Patrick Madrid had such a touching moment on his show when a sweet little girl named Emily from Texas called in with a really deep question. She asked, “Do babies who die in their mommy’s tummy go to purgatory because of original sin?” You could just hear the innocence and sincerity in her voice, and Patrick’s response was so kind and thoughtful.

He gently explained that no, those babies don’t go to purgatory. Purgatory is a place where souls go to be purified from sins they’ve committed during their lives, but unborn babies haven’t had a chance to commit any sins at all. So, it wouldn’t make sense for them to be there.

Patrick then broke down the idea of original sin in a way Emily could understand. He used this really simple analogy: imagine your parents were billionaires (how fun would that be?!) and you were supposed to inherit all that money. But then, because of something your parents did, they lost it all, and even though it wasn’t your fault, you miss out on the inheritance. That’s kind of what original sin is like—it’s something we inherit from Adam and Eve, but it’s not because of anything we personally did.

What about those babies who don’t get a chance to be baptized? That’s where the Church trusts in God’s mercy. Patrick explained that while the Church doesn’t have an exact answer, it hopes and prays that God, in His love, gives those babies the grace they need to enter heaven. And he reminded Emily that God loves those babies even more than their parents or siblings ever could, so we trust that they’re safe with Him.

Patrick’s ability to take such a big, complicated question and make it so clear and comforting was really beautiful.

💛 Bottom line: We don’t know exactly what happens to miscarried babies, but we have every reason to hope that God, in His infinite love and mercy, welcomes them into heaven. And we can trust that one day, their families will be reunited with them in God’s embrace.

If you’ve suffered a miscarriage, the pain is real, and Relevant Radio is always here to pray with you and support you through the journey of grief. You are not alone.

The best way to listen to the Best of the Week is on our #1 Free Catholic App. It’s free, and always will be! To get and share the Relevant Radio app, check it out here.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: RSS