Catholic to be sainted?

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Three Catholic priests are about to be beatified, in part because of their martyrdom by the Nazi’s. There was a fourth man beheaded at the same time who was a Lutheran minister. Some of the Lutherans in Germany are upset that the Lutheran minister is not also being beatified. Is it necessary to be an avowed and practicing Catholic in order to be beatified?
 
I heard it on Catholic radio in my car. My first reaction was well of course… you need to be a Catholic. But then thinking about it, I started to wonder…
 
Peepers said:
Some of the Lutherans in Germany are upset that the Lutheran minister is not also being beatified. Is it necessary to be an avowed and practicing Catholic in order to be beatified?
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Normally, proof of a miracle through the candidate’s intercession is required for beatification… but I don’t know if that’s still the case if the candidate for beatification was martyred. In any event, Article XXI of the Apology of the Augsburg Confession states:
Moreover, even supposing that the saints pray for the Church ever so much, yet it does not follow that they are to be invoked; although our Confession affirms only this, that Scripture does not teach the invocation of the saints, or that we are to ask the saints for aid.
So I’d be surprised if, under normal circumstances, anyone would ever initiate a cause for the beatification of a non-Catholic.

If the fourth person had been, say, a rabbi instead of a Lutheran minister, would people be upset if he were not also being beatified? I would imagine that Jews the world over would have something to say if the Catholic Church were to suggest beatifying a martyred rabbi!
 
Peepers said:
Three Catholic priests are about to be beatified, in part because of their martyrdom by the Nazi’s. There was a fourth man beheaded at the same time who was a Lutheran minister. Some of the Lutherans in Germany are upset that the Lutheran minister is not also being beatified.
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How silly. Lutherans don’t even believe in the Catholic doctrine of the Communion of Saints.
Peepers said:
Is it necessary to be an avowed and practicing Catholic in order to be beatified?
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Yes. The Church speaks only on her own members in this regard.

An imperfect analogy would be the US Military only gives out the Purple Heart, Silver Star, etc, to members of the US military. While someone in the British or French military may do something heroic, it is up to their own country to honor them in whatever manner is customary in their own culture.
 
Erich said:
Normally, proof of a miracle through the candidate’s intercession is required for beatification… but I don’t know if that’s still the case if the candidate for beatification was martyred. In any event, Article XXI of the Apology of the Augsburg Confession states:
Moreover, even supposing that the saints pray for the Church ever so much, yet it does not follow that they are to be invoked; although our Confession affirms only this, that Scripture does not teach the invocation of the saints, or that we are to ask the saints for aid.
So I’d be surprised if, under normal circumstances, anyone would ever initiate a cause for the beatification of a non-Catholic.

If the fourth person had been, say, a rabbi instead of a Lutheran minister, would people be upset if he were not also being beatified? I would imagine that Jews the world over would have something to say if the Catholic Church were to suggest beatifying a martyred rabbi!
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If a martyr, I think the miracle requirement is waived for the first step. I am not sure if it is the beatification or being called Venerable (like JPII prior to beatification).

And unless a Catholic, one cannot be canonized.
 
pablope said:
If a martyr, I think the miracle requirement is waived for the first step. I am not sure if it is the beatification or being called Venerable (like JPII prior to beatification).

And unless a Catholic, one cannot be canonized.
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Indeed. Part of the reason is that Catholic saints are meant to be role models for other Catholics - in other words heroic examples of how to live a specifically Catholic Christian faith, not just a non-Catholic generically Christian one.

I like the military example given above - would these same German Lutherans be upset if a heroic member of the German military wasn’t given the Purple Heart or a British military honour such as the Victoria Cross or something?

And given how much time and energy non-Catholic Christians spend attacking the whole idea of Papal authority, why should they attach any significance to whether a Pope does or doesn’t pronounce on the sanctity of a Lutheran or anybody else?
 
