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Vincent Robert Capodanno, M.M.
United States
1929 - 1967

The Grunt Padre


The little boy in front, riding the pony, grew up to become a Maryknoll priest and a chaplain during the Vietnam War.

September 4, 1967, the static of a radio crackled in the Fifth Marine Combat Center, Quang Tin Province, Republic of Vietnam. A hollow voice announced, "Three - five, number twenty-one is KIA." Twenty one is the numerical code for chaplain. The chaplain had been killed in action. The Fifth Regimental Commander and his Operations Officer were together when Father Vincent Capodanno's death was announced. Both refused to believe the initial report and they asked the radio operator to repeat the message. The normally busy and noisy combat center became silent. 

In the field, the Marines, officers and grunts [infantry soldiers] alike, openly wept for their fallen chaplain. This Catholic priest who so loved his men that he wanted to share their sufferings had died as he had lived: brave and impulsive, heroic and self-sacrificing. Chaplain Capodanno was with his men, giving comfort and courage by his presence, to the last.

The death of the courageous chaplain had a profound effect. One Corporal said, "He gave his life. No one can do any more than that - that's what Christ did... I don't know if he knew the tremendous impact he had on me. I came back to Church because of Father Capodanno. In my life he is a saint." The entire Marine Corps in Vietnam seemed to mourn his death

The citation accompanying the Medal of Honor, awarded posthumously to Vincent Robert Capodanno, gives the circumstances of his death: "4 September 1967. In response to reports that the 2nd Platoon of M Company was in danger of being overrun by a massed enemy assaulting force, Lieutenant Capodanno left the relative safety of the Company Command Post and ran through an open area raked with fire, directly to the beleaguered platoon. Disregarding the intense enemy small-arms, automatic-weapons, and mortar fire, he moved about the battlefield administering last rites to the dying and giving medical aid to the wounded. When an exploding mortar round inflicted painful multiple wounds to his arms and legs, and severed a portion of his right hand, he steadfastly refused all medical aid. Instead, he directed the corpsmen to help their wounded comrades and, with calm vigor, continued to move about the battlefield as he provided encouragement by voice and example to the valiant Marines. Upon encountering a wounded corpsman in the direct line of fire of an enemy machine gunner positioned approximately fifteen yards away, Lieutenant Capodanno rushed forward in a daring attempt to aid and assist the mortally wounded corpsman. At that instant, only inches from his goal, he was struck down by a burst of machine-gun fire. By his heroic conduct on the battlefield and his inspiring example, Lieutenant Capodanno upheld the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for the cause of freedom."

There is no doubt that in the manner of his death, Father Vincent Robert Capodanno, M.Ms was a war hero. If you ask those who knew him, they will tell you that in the manner of his life he was also a hero of God.

Charlene Marie Richard
United States
1947-1959

A Cajun Saint?


The Beatification in May, 2000, of the two child seers from Fatima marked the first non-martyr children that young ever to be accorded this honor. The Beatifications confirmed a belief that the church has had since the time of Christ -- that children have received the love of God in a way befitting youngsters. As the Second Vatican Council pointed out, "Children also have their own apostolic work to do. In their own way, they can be true living witnesses to Christ among their companions." [Apostolicam actuositatem, Decree on the Apostolate of Lay People.] 

The United States may one day claim it own child saint: Charlene Richard, a littie Cajun girl. She lived a simple life in her rural home at Richard, Louisiana., in the Diocese of Lafayette. The people of Charlene's small community live simply but are strong in faith. After her death, they began to ask Charlene's intercession for help over the rough spots in their lives. In return, she seemed to shower favors on those who asked in humble faith. In the past 40 years, Charlene's name and story have spread far outside the boundaries of southwest Louisiana. Many are drawn to the great gift this young Cajun girl has to offer: the example of childlike faith shown by her acceptance of God's will in her life.

In 1959, Charlene was diagnosed as suffering from acute lymphatic leukemia. She died just thirteen days after the diagnosis. During her last few days on earth, Charlene suffered terribly, although the doctors did what little they could to make her comfortable. Father Joseph Brennan, the hospital chaplain who attended her during her final illness saw Charlene as a witness for people of all ages to the power of resignation and acceptance of God's Will. He says that Charlene wasn't different from other children her age in any way except that "when the crisis came in her life -- and it came very early -- she accepted it with faith and trust and love. " The day before her death, she kissed the chaplain goodbye and told him that she would be praying for him from heaven. Speaking at a commemorative Mass in 1989, Father Brennan said, "Charlene taught us lessons in humility, acceptance, simplicity and faith. We have many books teaching us how to live. Charlene wrote the book on how to die."

