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Blessed Bishop Fulton Sheen taught at Catholic University of America for two decades – other professors and students have been praised for their holy life
The Catholic University of America is proud to call Blessed Bishop Fulton Sheen one of their own, as he not only studied there but taught as a professor for more than two decades. But other universities saw people with extraordinary holiness pass through their halls – and some may be declared saints one day.
On Sunday, the Catholic Church will celebrate All Saints’ Day, and while thousands have formally been declared saints so far, others are under consideration for canonization.
That includes Tom Vander Woude, the former athletic director at Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. He also served in the Navy and worked as a pilot. Vander Woude devoted time to promoting prayer and authentic Catholic education, according to the Tom Vander Woude Guild.
Vander Woude died almost two decades ago on Sept. 8, 2008 while trying to save his son with Down syndrome who had fallen into a septic tank. “Without hesitation, Tom jumped in after him, lifting his son so he could breathe,” the website for his canonization process states.
His son lived, but Vander Woude did not.
In September of this year, Diocese of Arlington Bishop Michael Burbidge issued an edict, calling on people to submit any information “favorable or unfavorable” that should be considered.
Chris Vander Woude, one of Tom’s seven sons, shared a few highlights of his father’s life with The Fix via email.
“A few things made him stand out, first his commitment to his Faith, his family, his community and Catholic Education,” Vander Woude said. “He knew that his vocation 1st and foremost was as a husband and a father and he prioritized the Faith of his family above all else.”
“This meant loving, supporting and sacrificing for his wife, Mary Ellen. It meant being present and actively engaged in the lives of his sons,” he said. “It meant being willing to put his blood, sweat and tears into helping those in the community.”
Vander Woude highlighted his father’s emphasis on “true authentically Catholic Education” and his focus on “the development of virtue in young people.”
“In short it means dying to self each and every day for those that God puts in our lives.” he said.
Chris Vander Woude told The Fix he hopes others are “inspired by the fact that in many ways my dad was a simple, ordinary man who tried to live a good virtuous life each day in his vocation especially as a man, a husband and a father.”
“This ‘ordinary virtue’ is built in doing the quit, hidden ordinary tasks of life,” Vander Woude said.
The process for canonization is long, and there is no guarantee anyone will be declared a saint. However, others who are described as living a life of ordinary virtue, whether it is as a student or scholar, may also one day be declared a saint.
That includes Daniel Anderl, an undergraduate student at the Catholic University of America who was shot at his home on July 19, 2020 in New Jersey by an attorney who wanted to kill his mom, a federal judge.
His death led to Congress passing the Daniel Anderl Judicial Security and Privacy Act in 2022 providing privacy protection for federal judges.
In September 2025, Bishop James Checchio created a commission to study Anderl’s cause for canonization.
CUA business school Professor Michael Pakaluk knows something about holiness, too. His deceased wife Ruth, had been under consideration for canonization, although that process is currently paused. The pair met while studying at Harvard. Over time, Ruth converted abandoned atheism, became Catholic, and dedicated her time to the pro-life cause before dying in 1998.
Other activists could be considered saints, too.
Michelle Duppong spent her time after graduation working for FOCUS, which organizes Catholic groups on college campuses. Those who knew her recount a time while serving in student government where Duppong opposed a planned “condom hunt” as a way to celebrate Easter, according to National Catholic Register.
Duppong, considered a “Servant of God,” died on Christmas Day in 2015. She also worked in adult faith formation for the Diocese of Bismarck.
Sister Thea Bowman is currently considered a Servant of God as well, although the Vatican is now reviewing documentation on her to determine if she should move forward in the process.
A religious sister with the Fransiscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, she passed away from breast cancer in 1990.
She was also a founding faculty member of the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University in New Orleans and was known for being a “highly acclaimed evangelizer, teacher, writer, and singer sharing the joy of the Gospel and her rich cultural heritage throughout the nation.”
According to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops, the canonization process includes several steps before the pope solemnly “declares a Catholic to be united with God in Heaven.”
Steps include being declared a “Servant of God,” “venerable,” “blessed,” and finally “saint.” Not everyone who applies is called a Servant of God, and some people may never formally be declared a saint.
Being declared “blessed” requires one miracle attributed to a person’s intercession, while being declared a saint requires two miracles, according to the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.
MORE: Jesuit professor and priest who defended dignity of life passes away
