The Path to Sainthood for Ben Salmon

     Benjamin Joseph Salmon has been on the national stage for more than a century. Though his first appearances were treated with revulsion during and immediately after the US' entry into World War 1, he constantly lived and preached Jesus' message to love all people as Christ loved him. For that he suffered recriminations from his beloved Catholic Church and physical and mental torture in US Army prisons. Ben conscientiously objected to killing a fellow human even though the US Catholic Church was completely supportive of war. The Church's backing of the war led the US government to deny conscientious objection claims by Catholics. Many people see Ben's life, faith, and suffering as those of a saint and are actively working to petition the Catholic Church to formally recognize Ben Salmon as a saint.

     The Church's declaration of sainthood follows from a formal process that must be initiated by a diocesan bishop. In 2013 a group of Ben Salmon supporters met with Archdiocese of Denver Judicial Vicar Giovanni Capucci to promote Ben's sainthood. The Very Rev. Capucci charged the group with showing that a considerable following of people, or a 'cult,' consider Ben worthy of devotion as reported in the Denver Post. Ben's following is growing. A petition was begun asking Archbishop Aquila of Denver to open a cause (beginning the formal process) for Ben. Denver began an inquiry into the matter. In compliance with canonical law which calls for an individual's cause to be opened by the bishop of the diocese where they died, the inquiry was transferred to Chicago. Thus, the petition has been addressed to  His Eminence Blase Cardinal Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago.

  


The National Council of Pax Christi USA has written to Cardinal Cupich urging him to promote for sainthood Ben Salmon, who settled in Chicago after his 2 1/2 year witness against war in military prison. Ben died on February 15, 1932  and was buried in an unmarked grave in Chicago..

     The Friends of Ben and Franz hope that you will browse this site and learn of Ben Salmon and if you are convinced that his life and witness are examples that should be followed and emulated, please join the 'following' and sign the online petition to Archbishop Aquila found by clicking the button below.