Msg Base:  AREA 5  - ASK FATHER            CIN ECHO   AMDG
  Msg No: 153.  Fri 10-11-91 16:38
    From: Father Mateo
      To: Richard Chonak
 Subject: Canonized Catechumens

³ A friend of mine (a Feeneyite in his opinions) believes that there are no
³ canonized saints who were not baptized, but I'm under the impression that
³ a fair number of martyrs were catechumens.  Yet I have no idea of how to
³ check something like this out.  Can you suggest any particular saints who
³ might fit this description?
 
Dear Richard,
 
I drew a blank trying to research your question.  I have a
suggestion:  write to the Apostolic Nuncio in Washington and ask him
to advise you how to put your question directly to the Congregation
for the Canonization of Saints in Rome.
 
I looked up some of the early martyr catechumen saints like St.
Perpetua and St. Felicity.  They were arrested before baptism, but
were baptized in person before martyrdom.
 
As my personal opinion, I cannot see why a martyr without baptism
cannot be canonized (although I don't know if this has ever
happened).
 
St. Thomas teaches that desire of baptism and of membership in the
Church can save a person (S.Th. III, 68, 2).  The good thief on Good
Friday received salvation by baptism of desire.  Our Lord's words
were the thief's bull of canonization.  The Church has always honored
the Holy Innocents of Bethlehem as saints and martyrs by baptism of
blood.
 
St. Cyprian says the martyred catechumens receive "the most glorious
and most sublime blood-baptism" (Ep. 73, 22).  St. Augustine says of
martyrs generally:  "It is an affront to a martyr to pray FOR him; we
should rather recommend ourselves TO his prayers" (Sermo 159, 1).
This amounts to equivalent canonization.
 
                                     Sincerely in Christ,
                                     Father Mateo