An abortion is the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus, resulting in or caused by its death. This can occur spontaneously as a miscarriage, or be artificially induced by chemical, surgical or other means.
Pope Paul Vl to Pope John Paul ll in his (their) encyclical ("The Gospel of Life") have maintained that the Bible forbids abortion. The Roman Catholic Church has always considered abortion a grave offense.
The Roman Catholic Church today firmly holds that "the first right of the human person is his life" and that life is assumed to begin at fertilization. The equality of all human life is fundamental and complete, any discrimination is evil. Therefore, even when a woman's life appears jeopardized, choosing her life over her child's is no less discrimination between two lives - and therefore morally unacceptable.
However, the Roman Catholic Church does make a clear distinction between direct abortion and indirect abortion. Direct abortion as a means or an end is always viewed as a moral evil.
Indirect abortion occurs when treatment used to save the life of the mother has the secondary side effect of killing the unborn child. An example of indirect abortion is seen in cases of ectopic pregnancy where the fallopian tubewould be removed with the unborn intact, saving the life of the woman, but resulting in the indirect death of the unborn. The Roman Catholic Church only recognizes very rare cases where indirect abortion is permissible and views the vast majority abortive procedures to be the result of procuring a direct abortion.
What happens to the aborted ( Even Miscarriage) unborn ?
Does he go to heaven or Limbo? What is Limbo? Limbo is not quite hell and not quite heaven. The term limbo comes from the Latin word limbus, which means “border” or “edge.” In Roman Catholic doctrine, limbo is the immediate destination of those souls who, through no personal fault, are not admitted to heaven. Because this fate is not due to their own moral failings, they are also not damned to hell. The name limbo comes from the fact that it is traditionally believed to be located on the edge of Hell. The Limbo of Infants refers to a hypothetical permanent status of the unbaptized who die in infancy, too young to have committed personal sins, but not having been freed from original sin.
While the Roman Catholic Church has a defined doctrine on original sin, it has none on the eternal fate of unbaptized infants, leaving theologians free to propose different theories, which Catholics are free to accept or reject.
Does the Catholic Church still believe in limbo, a place for unbaptized babies to go if they die without baptism?
The Catholic Church never "believed" in limbo. The existence of limbo for unbaptized infants is not part of divine revelation, but rather was and is an educated theological "guess." The term was coined by St. Augustine and literally means "fringe." St. Augustine, Doctor of Grace This came about because God has not chosen to reveal what happens to deceased unbaptized infants. We know that baptism is absolutely necessary for salvation (John 3:5) because God revealed this. We also know that something called "baptism of desire" is possible.
Since unbaptized infants seem incapable of any "desire" or act of their will, theologians have speculated throughout the ages about their destiny in this context St. Augustine thought that it would be an offense against God's justice to suppose He would allow such creatures to suffer any pain, but that rather God places such infants in a state of "natural," but not supernatural happiness for eternity.
This he called "limbo." Other theologians say that God's "universal salvific will" (1 Timothy 2:4) includes unbaptized people who do not have the use of reason when they die and that they enjoy supernatural happiness by some means we do not now know.
Catholics are free to believe or disbelieve in limbo. What happens to unbaptized people who do not have the use of reason and who die in that state is an open question. ( This was Reprinted on September 17, 1999 )
Now as per 23rd April 2007 ..... read on....
What Is Limbo And Does It Exist?
What happens to a baby that dies before it's been baptized? Christianity has wrestled with for centuries. Some denominations say they go to heaven.
For about 800 years, the Catholic Church has said these infants head to a place called Limbo, which is neither heaven nor hell. However, this April 2007, the Pope announced that the Church no longer believes that.
"So, what is the Church doing?" asks Father Peter Laird, who teaches at the St. Paul Seminary. He says Limbo developed as a way for the Church to protect two important beliefs.
"The church very much wants to encourage baptism," he said. "It is the standard way in which salvation would be offered to men and women."
However, Catholics also believe in original sin.
"Adam and Eve made a choice not to live in union with the will of God," said Fr. Laird.
Catholics say we are all born sinners and saved only by baptism and belief.
"And so the challenge was what do you do with babies? What do you do with children who hadn't been baptized?," said Fr. Laird.
"I would think they go to heaven," said one woman in St. Paul.
If they died before being baptized, the Catholic Church said those babies head to Limbo.
"It's really a place on the edge but not yet enjoying the delights of heaven," said Fr. Laird.
"That's wack," said one man in St. Paul.
That's not exactly the words Pope Benedict used, but he did call on the church to re-think the idea of the Limbo.
In it's report released this April 2007, the Vatican Theological Commission calls Limbo an "Unduly restrictive view of salvation." They say the idea of Limbo is difficult to reconcile with the idea of a loving and merciful God.
"I don't think it's the babies' fault they didn't get baptized," said another woman in St. Paul.
The Pope agreed and sealed limbo's fate for good.
Pope Benedict XVI has reversed centuries of traditional Roman Catholic teaching on limbo, approving a Vatican report released that says there were "serious" grounds to hope that children who die without being baptized can go to heaven.
