Professor Duncan became a postulator in the process of canonizing his friend Ruth V. K. Pakaluk, a wife, mother, and influential pro-life advocate who passed away from cancer in 1998 at age 41.
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The Vatican has given the Worcester Diocese permission to open the canonization cause of Ruth V. K. Pakaluk, a wife, mother, and influential pro-life advocate who died of cancer in 1998 at age 41. UMass Law Professor Dwight Duncan is the postulator of the pending cause, and as such, he is responsible to promote the cause for Ruth’s sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church by acting as the candidate's advocate and representative. Professor Duncan discussed the canonization process to The Catholic Free Press and The Worcester Telegram. Professor Duncan told The Catholic Free Press that he was good friends with the Pakaluks and is a member of the personal prelature Opus Dei, to which Michael Pakaluk also belongs. Professor Duncan has a canon law degree from Rome and teaches Constitutional Law and Religion and the Law at UMass Law.
With the Vatican’s nihil obstat, a declaration there's 'nothing in the way' of considering her beatification and canonization, Ruth is now formally recognized as a “Servant of God,” beginning a long process that could one day lead to sainthood. “We don’t want to pre-judge the judgement of the Church,” Professor Duncan said in the interview, “It’s the Church that decides whether somebody is in heaven.” Ruth is remembered for her pro-life work, which included founding pro-life groups, giving talks and serving as president of Massachusetts Citizens for Life. Despite her sickness, “she never stopped,” said those who knew Ruth. She was known for organizing trips to the park so mothers could pray the rosary and chat while their children played and being the “Block Mom” for the neighborhood kids, which often included making sure kids in the neighborhood were well read and looked after.
Part of the process now is the creation of the Ruth V. K. Pakaluk Foundation which will be the petitioner, or actor, to advance the canonization cause, Professor Duncan told the Catholic Free Press. Professor Duncan is currently working on establishing the foundation with other people who admired Ruth. Once the foundation has a civil status, a decree signed by Bishop McManus of Worcester, the foundation will become a “private juridic person,” recognized under Canon Law. The foundation can then work to collect Ruth Pakaluk’s writings and testimonies from people who knew her for historians and theologians to study, then help present evidence and witnesses to the Worcester diocesan Tribunal. The records can then be sent to the Vatican dicastery, which would make a decision about her heroic virtue and could then potentially give the title “Venerable.” A declared miracle generated by Ruth would be needed for the third beatification, and one more miracle for the final step, canonization.