Cantalamessa and Limbo

In today's Zenit bulletin Fr Cantalamessa tries to clarify the remarks he made earlier this month about the fate of unbaptised children. He begins by referring to his "affirmation that unbaptised children will not go to limbo but to heaven". Fr Cantamessa continues to affirm that unbaptised children will go to heaven. The problem with this affirmation, however, is that it goes beyond the teaching of the Catechism, which Fr Cantalamessa quotes. The Catechism does not say that the unbaptised will go to heaven. It says that we are allowed to hope for this. And between these two affirmations there is a great difference. Fr Cantalamessa, while trying to exalt the mercy of God, in fact devalues Baptism. The Catechism succeeds in preserving both teachings.