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In a bid to strengthen efforts to convert more sub-Saharan populations, the Catholic Church is set to end centuries of theological debate over ‘limbo’—known to be the place on the margins of heaven—where un-baptised, innocent children go when dead.
While celebrating holy mass at the Vatican last Friday, Pope Benedict XVI called on the International Theological Commission led by Cardinal William Levada, now guardian of doctrine, to ‘clear’ all matters relating to limbo, “particularly the destiny of children who die in innocence and un-baptised, in the context of God’s universal salvation”.
While the issue relating to limbo has been a matter raised two years ago by Pope John Paul II, who openly discussed the issue with his college of cardinals, it was Josef Ratzinger himself, as former custodian of doctrine who steered the first theological studies on limbo.
Vatican experts have explained, that apart from clarifying the mystery of limbo, the matter will clearly serve the Catholic Church in its efforts to convert sub-Saharan populations, where child mortality rates are very high.
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