Re: your point about Ewen and the MacMartins, and Frodo and Sam - both DKB and Broster served on the Western Front - and Sam's liyalty and dependability was specifically based on the officer\batman relationship. (For my part I find that more admirable than a feudal relationship which has such a big power imbalance.)

As for getting Tolkien canonised, whut??? But at least he's less problematic than many a prominent Catholic figure.