What Happens to Unbaptized Babies?

Dealing with the death of an infant can be hard. The Church recognizes this and she lends her comforting hands to those who have been hurt and are currently hurting. 

For the infants who have been baptized, they are experiencing the eternal bliss of Heaven, but what about those infants who died before baptism? The Church in her grand wisdom offers insight into this. Those infants who die without baptism go to a place called Limbo. Yes, this is still Church teaching, it hasn’t changed. It is hard for people to accept it these days because it is rarely ever taught, but that doesn’t negate the fact of its existence. Limbo exists because we do not have an evil god, but the God we serve is merciful and loving. He loves His children, even His smallest ones. That is why He doesn’t send them to a devil’s hell and punish them for something they had no fault in doing, but through Limbo, they are safe and out of hellfire. They are secure, like the souls in Abraham’s bosom before Christ opened the gates of Heaven. They will not suffer the fires of hell. Because they were not baptized, they still had the stain of original sin and therefore could not enter into heaven. 

When it comes to Limbo let us take a look from a lesson from an older catechism.

Lesson #124 on the Sacrament of Baptism of the My Catholic Faith Catechism states the following:

“Since infants who die unbaptized have committed no sins, they live in a place of natural happiness called ‘limbo.’ Catholic parents who put off for a long time, or entirely neglect, the Baptism of their children put them in danger of losing heaven and the vision of God eternally. Although in limbo infants enjoy complete natural happiness surpassing any on earth, such happiness cannot compare with the bliss of heaven, where souls see God face to face. One is natural, the other supernatural joy.”

Babies who die without baptism will go to limbo where they will spend eternity. This is because God is infinitely merciful and just. God is not going to punish an infant who through no fault of their own could not be baptized, but since the infant is unbaptized, the child can’t enter into heaven either and see the fullness of the glory of God in His kingdom. Our Lord has put in place limbo so that those infants don’t go to hell, but neither our they permitted to enter into heaven because they were unbaptized. They will still enter into a place where there is no pain or suffering, this is because God loves them still. 

Following that same lesson from the same Catechism it states:

“Children should be baptized as soon as possible after birth, if possible, within a week. This practice dates from the Apostles.”

You can potentially see the Old Testament in this where on the eighth day a child would be circumcised to be brought into the Old Covenant. The same should be with babies in these times to bring them into the New Covenant. 

Continuing:

“Except when in danger of death, an infant should not be baptized without the permission of a parent or guardian. Children who have come to the age of reason cannot be baptized without their own consent. Infants may receive the baptism of blood, but not the baptism of desire, since they have not as yet the use of reason. However, their lack of Baptism may be supplied in a way we do not know, perhaps even by the desire of the mother. For who has trusted in the Infinite and merciful God, and found Him deaf to supplication. Some pious Doctors of the Church believe that little babies who die without Baptism may even receive it from an angel. But since this is only pious belief, parents sin mortally if they neglect the baptism of their children.”

Baptism is the sacrament that gives us a new life of grace that is sanctifying, it makes us Christians, children of God, and heirs to the heavenly kingdom. It is extremely important to have your children baptized because if they reach the age of reason it’s their choice alone if they are going to be baptized or not and if they die without baptism, by their own choice, they will die and enter into eternal damnation. This is why you should baptize your children as soon as possible for the salvation of their souls. 

Some parents in these times wait to have their children baptized so that they might choose on their own, whether they will stay Catholic or not, be baptized or not, and even be confirmed or not. This is a dangerous way to live, tomorrow isn’t promised after all.  Those parents who think like that do not have a serious Catholic faith they might not have the Catholic faith at all. These days it may not be their fault, since right after the Second Vatican Council and still today people in the Church are still so poorly catechized. However, let it be known that these parents should be given correct instructions in the faith. These parents who do this neglect the salvation of the souls of their children. They are putting their kids souls in danger and if they reach the age of reason and choose to not be baptized and die they will be damned forever. Do you as a parent want on your conscious that the soul of your child is going to be lost forever because you neglected to have them baptized as infants or at least before the age of reason? If you love your children, your answer is NO! GET THEM BAPTIZED! Not only for their soul but your souls as well, for neglecting to have them baptized is a mortal sin and one mortal sin is enough to send you to hell. 

Again, those who have not reached the age of reason and are unbaptized will go into limbo forever. When judgment comes, these sweet souls will know why they can’t enter into heaven, but they will still be happy because they know that God didn’t send them to an eternal punishment and that God still loves them for all of eternity.

God Love You!