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SO, much has been made of St. Catherine of Siena's Dialogue where Baptism of Desire is supposedly taught. At first blush, in a hasty reading it DOES seem to say it! And we all know how St. Catherine was utterly Pure and Holy AND had infused knowledge of language and was regarded fo her, also infused, theological acuмen! Indeed, theologians would come to her to try and trip her up and she always answered correctly.

So, if her Dialogue actually DOES contain BoD, it's no small thing.

But guess what? It doesn't. And I will take the time to explode WHY it doesn't. It's not so much subtle as it is attention to detail, there are certain things that the Father is telling her in a certain way that are dead giveaways.

Let's look first at the main quote:

https://www.ewtn.com/library/SOURCES/CATHDIAL.HTM

I poured from it Blood and Water, to show you the baptism of water, which is received in virtue of the Blood. I also showed the baptism of love in two ways, first in those who are baptized in their blood, shed for Me, which has virtue through My Blood, even if they have not been able to have Holy Baptism, and also in those who are baptized in fire, not being able to have Holy Baptism, but desiring it with the affection of love. There is no baptism of fire without the Blood, because the Blood is steeped in and kneaded with the fire of Divine charity, because, through love was It shed.

If this is ALL that was said, it would truly be sort of unsettling, as it obviously is for many if we actually took a poll on it here.

But there is NOTHING to fear here at ALL!

Let's look at the WIDER context:

How they who are imperfect desire to follow the Father alone, but they who are perfect desire to follow the Son. And of a vision, which this holy soul had, concerning diverse baptisms, and of many other beautiful and useful things.
 
"As I have told you, these latter have issued forth from the house, which is a sign that they have arisen from imperfection and arrived at perfection. Open the eye of your intellect and see them running by the Bridge of the doctrine of Christ crucified, which was their rule, way, and doctrine. They place none other before the eye of their intellect than Christ crucified, not the Father, as they do who are in imperfect love and do not wish to suffer pain, but only to have the delight which they find in Me. But they, as if drunken with love and burning with it, have gathered together and ascended the three steps, which I figured to you as the three powers of the soul, and also the three actual steps, figured to you as in the Body of My only Son, Christ crucified, by which steps the soul, as I told you, ascended, first climbing to the Feet, with the feet of the soul's affection, from thence arriving at the Side, where she found the secret of the Heart and knew the baptism of water, which has virtue through the Blood, and where I dispose the soul to receive grace, uniting and kneading her together in the Blood. Where did the soul know of this her dignity, in being kneaded and united with the Blood of the Lamb, receiving the grace in Holy Baptism, in virtue of the Blood? In the Side, where she knew the fire of divine Charity, and so, if you remember well, My Truth manifested to you, when you asked, saying: 'Sweet and Immaculate Lamb, You were dead when Your side was opened. Why then did You want to be struck and have Your heart divided?' And He replied to you, telling you that there was occasion enough for it; but the principal part of what He said I will tell you. He said: Because My desire towards the human generation was ended, and I had finished the actual work of bearing pain and torment, and yet I had not been able to show, by finite things, because My love was infinite, how much more love I had, I wished you to see the secret of the Heart, showing it to you open, so that you might see how much more I loved than I could show you by finite pain. I poured from it Blood and Water, to show you the baptism of water, which is received in virtue of the Blood. I also showed the baptism of love in two ways, first in those who are baptized in their blood, shed for Me, which has virtue through My Blood, even if they have not been able to have Holy Baptism, and also in those who are baptized in fire, not being able to have Holy Baptism, but desiring it with the affection of love. There is no baptism of fire without the Blood, because the Blood is steeped in and kneaded with the fire of Divine charity, because, through love was It shed. There is yet another way by which the soul receives the baptism of Blood, speaking, as it were, under a figure, and this way the Divine charity provided, knowing the infirmity and fragility of man, through which he offends, not that he is obliged, through his fragility and infirmity, to commit sin unless he wish to do so; but, falling, as he will, into the guilt of mortal sin, by which he loses the grace which he drew from Holy Baptism in virtue of the Blood, it was necessary to leave a continual baptism of Blood. This the Divine charity provided in the Sacrament of Holy Confession, the soul receiving the Baptism of Blood, with contrition of heart, confessing, when able, to My ministers, who hold the keys of the Blood, sprinkling It, in absolution, upon the face of the soul. But, if the soul be unable to confess, contrition of heart is sufficient for this baptism, the hand of My clemency giving you the fruit of this precious Blood. But if you are able to confess, I wish you to do so, and if you are able to, and do not, you will be deprived of the fruit of the Blood. It is true that, in the last extremity, a man, desiring to confess and not being able to, will receive the fruit of this baptism, of which I have been speaking. But let no one be so mad as so to arrange his deeds, that, in the hope of receiving it, he puts off confessing until the last extremity of death, when he may not be able to do so. In which case, it is not at all certain that I shall not say to him, in My Divine Justice: 'You did not remember Me in the time of your life, when you could, now will I not remember you in your death.'

