The Diocese of Worcester has received Vatican approval to open a formal inquiry into the life of Ruth Pakaluk, a Catholic convert, mother of seven, and former president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life whose witness continues to move those who knew her. The Dicastery for the Causes of Saints has issued a nihil obstat, allowing the diocesan phase of her cause to advance.
Cardinal Marcello Semeraro referred to Pakaluk as a “servant of God,” according to Catholic News Agency (CNA), and affirmed that “nothing stands in the way” of a closer examination of her life. As CNA reports, the dicastery determined that supporters of the cause demonstrated both her “reputation for sanctity” and “the importance of the cause for the Church.”
The U.S. bishops must now vote on allowing the investigation to formally begin.
A Life Transformed by Truth
Born Ruth Van Kooy in New Jersey in 1957, she excelled academically, musically, and artistically before arriving at Harvard College in 1976. According to CNA, she met her future husband, Michael Pakaluk, while both identified as atheists or “near to it.” Their shared commitment to pursuing truth eventually led them to Christianity, and by 1980 Ruth entered the Catholic Church at Christmas Eve Mass.
Her conversion quickly became inseparable from her pro-life convictions. As CNA recounts, she helped begin a pro-life group at Harvard in 1982, served on the board of Massachusetts Citizens for Life, and eventually became its president from 1987–1991. She was known for clear, compelling advocacy, with Catholic apologist Peter Kreeft describing her talks as “the most persuasive, irresistible, and winsome pro-life talks I have ever heard,” according to CNA.
A Mother Whose Home Became a Haven
Ruth and Michael moved their growing family to Worcester in 1988, settling in what CNA describes as a “poor neighborhood” where their home quickly became a gathering place for local children. She baked treats, opened her home freely, and required visiting kids to read before playing — a simple but profound act motivated by her concern for their education.
Her son Max told CNA she “wanted to do things” and struggled to understand laziness. She organized rosary gatherings for families, parish trips for youth, and served as director of religious education at the Cathedral of St. Paul, where she developed a joyful, content-rich catechesis program.
Father Richard Reidy, now bishop of Norwich but formerly rector of the Worcester cathedral, said she “ran a dynamic program, emphasizing the substance of the faith and the joy of living it,” according to CNA.
Facing Cancer with Grace, Prayer, and Courage
Ruth was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991 and lived with the disease for seven years. CNA reports that she avoided drawing attention to her illness, even climbing Mount Washington — and, remarkably, descending a rugged trail — while battling cancer.
Friends remembered that she never complained. Attorney Fran Hogan recalled walking with Ruth during the 1998 March for Life while Ruth hid the effects of a recent chemotherapy treatment. “She never complained. Never said a word,” Hogan told CNA.
Daily Mass rooted her strength. A friend recounted how Ruth explained that receiving the Eucharist was the closest she could be to her infant son Thomas, who died in 1989, while also noting that the Incarnation and Redemption “occur at every Mass,” according to CNA.
Her final months were marked by peace and purpose. CNA records that she even encouraged her husband to remarry and suggested a family friend “might be the one to raise her children.”
Ruth died on September 23, 1998, at the age of 41. Today, she and Michael have 32 grandchildren.
Hopes for a Future Saint
Those supporting her cause remain careful not to preempt the Church’s judgment, but they acknowledge the powerful example she leaves behind. Father Reidy told CNA that she is “a great example, somebody to be held up,” adding, “If Ruth Pakaluk isn’t in heaven, I am a little discouraged for the prospects of the likes of me.”
Michael Pakaluk shared with CNA that he once touched funeral prayer cards to Ruth’s body at her wake — an act that would make them third-class relics if she is canonized. Though he emphasizes trust in the Church, he admitted, “I always had this conviction… that she would be a canonized saint.”
If the U.S. bishops approve the next stage, the Diocese of Worcester will begin its formal investigation into her virtues, prayer life, and reputation for holiness, bringing this Massachusetts mother one step closer to possible canonization.
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