Movement under way to have Kapaun declared a saint

German-Bohemian immigrants labored to produce good grain in the fields of western Kansas. Faith also grew strong there and, possibly, produced a saint.
Almost since his death in May of 1951, stories have been told of Fr. Emil Kapaun, of his goodness, bravery and devotion to his priestly duties. In more recent times, there has been a movement to have him declared a saint in the Roman Catholic Church.
Among those devoted to this effort is Fr. Tom Stroot, pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church. His interest was first awakened when he saw a television program about Fr. Kapaun.
“His brother, Eugene Kapaun, lived just about four miles from the town where I grew up,” Fr. Stroot added.
Fr. Kapaun became the first native of Pilsen to be ordained a priest on June 9, 1940, and was assigned to be assistant pastor there at St. John Nepomucene. He was also assigned the additional duty of serving as auxiliary chaplain at the Army air base in Herington, 16 miles north of Pilsen, and learned of the spiritual needs of those serving in the military. He became a U.S. Army chaplain in 1944, serving in India and Burma during World War II.
After the war he obtained a master’s degree and was assigned parish duties in Wichita, but wanted to re-enlist as a chaplain. Finally, Bishop Mark Carroll granted permission, and Fr. Kapaun was sent to Fort Bliss, Texas, in 1948 and then to Japan in January 1950.  On July 18, 1950, he landed at Po Hong Dong, Korea with the First Cavalry Division of the U.S. Army.
“Fr. Kapaun was captured by the North Koreans because he volunteered to stay on the battlefield with the wounded and dying who could not be moved,” Fr. Stroot said. “He could have escaped and saved himself.”
There are numerous stories of his heroism, strength and kindness by those who were his fellow inmates in Prison Camp 5.
“He would go out and steal food for the soldiers,” Fr. Stroot said. “Before he’d go out, he would pray to St. Dismas, the Good Thief who was on the cross next to Jesus.”
Fr. John Hotze, who is coordinating the Wichita Diocese campaign to make Fr. Kapaun a saint, has spoken to many who were in the camp with him, as well as others who knew him growing up. He shared some stories Sunday in a visit to Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.
“To commit suicide in the prison camp, all a man had to do was stop picking the lice off his body and clothing,” Fr. Hotze said. “They suck blood, and after about three days without picking them off, there was nothing that could be done to save a man. Fr. Kapaun worked to keep their morale up. He was a man of hope, and he instilled hope in others.”
But Fr. Kapaun developed an eye infection and a blood clot in his leg. He became weaker, and his captors finally dragged him off to the camp hospital. In reality, there was no food or medicine there, so it was really a death house.
The exact date of his death is not known, nor has his grave been located.
“We had thought he was in a mass grave near the POW camp at Pyoktong, North Korea, which is by the Yalu River,” Fr. Hotze said. “But he had said that he did not want to be buried near the river, and the men who buried him said they put his body elsewhere. Now we think he may be in a grave in the national cemetery in Hawaii, and we believe there’s a good chance we’ll find him.”
More important to the cause of sainthood is establishing that Fr. Kapaun lived a life of exemplary virtue. Also, the Roman Catholic Church requires proof of at least two posthumous miracles on the proposed saint’s behalf, or one if it is determined that the individual died a martyr.
One possible miracle involves Chase Kear, a teen who suffered horrible head injuries in a pole vaulting accident.
“I’ve talked with his doctors, and they told me there was no question in their minds that Chase was going to die,” Fr. Hotze said. “I talked with Chase about  a month ago, he’s back at Hutchinson Juco and he’s a coach for the pole vaulting team.”
A second possibility involves a 16-year-old girl who suffered from a rare disease that causes chronic renal (kidney) failure. She and her family have shunned publicity, but have spoken with Fr. Hotze and church officials. “I can only tell you that Chase’s case is weak compared to hers,” Fr. Hotze said.
Fr. Stroot said that, while talking to a  parishioner with kidney cancer, he felt inspired to write a prayer to Fr. Kapaun.
“This is a prayer to battle cancer,” Fr. Stroot said. “Cancer is an enemy, and you need weapons to fight your enemy. In this case, your weapons are God’s grace, your family and friends and your faith.”
He said that did not want to stress miraculous healing in the prayer.
“If people don’t get a miracle, they may think that God did not hear their prayer, or that they weren’t good enough,” Fr. Stroot said.
More work will be done, and Andrea Ambrosi, postulator from the Vatican, will come back to Kansas to collect more evidence to present in Rome. The Wichita Eagle is preparing a documentary on Fr. Kapaun. It will be shown at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 19 in the St. Mary’s Colgan High School auditorium, and again at 10 a.m.  and 1 p.m. Dec. 20.
Fr. Hotze believes the cause will prevail.
“We know Fr. Kapaun is a saint,” he said. “They just need to know it in Rome.”
Fr. Stroot is also convinced and making plans.
“I’ve bought pavers at the Pittsburg State University Veterans Memorial, and had Fr. Kapaun’s information engraved on them,” he said. “I’ve also had some pavers left blank, so we can engrave them when sainthood is conferred.”