Thanks Be to God! Fr. Emil Kapaun is Back Home in Kansas

This is a day I never thought would occur: Medal of Honor recipient and (almost certainly) future saint of the Catholic Church, Chaplain Father Emil Kapaun is back home in Kansas. He arrived at Wichita's Eisenhower National Airport about 12:25pm. 

There will be a number of Catholic Masses celebrated as well as other prayer services before his interment.

Father Kapaun's tomb being prepared

Fr. Kapaun will be laid to rest in Wichita's Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. 

If you are not familiar with the story of Father Kapaun, he was an Army chaplain during the Korean War. His platoon was the first to be overrun. He stayed behind to minister to his men and performed amazing acts of heroism as a prisoner of war. He was tortured and died in Korea and, it was believed, buried in a mass grave. I believe the discovery and identification of his remains was nothing less than a miracle.

My three children attended Kapaun High School in Wichita and they have published a succinct story for those who wish to learn more. It is here. 

Much of the activities the next four days will be nationally televised on EWTN. The schedule of events is here. 

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KAKE-TV

At 2:45pm Saturday, the funeral procession made it to Fr. Kapaun's home parish, St. John Nepomucene, in

Pilsen. Kapaun was the pastor of this church before the Korean War but the last time he set foot in it was in 1949.