Jacques Fesch
1930 - 1957
France

Murderer, Convert, Contemplative, Mystic


Jacques Fesch, a young French man, was a convicted murderer who was guillotined for his crime in 1957 at the age of twenty-seven. He killed a police officer while fleeing from the scene of an attempted armed robbery. He has left us a testimony in his letters, written while in prison, that can bring hope to even the most hardened of sinners. His letters show that he was successfully able to resist the terrible temptation of despair, and present a clear witness to the unconquerable strength of a God who is Love, and whose love no crime can overpower. The letters display a glowing testimony to the fact that Love is stronger than even the most horrible of deaths. On the last night of his life, Jacques Fesch, wrote, "I wait in the night and in peace... I wait for Love."

September 30, 1957, knowing he was to be executed in the morning, Jacques went to bed, to sleep, and awoke at three o'clock in the morning. He asked his prison guard for a light, saying that he had to "get ready at once." He made his bed and took up his missal. He was reading it peacefully when the prison chaplain arrived at 5:30. The chaplain testified that the young man made his final confession and a moving communion. As they bound Jacques's hands, the chaplain faced him in order to comfort him, but Jacques remained peaceful and serene. Jacques refused the traditional glass of rum and the cigarette offered to the condemned at the moment of execution, but as he mounted the scaffold he said to the chaplain, "The crucifix, Father, the crucifix," and kissed it fervently. Those were his last words; he said nothing further. The blade of the guillotine fell. The chaplain testified that Jacques had offered his life for his father, for those whom he loved, and for the man he had killed. He says that there was not the slightest note of rancor or bitterness, and that Jacques "died a great Christian."

Jacques Fesch entered prison an atheist. In the nearly four years he spent in prison, he returned to the Catholic faith and became a true contemplative. In addition he was given a number of mystical lights and went to his execution in a spirit of faith and joy. During his time in prison, his greatest preoccupation was how he could share this faith with his family, whom he loved. Some people may think that Jacques's conversion was a normal reaction. Imprisoned, stripped of everything, who else can you turn to but God? But that is a simplistic view. It is no easier to allow yourself to be drawn from darkness to the point of emptying yourself of your own ego in prison than in the world. 

Over a period of time, a great interior transformation took place in the soul of Jacques Fesch. "Little by little I was led to change my ideas. I was no longer certain that God did not exist. I began to be open to Him, though I did not yet have faith. I tried to believe with my reason, without praying, or praying ever so little! And then, at the end of my first year in prison, a powerful wave of emotion swept over me, causing deep and brutal suffering. Within the space of a few hours, I came into possession of faith, with absolute certainty. I believed, and could no longer understand how I had ever not believed. Grace had come to me. A great joy flooded my soul and above all a deep peace. In a few instants everything had become clear. it was a very strong, sensible joy that I felt. I tend now to try, perhaps excessively, to recapture it; actually, the essential thing is not emotion, but faith." [letter June 8, 1955.]

Some of Jacques's letters have been translated into English in the book "Light Over the Scaffold: Prison Letters of Jacques Fesch and Cel 18: unedited letters of Jacques Fesch." In reading them, one receives not only the picture of the psychology of this extraordinary prisoner, but also a map to holy joy and peace and the introduction to a stairway to Heaven. In his own words, he tells the story of the ascent of a soul. Along the way, the reader tastes some of the spiritual fruits Jacques gathered along his journey.

Father Jerzy Popieluszko 
Poland
1947 - 1984

Solidarity Priest


With tears in his eyes, his voice breaking, the priest directed the congregation, "Repeat after me," as for the third time he spoke the line from the Lord's prayer, "as we forgive those who trespass against us." At last, the line was repeated with enormous force by the voices of the congregation at the packed vigil at St. Stanislaw's church in Warsaw. It was October 30,1984, and the death of their beloved Father Jerzy Popieluszko had just been announced. The congregation was holding a prayer vigil in hopes that the priest had not been killed and that he would be returned safely. He had been missing since his abduction on the night of October 19.

