Originally published at Churchpop
“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.
Michael and Ruth Pakaluk. Credit: Ruth VK Pakaluk FoundationConverted 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
