Experiments in Catholicism: Sacraments and sacrifice on the battlefield

Two years ago, I was browsing the religion section at Barnes and Noble when a book caught my eye. The Saintmakers by Joe Drape seemed like an interesting look at the politics that go into declaring somebody to be a saint. However, I was soon proven wrong and instead, became enraptured with the story of Father Emil Kapaun.

Father Emil Kapaun was born in 1916 in Pilsen, Kansas. He was a humble farm boy with a deep faith. When he was ordained, he could have had a meaningful life serving his hometown parish. However, he felt a call to attend to the sacramental needs of the men serving in the army. As a Chaplain, he served fearlessly on the battlefield in Korea, running between foxholes with bullets whizzing over his head to deliver last rites or offer a comforting word. In late 1950, his unit was captured by the Chinese and marched to a prisoner of war camp. However, this did not stop Father Kapaun from delivering the Sacraments.

Although his Chinese captors subjected the unit to communist propaganda daily and frequently mocked God, this didn’t stop Father Kapaun, either. On Easter 1951, 60 men awoke at sunrise to meet in the burnt remains of a chapel in the officers’ quarters of the camp. From the crowd limped Father Emil Kapaun, who led a prayer service. He couldn’t offer the sacrifice of the Mass due to the lack of bread and wine but he could still lift the burdens of his fellow soldiers. He led the troops through the Stations of the Cross and spoke of Christ’s suffering on the Cross, a sentiment with a parallel that isn’t lost on us today. To end the service, Father Kapaun baptized a soldier who had been expressing the desire to receive that Sacrament.

As soldiers thanked the priest, Father Kapaun openly wept. When asked why, he told them how much it hurt him not to be able to give his fellow soldiers Holy Communion.

In 2026, we often take the Sacraments for granted. We sit in church on Sunday to check a box, bored of sitting in the same pews week after week. Some Catholics receive their Sacraments and don’t return to Church until it’s time for the next one. As Americans, we also take the very freedom to go to Mass for granted.

When we attend Mass and receive the Eucharist, it’s not just a moment to remember the last supper. As Catholics, we know that the Eucharist is the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ. So, what does this mean for us after we consume the Eucharist? It means that we must be changed.

When we consume the Eucharist, we receive an infusion of unfathomable love into our souls. We get to fully participate in the Mass, so why do we refuse to allow this love to permeate all other areas of our lives?

Throughout his tenure in the prison camp, Father Kapaun rarely took a break from comforting, praying, and offering confessions while completely ignoring the fact that he was in pretty bad shape. But while he was suffering, this had always been his plan. In a letter to his Bishop he wrote:

“When I was ordained, I was determined to ‘spend myself’ for God.  I was determined to do that cheerfully, no matter in what circumstances I would be placed or how hard a life I would be asked to lead.”

Father Kapaun used the grace from the sacraments to fuel him. This grace didn’t stop when he died in the camp sick house on May 23, 1951. Corporal Robert McGreevy was just 19 and had been sick for weeks. When he heard that Father Kapaun had died, the memories of his prayers and kind words gave him hope. He prayed, “Father Kapaun, help me,” and for the first time in days, he found the strength to stand. In 2021, he would be at the funeral Mass for Father Kapaun after his remains were finally identified.

Experiment of the week: Father Emil Kapaun was declared Venerable in 2025 and remains on the path to sainthood. The next time you find yourself taking the Sacraments for granted, ask Father Kapaun to remind you of the amazing grace and love they contain. Then ask him for help sharing that with others.