Prince William County Father's Candidacy For Sainthood Moves One Step Further

MANASSAS, VA – The Catholic Diocese of Arlington has moved a step further in the process of determining whether a Prince William County man should be canonized as a saint.

In an edict issued by Bishop of Arlington Michael Burbidge on Thursday, the diocese announced that a Cause for the Beatification and Canonization of Thomas Stephen Vander Woude of Nokesville had been requested. This is a second step in the initial phase of a long process, and it means no immediate disqualification has been found in his candidacy. Now, a church representative, a postulator, has been assigned to gather evidence of Vander Woude’s holiness and any reported outcomes attributed to his intercession.

The Tom Vander Woude guild, an organization promoting his beatification, describes how the 66-year-old lost his life in 2008 saving his youngest son, Joseph, 20, who had fallen into a septic tank on the family farm. The father managed to hold his disabled son above the muck but succumbed to toxic gases himself and sank below. Joseph is reported to have fully recovered.

Vander Woude was a former pilot who served in Vietnam and later worked for commercial airlines. He also coached sports teams at Virginia religious schools.

There are currently 11 canonized American saints, with dozens more in various stages of the process. None are from Virginia, but a Richmond priest is also moving through the process of canonization.