"I loved the life God gave me. There is no other life I would have preferred to live." - Ruth Pakaluk, days before her death.
In a world where holiness seems distant, Ruth Pakaluk's life proves otherwise. She was a wife, mother, pro-life activist, and member of Opus Dei, and she lived it all with love, intensity, and joy.
Converted from atheism to Catholicism in her youth, Ruth died in 1998 at the age of 41, after years of battling breast cancer.
Her ordinary yet extraordinary life is now considered by many to be a modern example of holiness in everyday life.
From Harvard to the Catholic Church
Ruth was born in 1957 in the United States. She was an exceptional student, earning perfect grades. She also excelled in the arts, mastering the oboe, violin, and bass drum. She was passionate about field hockey and, as a talented creative, produced, directed, and performed in numerous plays and musicals.
When she entered Harvard in 1975, she was an atheist and pro-choice.
But at university with her future husband, Michael Pakaluk, she began a sincere search for the truth.
They studied the history of Christianity and were impressed by the witness of saints such as Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
Ruth and Michael converted to Catholicism in 1981, already married and with their first child in their arms.
Motherhood and Mission
A mother of seven children —one of whom died at just seven weeks old—Ruth combined family life with a deep spirituality and a concrete love for the Church.
Ruth's commitment to the pro-life movement began at Harvard and grew over the years.
She founded university groups, led the Massachusetts Citizens for Life organization, and organized campaigns, events, charity dinners, debates, and conferences...all while remaining committed to her home and the formation of her children in the faith.
"I don't like leafleting or political activism. But I don't have the freedom to remain silent." - Ruth Pakaluk
When the cross knocks at the door
At 34, Ruth was diagnosed with advanced breast cancer. After surgery and chemotherapy, she enjoyed several years of relative stability, during which time she gave birth to her youngest daughter, Sophie.
Despite physical limitations and pain, she continued to be active in her pro-life mission, her formation in Opus Dei, and her family life.
“Catholic spirituality insists on 'offering up' suffering. I found this very helpful,” Ruth said in a letter to a friend also suffering from cancer.
When the cancer returned and spread to her bones and liver, Ruth faced the suffering with supernatural serenity. She continued writing, teaching, welcoming, singing, and preparing her children for life.
"I want to see God; I want to see the One who thought of all this." - Ruth, in her last letter to a friend
A legacy of love and truth
Ruth died on Sept. 23, 1998, surrounded by her family and dozens of friends who prayed with her at home.
"She died as she lived: with dignity, faith, and surrounded by love." - Rector of Worcester Cathedral
Her story was compiled by her husband in the book, "The Appalling Strangeness of the Mercy of God,” a must-read for those seeking a true model of holiness in our times.
Ruth lived for her children, her friends, and the unborn, and died with her eyes on heaven. Her cause for canonization is open.
“The greatest evil of abortion is the death of love in the hearts of those who commit it.” - Ruth Pakaluk