Several weeks ago, I, along with Father Rayer and Father Waskowiak, visited Pilsen, Kan., the home town of Father Emil Kapaun (who recently was awarded, post-mortem, the Medal of Honor for his selfless actions and bravery in the Korean War). It was through his actions that many soldiers were saved from death and a large number of souls saved prior to their deaths by the reception of the sacraments on the battlefield and in the prisoner of war camp in which he died.
Thanks to our classmate Father Daren May, the pastor of St. John Nepomucene Church in Pilsen, we were able to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on the same altar that Father Kapaun did when he was pastor prior to the Korean War.
He was known to brave machine gun fire while dragging wounded men to safety and administering absolution and the anointing of the sick to dying soldiers. Once while on a ‘death march’ to an infamous Chinese prisoner of war camp in which those who could not walk were shot, he pushed a Chinese soldier aside as the man prepared to shoot Sergeant Herb Miller. He was unable to walk because of a shattered ankle. Herb remembered seeing an American officer calmly shove the Chinese soldier aside as he picked him up. Even though the Chinese rifleman aimed his gun point-blank at the Catholic chaplain, he did not shoot as he stared at the tall, skinny Father Kapaun.
At the prisoner of war camp, Father Kapaun’s selfless actions continued. Despite not having enough rations to live adequately on, he risked his life sneaking out after dark to round up food from the Chinese in order to feed his fellow companions. He was a beacon of hope as he sang, prayed and administered the sacraments with them.
Because of the positive effect he had on his fellow prisoners, his Chinese captors were determined to kill him. They did so by transferring him to the "hospital," a foul-smelling place where prisoners were taken to die. When the Chinese captors decided to take Father Kapaun there, he was already in a weakened state. As the guards prepared to take him away, his fellow mates tried to prevent them but Father Kapaun asked that they instead carry him to the "place that he always wanted to go." It was there that he died of starvation.
Recently, through his intercession, Chase Kear awoke from a coma after suffering irreversible brain injury after a pole vault accident. I myself, in a video, saw the CT scan of the injury and the testimony of his neurosurgeon, saying that his cure was "impossible." This will be the miracle most likely used for his beatification.
By reflecting on the life of Father Emil Kapaun, Servant of God, may it inspire in us more selfless love of neighbor which is evidence that we love God (1 Jn 4:1-21).
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