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Could a Non-Catholic be Canonized by the Catholic Church?

Question:

Could a non-Catholic be canonized by the Catholic Church?

Answer:

It is theoretically possible that the Church could canonize a non-Catholic, because canonization is simply an official acknowledgment that a particular person is in heaven. But to date the Church has done so only with its own members. This is because one of the purposes of canonization is to set forth for Catholics a model of Catholic Christian holiness.

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