Lack of compassion for those sad parents

Sir — On reading Anthony J Jordan’s article (Sunday Independent, April 2), I was heartened by the successful outcome of his quest to prove Antonia Marie was baptised. He must have been greatly relieved.

There was such a lack of compassion and understanding by the Church for parents of unbaptised children. For years, the latter was refused a Christian burial in consecrated grounds. Abandoned by the clergy, it was left to distraught parents to clandestinely bury these pitiful outcasts in unmarked graves.

Parents found little consolation in knowing their loved ones were in limbo. Their babies were barred for ever sharing in God’s happiness. More distressing, they would never be reunited with them in the next life.

Since Vatican II, limbo has been quietly dropped. There is no mention in the 1992 catechism. The modern Church, however, has not unequivocally distanced itself from the ‘theological hypothesis’.

In today’s liturgy, unbaptised babies are entrusted to the mercy of God in the hope they may be saved. There are reasons for prayerful hope rather than theological certainty.

Catholics who die in the state of grace or subsequently atone for a sinful past in purgatory will find happiness with God. The Church is so confident people are in Heaven it has elevated many to the status of sainthood.

St Augustine, a reformed sinner, was baptised late in life. He had great difficulty with the concept of unbaptised children sharing eternal life with God. He is one of the greatest Catholic saints.

It is such a shame the Church feels in this instance it hasn’t the authority to say for definite what happens to innocent unbaptised babies. D Walsh Dublin 13