Panic, grief, and shock followed the finding of the battered corpse of the priest. The body was pulled from a reservoir on the river Vistula, about eighty miles northwest of Warsaw. The priest had been tortured, and the body was beyond recognition. A sack of rocks had been hung from the legs, and the body had been tied with a nylon rope so that if he had resisted Father Jerzy would have strangled himself. The corpse had been gagged, and the body was covered head to foot with deep, bloody wounds and marks of torture. The face was deformed, the hands were broken and cut, the eyes and forehead had been beaten and the jaw, nose, mouth and skull were smashed. Part of the scalp and large strips of skin on the legs had been torn off. When Father Jerzy's mouth was opened, all of the teeth were found to be completely smashed. One of the doctors who performed the post-mortem reported that be had never seen anyone so mutilated internally. Identification from a birthmark on the side of his chest was finally made by the priest's brother.

Of what crime was this fragile, defenseless priest accused? Officially, none. Why was he kidnapped, horribly tortured, and murdered? Father Jerzy Popieluszko preached and lived a defense of human rights, a song of freedom. In speaking of the steelworkers he said, "These people knew their strength lay in their unity with God." Marshall law had silenced millions of Poles, but Father Jerzy refused to be silenced. He preached a non-violent, Christian solidarity, and a moral victory over the forces of evil and communist oppression. In his priesthood, he took seriously the gospel command to free the oppressed. 

"One must suffer for the truth. That is why I am ready for anything," Father Jerzy had written to Pope John Paul II. At his last Mass, a special Mass for the Working People in the provincial town of Bydgoszcz, Father Jerzy preached a final sermon that exemplified all he stood for, "Overcome Evil with Good." His last words to the congregation were, "Most, of all, may we be free from the desire for violence and vengeance." In the spirit of these final words of the valiant priest, the congregation at his vigil prayed, "as we forgive those who trespass against us." On the day of his funeral, ten thousand steelworkers in hard hats marched past secret-police headquarters. One of the slogans they chanted over and over was "We forgive."

(Memorial photo courtesy Dan Whitsell)




Ceferino Jimenez Malla
Spain
1861-1936

El Pelé


On the hot evening of July 25, 1936, a group of Spanish militiamen were roughly manhandling a priest in the dusty street of Barbastro. They were going to arrest him for the "crime" of being a priest. An elderly Gypsy horse trader saw what was happening and attempted to intervene, crying out, "Bullies! Mother of God! So many people against one innocent person!" With that, some of the soldiers turned and leapt on the Gypsy. Blows rained down on his head and shoulders. Then he was searched. In his pocket, the soldiers found a rosary, so they hauled him, along with the priest, to the convent of the Capuchin Clarissan sisters which they had already turned into a temporary jail, and threw them in among the other 350 detainees.

A young anarchist leader, Eugenio Sopena, came to see the Gypsy, Ceferino Malla, in jail. Although he knew Ceferino was a Catholic, the anarchist, like so many others in the town, respected this honest horsetrader nicknamed "El Pele.". Sopena advised him, "Don't let them see you praying so much. Give me your rosary to hide and I'll set you free." The valiant Ceferino refused. To him, his rosary signified his faith. Resigned, and calm, he spent the next fifteen days in a small room, three by four meters, with some others. Some, who escaped death, later testified to his constant praying. 

In the early hours of August 9, Ceferino along with his Bishop Florentino Asensio Barroso and eleven others were taken from their temporary jail, thrown on the back of a truck, and carried to the cemetery. On the way, the driver of the lorry says that the seventy five year old Ceferino never stopped shouting out "Long Live Christ the King." In the darkness, the headlights of the lorry illuminated the cemetery wall. The prisoners were lined against the wall and shot. As Ceferino gave his final cry of "Long Live Christ the King," he held up his hands, displaying his treasured rosary.

The victims of August 9 were condemned to death for being Christians. In spite of the fact that gypsies have been persecuted world wide, Cerefino was killed because he was a Catholic, not because he was a Gypsy. Through his life of faith and his death for the faith, Ceferino Jimenez Malla proves that Christ is present in all peoples and ethnic groups and that holiness can grow anywhere.

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