Therefore they did not merit any punishment. They concluded that such babies were destined to natural happiness in Limbo.Recently the Pope considered that question and concluded that the matter is up to God whether Limbo is a place or not.

Dr. Geraghty

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