The execution of Christians in Uganda included others besides Catholics. The first to die was the newly arrived Anglican bishop. When Pope Paul II Beatified the Catholics he also paid tribute to those others who died for their faith.
 
Would this apply to saints by acclamation who were recognized prior to the current canonization process?
 
Do those same Lutherans wish The Rev to be Catholic Baptized?

Don’t they think the Rev. Chose to be Lutheran and stayed so till he was executed?
 
I am not advocating the protesters’ position. I am curious about the Church’s. The Internet is a great place for misinformation. I read there that there are non-catholic saints who were sainted by acclamation. An example which is cited is St Michael. My understanding is that being sainted merely means that the Church is certain that a person’s soul is in Heaven. Is this correct? Is the Church’s position that only professed Catholics may achieve salvation?
 
Peepers said:
I am not advocating the protesters’ position. I am curious about the Church’s. The Internet is a great place for misinformation. I read there that there are non-catholic saints who were sainted by acclamation. An example which is cited is St Michael. My understanding is that being sainted merely means that the Church is certain that a person’s soul is in Heaven. Is this correct?
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I can see where confusion sets in.

But to use Saint Micheal as an example to support what the few want - is way off base.

You see Saint Michael. never was a person.

St. Michael, the Archangel

catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=308
Is the Church’s position that only professed Catholics may achieve salvation?
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No.

Read vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html
 
kimmielittle said:
I can see where confusion sets in.

But to use Saint Micheal as an example to support what the few want - is way off base.

You see Saint Michael. never was a person.

St. Michael, the Archangel

catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=308

No.

Read vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_20000806_dominus-iesus_en.html
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Yes, I know that, and the process of canonization of the modern Church appears to preclude non-Catholics. Does anyone here know if there are any non-Catholic saints? Maybe the question has been answered, and I am being dense. I apologize if that is the case.
 
Peepers said:
Three Catholic priests are about to be beatified, in part because of their martyrdom by the Nazi’s. There was a fourth man beheaded at the same time who was a Lutheran minister. Some of the Lutherans in Germany are upset that the Lutheran minister is not also being beatified. Is it necessary to be an avowed and practicing Catholic in order to be beatified?
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I think we need to make clear what is meant by “saint.”

A saint is a person in heaven, whether or not that person has been canonized. The word “canon” means “list” and one who is canonized is put on a list of Catholics we are certain are in heaven. It is, after all, a Catholic list.

I should point out that extremely few saints are canonized, that is, extremely few are put on the list. The Church’s silence about the rest in no way implies those souls were not holy and are not in heaven.
 
Kay_Cee said:
I think we need to make clear what is meant by “saint.”

A saint is a person in heaven, whether or not that person has been canonized. The word “canon” means “list” and one who is canonized is put on a list of Catholics we are certain are in heaven. It is, after all, a Catholic list.

I should point out that extremely few saints are canonized, that is, extremely few are put on the list. The Church’s silence about the rest in no way implies those souls were not holy and are not in heaven.
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Thanks. That is a clear explanation.
 
Peepers said:
Yes, I know that, and the process of canonization of the modern Church appears to preclude non-Catholics. Does anyone here know if there are any non-Catholic saints? Maybe the question has been answered, and I am being dense. I apologize if that is the case.
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Hmmm… would the Queen of England confer Knighthood / Ladyship on me without giving me at least an honorary citizenship?

Canonization is the Catholic Church’s way to judge / determine which Catholics qualify by Catholic standards, to Sainthood status.

.
 
I would not say necessarily either that the process has always required one to be Catholic. After all St Joseph was a Jewish Carpenter. St Anne - was Jewish. However, here is the main issue - while I think we can say theologically that there is a chance for salvation - I am not sure that we can honestly say that those who believe in schismatic theology should be Canonized. This would be giving credence to other doctrines such as consubstantiation, etc. These are just other points and problems I saw here in this discussion. God bless.
 
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