First - limbo
limbus infantium was never a dogma/doctrine. Rather it was a simple "we don't know" to the question "what about the unbaptised who die in infancy?". It is never mentioned in the Catechism eitherThe closest you get to a teaching is THE HOPE OF SALVATION FOR INFANTS WHO DIE WITHOUT BEING BAPTISED* which is a long-winded "we don't know, but we believe in God's mercy"
Second - purgatory -
that is a biblical belief - not in a PLACE, but the final stage of purification called purgatory.Purgatory, is nevertheless a self-evident concept in scripture.
- Nothing unclean can enter heaven. (Revelation 21:27)
- Jesus himself suggested that there was a possibility of forgiveness of sins "in the next life" (i.e., after death), except for those who blaspheme against the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 12:31-32)
- St. Paul tells us that every man's work will be put to the test; and that, if a righteous man's work fails the test, "He will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." (I Corinthians 3:15)
- Judas Maccabeus prayed for those men who had been killed in battle, who had apparently sinned by keeping small gods they had looted during the battle at Jamnia. He and his soldiers "praised the ways of the Lord, the just judge, who reveals what is hidden, and they begged him that this sin might be completely blotted out ... He also took up a collection from all his men, totaling about four pounds of silver, and sent it to Jerusalem to provide for a sin offering. Judas did this noble thing because he believed in the resurrection of the dead. If he had not believed that the dead would be raised, it would have been foolish and useless to pray for them. In his firm and devout conviction that all of God's faithful people would receive a wonderful reward, Judas made provision for a sin offering to set free from their sin those who had died." Since those in heaven do not need forgiveness, and those in hell can't receive it, it only stands to reason he was praying for those who were otherwise righteous but needed to be cleansed of their remaining sin. (II Maccabees 12:38-45)
God says that nothing unclean shall enter heaven in Revelations 21:27. Jesus' sacrifice is what cleans us of the sin
Scripture notes that, on the Day of Judgement (your death) while your efforts in life and devotion to God may give you assurance of heaven with Christ’s blessings, any personal attachments to sin you may have must be purged, first.
(I Corinthians 3:11-15)Purgatory, contrary to pop culture and poor interpretation, is not a place but a state. A person in this state will be going to heaven. However, to complete their purity, God has them stand on heaven’s front porch, so to speak, to get the last bits of earthly grime off of their souls before entering.
For no other foundation can any one lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any one builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble—each man’s work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work which any man has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.Purgatory is also not a “second chance” in entering heaven. While Catholics believe that prayer may aid someone in the state of purgatory to be cleansed more readily so as to enter heaven soon (a word that does suggest some time goes by in a realm of timeless), such prayer cannot aid a soul found wanting by God and left outside of heaven, where hell is their only option for eternity.
THis.