"You see then that these Baptisms, which you should all receive until the last moment, are continual, and though My works, that is the pains of the Cross were finite, the fruit of them which you receive in Baptism, through Me, are infinite. This is in virtue of the infinite Divine nature, united with the finite human nature, which human nature endures pain in Me, the Word, clothed with your humanity. But because the one nature is steeped in and united with the other, the Eternal Deity drew to Himself the pain, which I suffered with so much fire and love. And therefore can this operation be called infinite, not that My pain, neither the actuality of the body be infinite, nor the pain of the desire that I had to complete your redemption, because it was terminated and finished on the Cross, when the Soul was separated from the Body; but the fruit, which came out of the pain and desire for your salvation, is infinite, and therefore you receive it infinitely. Had it not been infinite, the whole human generation could not have been restored to grace, neither the past, the present, nor the future. This I manifested in the opening of My Side, where is found the secret of the Heart, showing that I loved more than I could show, with finite pain. I showed to you that My love was infinite. How? By the Baptism of Blood, united with the fire of My charity, and by the general baptism, given to Christians, and to whomsoever will receive it, and by the baptism of water, united with the Blood and the fire, wherein the soul is steeped. And, in order to show this, it was necessary for the Blood to come out of My Side. Now I have shown you (said My Truth to you) what you asked of Me."

Go ahead and read this carefully and slowly. Certain things ought to make you blink and think twice.

Firstly, what's happening in this vision, or locution?

God the father is telling her that it is more perfect to desire to Follow Christ than the father, because this is to willfully embrace suffering. God emphasizes to her:

But they, as if drunken with love and burning with it, have gathered together and ascended the three steps, which I figured to you as the three powers of the soul, and also the three actual steps, figured to you as in the Body of My only Son, Christ crucified, by which steps the soul, as I told you, ascended, first climbing to the Feet, with the feet of the soul's affection, from thence arriving at the Side, where she found the secret of the Heart and knew the baptism of water, which has virtue through the Blood, and where I dispose the soul to receive grace, uniting and kneading her together in the Blood. Where did the soul know of this her dignity, in being kneaded and united with the Blood of the Lamb, receiving the grace in Holy Baptism, in virtue of the Blood? In the Side, where she knew the fire of divine Charity

Unpacking this: God showed St. Catherine that what she received from the side of Christ was baptism of water, which has its efficacy through the blood. She also was shown that in this blood of Christ, in this baptism, God the Father DISPOSES the soul to receive even more grace, by uniting her and kneading her together with the blood, through her baptism of water. And all of this comes about through Divine Charity.

The imagery is very rich here, but essentially this is what is being communicated: The Soul is baptized, God disposes it to receive more grace, and this all takes place through Divine Charity, operating through her baptism, and by the power of the blood of Jesus.

Next:

I wished you to see the secret of the Heart, showing it to you open, so that you might see how much more I loved than I could show you by finite pain. I poured from it Blood and Water, to show you the baptism of water, which is received in virtue of the Blood. I also showed the baptism of love in two ways, first in those who are baptized in their blood, shed for Me, which has virtue through My Blood, even if they have not been able to have Holy Baptism, and also in those who are baptized in fire, not being able to have Holy Baptism, but desiring it with the affection of love. There is no baptism of fire without the Blood, because the Blood is steeped in and kneaded with the fire of Divine charity, because, through love was It shed.

Now here is where we need to pay closer attention.

1. Our Lord DOES clearly indicate that to shed our blood for his sake, even if we are unbaptized, is efficacious through his blood.

2. The baptism of fire is desiring holy baptism with affection, and being unable to receive it. This is a baptism of love. It is efficacious through the blood of Christ, which blood is aflame with Divine Charity.

3. Note that the Baptism of blood implies salvation, but does not explicitly say it, nor is it explicitly stated that loss of life is what is occurring here. For example, what about a confessing catechumen? One unbaptized, tortured for the sake of Christ, shedding blood but not martyred? Presumably they are included in this baptism of love. Note also, that the Baptism of fire is not referred to as a supplement for the waters of baptism, but basically these are being referred to by the father as two ways of being awash, baptized, in the fire of Divine love, Divine Charity. No mention is made of final end.

Essentially, what the Father is revealing here is that those who long for him, even if unbaptized, he grants them Charity. TO one, by the shedding of his blood, to the other through his affectionate longing for baptism.

BUT it doesn't STOP here!

There is yet another way by which the soul receives the baptism of Blood [that is, the baptism of Christ's own Blood, not martyrdom -Gregory I], speaking, as it were, under a figure, and this way the Divine charity provided, knowing the infirmity and fragility of man, through which he offends, not that he is obliged, through his fragility and infirmity, to commit sin unless he wish to do so; but, falling, as he will, into the guilt of mortal sin, by which he loses the grace which he drew from Holy Baptism in virtue of the Blood, it was necessary to leave a continual baptism of Blood.