Theologians said the move was highly significant - both for what it says about Benedict's willingness to buck a long-standing tenet of Catholic belief and for what it means theologically about the Church's views on heaven, hell and original sin - the sin that the faithful believe all children are born with.
Although Catholics have long believed that children who die without being baptized are with original sin and thus excluded from heaven, the Church has no formal doctrine on the matter. Theologians, however, have long taught that such children enjoy an eternal state of perfect natural happiness, a state commonly called limbo, but without being in communion with God.
"Because God desires all men and women to be saved," said Fr. Laird. "God is merciful and those little babies who never had the opportunity to commit a sin, a personal sin, would know the fullness of God's mercy."
While many Catholic welcome the change, some wonder if it invites criticism of other church teachings that lack scriptural origin.
"It's a great question," said Fr. Laird. "The church of course can't change it's position on certain areas of faith and morals but there are other questions where faith needs reason to grapple and come to a clearer understanding."
The concept of Limbo was never considered official church dogma so it was fairly easy to change. In fact, limbo was merely considered a "theological opinion" despite lasting for centuries
“A courageous life” Lyrics:-
There comes a time When the world needs a sign To see the ways of the heavens And the truth from above Waking the earth With a call from above Rose a voice from a nation Tossed and turned by the storm
A courageous life In a time of strife A message that rang loud and clear To defend all life In a culture of death That Christ may be lifted up high
A witness to hope In a time of despair He did tirelessly travel To the ends of the earth
Nations took heed When he spoke with God’s fire Yet he walked among children And he drew near the poor
A courageous life In a time of strife A message that rang loud and clear To defend all life In a culture of death That Christ may be lifted up high
A prophet of God A shepherd of love The conscience that woke up the world to life With a heart full of joy And grace from above In him the presence of Jesus Came alive…
A courageous life In a time of strife A message that rang loud and clear To defend all life In a culture of death That Christ may be lifted up high.
Its simple logic, no one suffers for no fault of theirs, i do not understand 'limbo' but all i understand is that God forgives those who repent his wrong doings and those who do good to others...
Abortion is a choice that someone makes. It is not right or wrong. If you want to have an abortion you should be able to have one without getting a lot of grief from everyone else. I do not want kids for a long time. If I am married and I get pregnant, and I am not ready to have a kid I should not have to go through with the pregnancy.
I do agree with you that abortion is a choice.
If you do decide to get married and are not ready to have a kid - Dear Sister you have to make sure that you follow the church teaching on NFP programmes.
If you are not ready to have a kid and get pregnant - certainly your entire body and mind would not be ready for such a course but most assuredly i tell YOU THAT your intelligent mind body and soul will never never be able to get away from the guilt of abortion, unless and until you truly repent and cry out for forgiveness and mercy, even after that your guilt might subside but the memory will still be there and only with God's grace will you be able to be calm and still with the memory.
I love you and wish you well
Happy days ahead
As I read about the abortion in the Part of Guardian Angels , I`m interested to read because I and my husband is staff of family ministry in Caceres of Naga to advocate the NFP programmes and the SAFE - Subtle Attack of Family Explained to community, the group of St. Therese of the Child Jesus Parish in Bicol (Phil.) attended the Seminars in Antipolo Retreat House, about the SAFE, what we need in our group is the equipments parapernalla to advocate the SAFE because NFP Programmes is in the SAFE part we want to Help the people in our place but that is a big problem. the expenses. We couple in our place are very willing to help our church. Please Pray to our group to be strong to look for the promoting this kind of program. Than you.
Please PRAY with US.
Dear friends around the world and at guardian angel, i am from mumbai and this problem is rampant here too... i feel deeply called to working towards PRO-LIFE. I would like to help with any such programs or receive feedback from u on the same..... please let me know about such programs..... god bless.
Dear Anna Pereira and someone,
Christian greetings. I have gone through your comments. Marriage is a choice I know but not abortion. You will agree with me saying that life is a gift given by God. Then the life conceived in the womb is also a gift given by God. Have you got the right to take somebody's life? As nobody has right to take your life so also you have no right to take the life of the one who is in the womb. Just because that life is in your womb that does not mean that is at your mercy. If some body tries to take away your life,you can resist and try to save your life. But what about the life which cannot resist nor shout for help? Mind it, it is a murder, merciless and cruel murder. You cannot say that there is forgiveness for every sin and you will commit sin. Even if you are forgiven can you take away the guilt through out your life? And even if you manage to forget the guilt can you erress the scar? You will suffer through out your life for that error. After all marriage is for recreation. God has plan it that way. No one has right to interfere in God's work. It is rebellion. Marriage is not for enjoyment so also sex is not for enjoyment but for recreation also. When one decides to get married then one has to be ready to receive gift from God who has designed the marriage. One can plan but not reject or abort. It is a murder. The child in the womb shouts and tells the word in unheard loud voice that it is a murder.
An abortion is the removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the uterus, 
resulting in or caused by its death. This can occur spontaneously as a miscarriage, or be artificially induced by chemical, surgical or other means.
Pope Benedict XVI has reversed centuries of traditional Roman Catholic teaching on limbo, approving a Vatican report released that says there were "serious" grounds to hope that children who die without being baptized can go to heaven. 
