by William L. Maher
Servant of God Emil Kapaun is a priest from our own state of Kansas who died in a prison camp during the Korean War. During his time as an army chaplain, he inspired the men in his care with his bravery, his kindness, his mechanical skills, and his love of God. His cause for canonization is being considered in Rome. I chose this biography of him for First Son to read for one of the twentieth-century saints and heroes as suggested by Mater Amabilis™ for ™Level 4. I hadn't read the whole book before we started, so First Son and I read it together.
The early chapters emphasize the difficult lives of the people of rural Kansas.
Winters were bitter and confining, the drabness broken every day by the freezing chores of caring for the farm animals. Spring brought threats of tornadoes, or thunderstorms which could wipe out emerging crops. The summers were brutally hot and severe winds often swept in from the western prairies, accompanying the droughts that the farmers feared so much.The book also reveals the conditions of troops in Japan (living with Japanese girl friends, liquor plentiful, girls available) as well as later the difficult and distressing conditions in the camps. Sensitive readers may be upset by these things. First Son was fine.
Father Kapaun, while living in Japan before the Korean War, spoke often on a radio ministry.
The peace which God gives is a gift which exists even in suffering, in want, and even in time of war. People who try to promote peace and love among their fellow men are peacemakers in the true sense of the word. And the people who try to bring the peace of God to souls are peacemakers of a higher order.That's from a broadcast on April 21, 1950, part of which you can find online on the Diocese of Wichita website.
There are reports of multiple times in Korean when shells and bombs fell near-by while Father Kapaun was saying mass. He did not pause his prayers or services even when they were missed by just hundreds of yards. Displaying similar bravery for the good of his men, he would sneak out and steal food for the prisoners while in the prison camp, explaining to many soldiers that in these circumstances, stealing was not immoral because the captors were unjustly starving the men. His practical skills and creativity in problem-solving also helped men survive in the camp. He crafted pots, repaired tires, and devised ways to provide clean water to sick men.
There are many powerful quotes from fellow prisoners about Father Kapaun and his example in the prison camp.
"It was his actual deeds that gave the prisoners such a tremendous impact as they watched him living by God's law. In a few words, Chaplain Kapaun practiced what he preached," said Lieutenant Ralph Nardella.Also this one:
"When others were getting meaner the priest was only kinder," said another American soldier. "The longer we were in the valley, the rougher it got, and the rougher it got, the gentler Father Kapaun became."Amazingly, Father Kapaun baptized some of the prisoners during his time in the camps. It's hard to imagine more desperate and humiliating circumstances, yet this priest was able to demonstrate the eternal love of God even in the midst of such horrors.
I think the most remarkable testimony comes from Marine Captain Gerald Fink, a man who arrived at the camp after Father Kapaun had died and therefore knew him only from the reports of others. Inspired by his example, he created a stunning crucifix of scraps with improvised tools.
If the meek shall inherit the earth, it will be because people like Father Kapaun willed it to them. I am a Jew, but that man will always live in my heart. He was a man among many who were not. I saw the biggest, huskiest and toughest men crack under the strain. Father Kapaun not only served Christians well but he served everyone else with equal goodness and kindness. Never thinking of himself, he was always doing something for others. He represented to me saintliness in its purest form and manliness in its rarest form.This book is simply written, much of it drawn directly from primary sources like eports from Father Kapaun to his bishop and interviews with men who knew Father Kapaun at home and in the prison camp. Maher has read and incorporated Kapaun's letters and diaries to give an incisive view into Kapaun's thoughts and feelings. It is an excellent early biography, though I do hope there will be another in the future that shapes these first impressions into a more beautifully crafted story of his life and witness.
For those interested, The Miracle of Father Kapaun shares more information about his time in the prison camp and the miracles that are being considered in his cause for sainthood.
This is an excellent biography of a twentieth-century man of God for any Level 4 student, but especially for a young man or a student in Kansas or near-by states. There is something especially powerful in seeing an example of such saintliness from a man who grew up in the same area. My children and I regularly visit the chapel where Father Kapaun was ordained and the school where the crucifix he inspired hangs.
I purchased this book used. Links to Amazon are affiliate links.
