Expert: Charlie B - 2/8/2012

Question
what does limbo mean

Answer
Juvie,
Thanks for your question.  When people say 'limbo,' they can mean a few things:

- Wikipedia says, "In the theology of the Catholic Church, Limbo (Latin limbus, edge or boundary, referring to the "edge" of Hell) is a speculative idea about the afterlife condition of those who die in original sin without being assigned to the Hell of the damned. Limbo is not an official doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church or any other. Medieval theologians, in western Europe, described the underworld ("hell", "hades", "infernum") as divided into four distinct parts: hell of the damned (which some call Gehenna), Purgatory, limbo of the fathers, and limbo of infants."

- Limbo:  if a baby dies & is not Baptized, do they go right to Heaven?  The Vatican site to access, "http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/cti_documents/rc_con_cfai

- my definition: I believe in Purgatory as a Catholic (and I'm a United Methodist convert from 16 years ago).  To me, limbo is a feeling, an in-between sense from major events in your life to next one to come, career changes, spiritual 'aha's or discoveries & realizations, or relationships.  To me, it's a feeling of either an epiphany or realizing how many "unknown, unknowns" that we have in our life.  After all, only God is in true 'control' of us & our world.

Does this help you, or do you have a follow up question?  Make it a good & God day.
Charlie

PS - feedback & evaluations are welcome  :-)