This the Divine charity provided in the Sacrament of Holy Confession, the soul receiving the Baptism of Blood [Christ's Blood. -Gregory I], with contrition of heart, confessing, when able, to My ministers, who hold the keys of the Blood, sprinkling It, in absolution, upon the face of the soul. But, if the soul be unable to confess, contrition of heart is sufficient for this baptism [Confession. -Gregory I], the hand of My clemency giving you the fruit of this precious Blood. But if you are able to confess, I wish you to do so, and if you are able to, and do not, you will be deprived of the fruit of the Blood. It is true that, in the last extremity, a man, desiring to confess and not being able to, will receive the fruit of this baptism, of which I have been speaking. But let no one be so mad as so to arrange his deeds, that, in the hope of receiving it, he puts off confessing until the last extremity of death, when he may not be able to do so. In which case, it is not at all certain that I shall not say to him, in My Divine Justice: 'You did not remember Me in the time of your life, when you could, now will I not remember you in your death.'

Here God the Father calls confession a continual Baptism in the Blood of Jesus. And it is significant that when treating of exceptions to the need for penance in this spot that he nowhere speaks of supplying the waters of baptism. Earlier me mentioned that A desire for the sacrament could bring about the infusion of divine Charity. But he said nothing about dying in this state or about salvation in regard to this state.

The Next statement frames this whole Dialogue a little more clearly:

"You see then that these Baptisms, which you should all receive until the last moment, are continual, and though My works, that is the pains of the Cross were finite, the fruit of them which you receive in Baptism, through Me, are infinite.

AH! Some more context!

1. We are told of various types of "baptisms" here. One literal, three metaphorical.

2. We are told that we ALL should strive to receive these various baptisms our entire life.

3. These metaphorical "baptisms" are the fruit of the cross which we receive in Sacramental baptism!

Fundamentally that means that these three metaphorical baptisms are DISPOSITIONS that we are to cultivate! This takes us back to the beginning:

from thence arriving at the Side, where she found the secret of the Heart and knew the baptism of water, which has virtue through the Blood, and where I dispose the soul to receive grace, uniting and kneading her together in the Blood.

So we see that what the Father is showing St. Catherine are the DISPOSITIONS flowing from his side that he wants us to cultivate. A readiness to shed our blood for him, even if unbaptized, which will set our souls aflame with Divine Charity, a Longing to receive the sacrament of baptism, which will do the same, and the readiness to confess our sins regularly to a priest, which will wash over us the Blood of Christ.

And yet somehow these all proceed forth from ONE baptism (he does not say "which you receive in these various Baptisms"), which I believe is the reason for God the Father not EXPLICITLY stating that the "baptisms" of blood and fire were replacements for water baptism, but dispositions that we are to strive after. The indication being that those who cultivate these dispositions WILL be baptized.

Thoughts?

We know that Baptism of Desire and of Blood will save us when it is impossible to receive the Baptism of water

We know nothing of the sort.  No better way to undermine BoD, if it exists, than to teach that the Sacrament is not necessary, leaving people to desire the desire rather than to desire the Sacrament.  +Lefebvre told someone asking for Baptism that he doesn't really need it because he's already justified by virtue of the desire ... which most certainly eroded his desire.  Also, it's never "impossible" to receive the Sacrament.

Absurd in the extreme. You are an agnostic through and through, Ladislaus, that is why you have not the certainty that faith always produces (for certitude belongs to the perfection of the intellect as St. Thomas says) and being tossed about by doubts speak only for yourself when you say you "know nothing of the sort." The Church however knows for certain from Holy Scripture that the Baptism of Desire exists and is at least certain doctrine. Based on St. Alphonsus' Moral Theology and several other works approved by the Church for instruction in seminaries, all Catholics are free to hold and teach it is even de fide. Anyone who denied it would not be permitted to teach in a seminary, just like if he denied any other doctrine taught therein and approved for teaching as doctrine by a long line of traditional Popes. And your thinking is carnal when you say teaching catechumens to make regular acts of pure love of God or contrition (ie for His own sake and beyond all things, sorry only for having offended His infinite goodness) along with the desire to go to the priest as soon as possible could possibly reduce the desire to receive the actual Sacrament as soon as that becomes possible. And Yes, that distinction is real.

Contrary to Feeneyite novelties, moral and physical impossibility on the part of the penitent (not of course on the part of God, which is an absurd strawman from your side) is a well known and universally accepted situation. The Roman Catechism says "when any unforeseen accident (unforeseen of course by the catechumen) makes it impossible (there goes your theory) to be washed in the salutary waters (this rules out an alleged secret last minute water baptism), their intention and determination to receive baptism will avail them to grace and righteousness". For anyone who comes to the Church as an obedient son ready to learn from Her rather than as a follower of Dimondite novelties, it is forever settled that the Baptism of Desire exists. The only question is whether a man will submit and remain in the state of grace or stubborn deny it and fall into mortal sin.

Finally, to your other strawman, I don't reject Vatican II entirely, as you well know, but believe it must be interpreted in the light of Tradition. I've never broken communion with the Church and the SSPX is also regularised now, as the Pope himself would tell you. You should avail yourself of the faculties granted them by the Holy Father during this Jubilee Year of Mercy and ask in confession to be fully received back into the Church. Pope St. PIUS X also explains to you "an act of perfect love of God or contrition ... is called Baptism of Desire."