Question: Did the Catholic Church recently abolish limbo?

Answer: False, another complete fabrication by the media. Limbo if it is understood as being a part of hell where those who die in original sin alone go to is a part of the Catholic Faith as Popes and Councils have declared it. However, the present debate over limbo is whether or not those who do not receive a sacramental baptism (ie by water) will be removed of original sin another way by God, essentially the argument is that no one dies in original sin alone. The ITC upholds that Limbo is STILL a valid hypothesis/ theory, but the media did not find that in their sparknotes version of the text which CLEARLY states:

"It REMAINS therefore a possible theological hypothesis. However, in the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992), the theory of limbo is not mentioned." --Second Paragraph of "THE HOPE OF SALVATION FOR INFANTS WHO DIE WITHOUT BEING BAPTISED" by the International Theological Commission

Furthermore the Commission SEVERAL times refers to Limbo again as a THEORY, not a "myth" or abolished belief. For example:

The Commission states: "original sin is of itself an impediment to the beatific vision." –ibid. Paragraph 36

The following are magisterium writings concerning limbo:

"But the souls of those who depart this life in actual mortal sin, or in original sin alone, go down straightaway to hell to be punished, but with unequal pain (poenis disparibus)."—Ecumenical Councils of Florence and Lyons II

**ITC states this in regards to this decision "Historically, these affirmations have certainly been applied to unbaptised infants, with the conclusion that these infants suffer punishment for original sin. It must be observed however that, in a general way, the focus of these Church pronouncements was not on the lack of salvation for unbaptised infants, but on the immediacy of the particular judgment after death and the assignment of souls to heaven or hell. These magisterial statements do not oblige us to think that these infants necessarily die with original sin, so that there would be no way of salvation for them."

**While Catholic Encyclopedia seems to favor that this is speaking of limbo.

"There is no other way to come to the aid [of little children] than the sacrament of Baptism by which they are snatched from the power of the devil and adopted as children of God”--Ecumenical Council of Florence

“Those who claim that the children of the faithful dying without sacramental baptism will not be saved, are stupid and presumptuous in saying this” --An Article condemned by the Ecumenical Council of Constance **The ITC does NOT discuss this and makes no mention of Constance, although this is found in a session approved by a legitimate pope, this is not found in Denzinger, but is in Philipp Schaff’s and the CDF’s version online at clerus.org of the Council of Constance.

"It (The Roman Church) teaches. . . . . that the souls . . . . . of those who die in mortal sin, or with only original sin descend immediately into hell; however, to be punished with different penalties and in different places." (Illorum autem animas, qui in mortali peccato vel cum solo originali decedunt, mox in infernum descendere, poenis tamen ac locis disparibus puniendas.) --Pope John XXII "Nequaquam sine dolore" to the Armenians, November 21, A.D. 1321 Denzinger 926 (493a) Latin English

"the punishment for original sin is the loss of the beatific vision”--Pope Innocent III

Scriptures that seem to show Limbo:

"the desires of man's heart are evil from the start"--Genesis 8:21

"True, I was born guilty, a sinner, even as my mother conceived me."--Psalm 51:7

"Can a man be found who is clean of defilement? There is none, however short his days. You know the number of his months; you have fixed the limit which he cannot pass."--Job 14:4-5

"Jesus answered, "Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit."--John 3:5