Ruth was an extraordinarily warm, talented, and engaging woman. She entered Harvard University as a pro-choice atheist. After her conversion to Catholicism, she dedicated herself to raising her family and to pro-life activism. At age 33, Ruth was diagnosed with cancer. She refused to allow the final eight years of her life to be dominated by the disease. In addition to carrying on with her pro-life activities and involvement in local politics, she became the host of a local television program, continued hiking, and learned to ski. Shortly before dying peacefully at age 41, she wrote to a friend:  "I have loved the life God gave me. There is no other life I would rather have lived.”

Resources to learn more about Ruth Pakaluk:

• www.ruthpakaluk.com


• Pakaluk, Michael. The Appalling Strangeness of the Mercy of God: The Story of Ruth Pakaluk, Convert, Mother, Pro-Life Activist. San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2011. (Ignatius Press, Amazon)

For more information about Opus Dei or to inquire about Opus Dei activities in your area, visit ⁠www.opusdei.org⁠.

You can buy the book "Encounters: Finding God in All Walks of Life" from ⁠Scepter Publishers⁠ or on ⁠Amazon⁠.