The remarkable life of a man who was central to the establishment of the Catholic Church in the tri-state area (Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois) provides a witness and example for each of us to imitate.
His profound commitment to the Gospel of Jesus deeply touched the lives of others, built the Church in this region, and made the world within his influence a better place.
Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, OP, entered the Dominican Order in 1823 in Italy and was sent as an immigrant missionary to North America in 1828.
Ordained to the priesthood in the United States in 1830, Father Mazzuchelli arrived in the Wisconsin Territory in that same year with the mission to serve fur trappers, traders, Native Peoples, and immigrants.
By the time he entered eternity in 1864, he had established more than 35 parish communities in the tri-state area, established a college for young men and an academy for young women, and founded a Religious congregation, the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa.
During his lifetime, Father Mazzuchelli was considered not only a good and holy man but also someone who had cured several people.
At the time of his death in Benton on February 23, 1864, a penitential chain was found around his waist. Ever since then, that chain has remained a “special relic”.
Thousands of people have venerated that relic seeking Father Samuel’s intercession for significant needs.
In the late 1930s, Fr. F. Volz composed the first prayer for Father Mazzuchelli’s canonization. Ever since, this basic prayer has been prayed by thousands.
After considerable effort by many persons over three decades, then-Bishop William P. O’Connor of Madison formally inaugurated the process for Father Mazzuchelli’s canonization in 1966.
After receiving the required documentation, the Vatican approved in 1976 that the cause for canonization could begin.
Following extensive work by Sinsinawa Sister Mary Nona McGreal and others, Pope John Paul II declared Father Mazzuchelli “Venerable” on July 6, 1993 — the first step in official Vatican recognition of his holiness.
Making it official
Why is it important to make official in our Church what many of us believe to be already true: That Father Mazzuchelli is a saint?
Father Mazzuchelli would probably be uncomfortable with all the “fuss” around canonization. He was a humble man who did not seek notoriety for himself. His own memoir of his life is written in the third person and he avoided photographers. The only image made during his lifetime was the portrait painted when he was 19 years old.
Why is it important to work for this formal acknowledgment of Father Mazzuchelli’s sanctity by our Church?
Here are some reasons why the Catholic Church canonizes saints:
Role models: Saints are seen as role models who provide examples of Christian commitment and God’s grace. So much about Father Mazzuchelli’s life is relevant and offers a powerful witness for the times in which we live.
Public veneration: Canonization allows the public to venerate the saint, including in the Church’s liturgy.
Official recognition: Canonization is an official recognition of a person’s sanctity and it implies that the person enjoys eternal life with God.
Balance to celebrity culture: In a culture that venerates primarily entertainment and sports celebrities, saints can provide balance and authenticity.
Public attention is given to a person whose life demonstrated concern for the common good, service to others, generosity, and self-sacrifice.
Next steps
The next step in the canonization process is being named “Blessed.”
For beatification, a miracle must be attributed to the venerable. The miracle is verified through an examination by a team of medical experts and theologians.
Once the miracle has been verified, the pope issues a decree declaring the miracle and the person receives the title of “Blessed”.
The Sinsinawa archives has at least 35 reported “favors received” through the intercession of Venerable Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli that occurred between 1970 and 2022.
Examples of such favors include recoveries from a variety of cancers, comas, heart problems, lung issues, and premature birth consequences. The favors we know about are primarily related to health concerns. Many people sincerely believe that the healing experienced was a miracle.
The Sinsinawa Sisters continue to work to bring promising cases to the Vatican office that oversees cause efforts.
Difficulties with moving a case forward mostly involve not having adequate follow-up medical documentation and that the person concerned also had significant medical intervention.
Today’s advances in medical treatment make it very difficult to prove that recovery was exclusively due to the intercession of a holy person.
Even with these challenges, the Sinsinawa Congregation would appreciate being informed about any presumed miraculous events believed due to the intercession of Father Mazzuchelli.
Contact the Mazzuchelli Office at Sinsinawa with any information at mazzuchelli@sinsinawa.org
Because of renovations at Sinsinawa Mound over the past year and a half, the heritage area and the devotional exhibit that includes the “special relic,” Father’s Chain, have not been available to the wider public.
However, in the summer of 2025, a new and more expansive heritage exhibit and devotional area at Sinsinawa will be dedicated and open to all. Plan to visit and learn more about Father Mazzuchelli.
Most important — beyond the beatification effort — is the need to recognize that Father Mazzuchelli is a role model for our day. His life reminds us to be true to our own call to discipleship.
As we observe the 161st anniversary of his entry into eternal life on February 23, let us pause to offer thanks to God for the gift of Father Mazzuchelli.
May we continue to work to make his remarkable life — “his love and labors”— more widely known.
Sr. Toni Harris, OP, is the co-promoter for the sainthood cause of Venerable Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, OP.