An American martyr, overdue for recognition

By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Nov 13, 2014

Exactly twelve years have passed since the brutal slaying of Mary Stachowicz.

Seven years have passed since I suggested the opening of a formal cause for her beatification. My own opinion doesn’t count for much, but Bishop Thomas Paprocki (who knew her well) agrees that “she died as a martyr for her faith.”

Back in 2010, I repeated my suggestion, adding:

Her death was awful. But the suffering of Mary Stachowicz ended 8 years ago. Today, many thousands of Catholics could draw courage from her heroic witness—if they heard about it.