KOREAN WAR CATHOLIC CHAPLAIN POSTHUMOUSLY RECOGNIZED WITH THE MEDAL OF HONOR.............

President Barack Obama presented the American Military's highest award, the Medal Of Honor, to a Korean War Catholic Chaplain killed during the conflict in 1951.  Father Kapaun, who served as an Army Chaplain, was a prisoner of war who while in captivity with his fellow soldiers continued to minister to them by sharing food with them he stole from nearby farms, by cleansing those who had dysentery, and by uplifting the spirit of those soldiers struggling with despair of the brutality of their captivity.  Father  Kapaun was heroic he helping rescue some of the fallen, risking his life by rushing to them and in at least one instance carrying a wounded soldier away for a distance of four miles to safety.  His surviving fellow veterans sixty two years later still recall his "kindness", "caring", and "hope", in describing him.  Yet for the countless good he did as a prisoner of war, that in itself was not sufficient to be awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously.  It was the valor of his service in combat during the Korean War that met the standard.  As is included on Father Kapaun's official Medal of Honor citation, "When Chinese Communist forces viciously attacked friendly elements, Chaplain Kapaun calmly walked through withering enemy fire in order to provide comfort and medical aid to his comrades.  When they found themselves surrounded by the enemy, the able bodied men were ordered to evacuate.  Chaplain Kapaun fully aware of his certain capture, elected to stay behind with the wounded".  Additionally in his comments regarding Father Emil Kapaun at the Medal of Honor Ceremony President Obama said of the deceased Chaplain he was a, "American soldier who did not fire a gun, but wielded the mightiest weapon of all, a love for his brothers so pure that he was willing to die so that they might live".  The President presented the Medal of Honor to the late Kansas Catholic priest's nephew, Ray Kapaun.  In addition to this greatest of American military awards, the cause for the canonization of Father Emil Kapaun is underway, and to date it has proceeded to him being declared, a "Servant of God".  The life and ministry of Father Kapaun is an outstanding example of Catholic-Christian Discipleship we can all gain insight and benefit from in living our own Faith as Easter People.............Fr.  Troy