Father Emil Kapaun never carried a rifle while serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. Nevertheless, this Catholic chaplain would follow his brave men into fierce combat with a warrior’s heart.
With steely courage, Father Kapaun carried ammunition to GIs at the front of the fighting. He brought God’s love to them in their darkest hour on the battlefield, praying with the wounded and dying. The priest accompanied his brothers to a prisoner-of-war camp in North Korea, where he offered them hope. Weak from hunger and disease, he died there on May 23, 1951, at 35.
“He saved innumerable lives. If not for him, I would have never made it. He was a saint on earth,” surviving prisoners of war from Father Kapaun’s battalion said.
These soldiers contribute to the documentary Fighting Spirit: a Combat Chaplain’s Journey, which honors the uncommon valor of Father Kapaun and many other chaplains who put their lives on the line to serve the U.S. armed forces. On Friday, May 23, for Memorial Day weekend, the film was made available to buy or rent for video on demand on services such as Apple TV, Prime Video, and Google Play.
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After 70 years, Father Kapaun’s remains were finally identified in 2021. His heroism earned him the Medal of Honor. Pope Francis declared him “Venerable” weeks before his death, putting him a step closer to sainthood.
The 75-minute “Fighting Spirit” marks the first co-production between Paulist Productions and the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps. It was first shown in theaters in November.
The documentary’s executive producers include Chris Pratt, the Hollywood actor, and Paulist Father Tom Gibbons. The priest grew up in Washington Township and attended Mass at St. Lawrence the Martyr Parish in Chester. Father Gibbons is vice president of Paulist Productions, a Los Angeles production company in the Catholic tradition. It creates media seeking to reveal God’s presence in the contemporary human experience.
“The story of these brave chaplains was made all the more poignant by Pope Francis, who advanced the sainthood cause of Father Kapaun. As we mourn the pope’s passing, it’s heartening to have our film share the grace and courage of someone Pope Francis hoped the world would celebrate,” Father Gibbons said.
The film spotlights the experiences of men and women chaplains of all military eras — sometimes in harrowing detail — and their reflections on this unique calling. It follows Justin Roberts, a former Protestant Army chaplain in Afghanistan, who makes a long journey to Father Kapaun’s funeral Mass in his home state of Kansas. Roberts describes his attempts to comfort his men in the midst of battle and the mental trauma they often experience when they come home — like he did.
One of the documentary’s featured priests is Father Adam Muda, an Army chaplain from the Paterson Diocese serving Fort Riley, Ks. He speaks about his ecumenical ministry, performing Masses for his Catholic soldiers, while also caring for his Protestant, Jewish, and Muslim soldiers.
The film also profiles Father Joseph O’Callahan, a Catholic chaplain who received the Medal of Honor for heroism, rescuing sailors after an attack on the U.S.S. Franklin in the Pacific during World War II. He prayed over dying men.
“I saw each wounded boy and comforted him the best I could. Tears came to their eyes, and peace came, too. Those boys, so still as the prayer was recited at its conclusion, looked up, calm shining in their eyes, and died in my arms,” Father O’Callaghan said. “When I die, I expect to meet these boys again.”
Information: visit https://fightingspiritfilm.com
