From the Friars: Soldiers of Christ

This Tuesday we celebrate Veterans Day, a federal holiday, to honor the patriotism of all military veterans both living and deceased who have served our country. It is also the day the Church celebrates a particular soldier of Christ, St. Martin of Tours (336-397). Born of pagan parents in Hungary, he became a soldier in the Roman Imperial Guard and would eventually serve in France. One cold evening while on horseback in Ambiens, he came upon a suffering half- naked beggar. Martin removed the cloak from his own shoulders and after cutting it in two with his sword gave half to the beggar. Later that night he would have a dream in which Jesus appeared to him wearing the half-cloak who said “Martin still a catechumen, covered me with his garment.”. Immediately after this Martin “flew to be baptized” according to his biographer Sulpicius. In 372 he eventually became the bishop of Tours, France.

Our Lord reminds us that: ”…as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (MT 25:40). Just as St. Martin had done so long ago, so too, we have shining examples of heroism in our own modern-day. One in particular is that of Fr. Emil Kapaun, 1916-1951. After serving as an army chaplain in Burma, India during WWII, he would become the most highly-decorated military chaplain in U.S. history for his heroic care for the American troops in the Korean War. Fr. Kapaun was indefatigable in praying with, caring for and reassuring the soldiers all throughout the conflict. The GI’s revered him as “tireless and fearless.”

Upon being captured by Chinese troops, who were allies with No. Korea, Fr. Kapaun joined several hundred soldiers in what they would have to endure as POW’s. After marching 300 miles in extreme cold temperatures, the prisoners had to endure near-starvation conditions in the camp where they settled. He would come to be known as a first-rate thief because of the many times he was able to acquire food for the prisoners at the risk of heavy penalties. He would eventually succumb to his own physical privations and die as a POW.

A fellow prisoner would later say of him: There was “a dignity, a composure, a serenity that radiated from him like a light. Wherever he stood was holy ground”.

Let us try to imitate in our own way such heroic witnesses of the Gospel. St. Martin of Tours and Servant of God Emil Kapaun, pray for us!

Br. Pio