Heroic Catholic Chaplains

For nearly 200 years--standing alongside our heroic military men and women--have been heroic Catholic priests risking their lives to carry wounded soldiers to safety and to console, anoint, and absolve the dying. Heroic Catholic Chaplains spotlights the stories of these courageous, selfless, holy priests who volunteered to bring the Mass and the sacraments to American troops, while also offering them their friendship and spiritual counsel. In this book, you'll encounter... Father William Corby, who left his post at Notre Dame to serve the Irish Brigade during all four years of the Civil War; Father Francis Duffy, a World War I chaplain whose story became the subject of a Hollywood movie; Father Aloysius Schmitt, who, during the attack on Pearl Harbor, saved the lives of a dozen men before losing his own; Monsignor James O'Neill, who composed the famous "Weather Prayer" for General Patton, an incident that would be immortalized in film, if not entirely accurately; Father Emil Kapaun, who, during months in a North Korean prison camp, worked tirelessly to save the lives and the souls of his fellow POWs (the process that could lead to Father Kapaun being declared a saint is underway); Father Vincent Capodanno, who was killed by the Viet Cong as he ran to help a wounded corpsman; And more! Heroic Catholic Chaplains brings to the fore the stories of remarkable priests, most of whom have been overlooked by both military and Catholic historians. Their sacrifice and courage are difficult to imagine. They served so that our servicemen and women would not be without comfort, or without a friend, or be deprived of the Mass and the sacraments; so they would not fall into despair. These chaplains deserve to be remembered, their stories told, and their memories honored. Heroic Catholic Chaplains spotlights the stories of these courageous, selfless, holy priests who volunteered to bring the Mass and the sacraments to American troops, while also offering them their friendship and spiritual counsel.

“Students of the Civil War, Catholic history, and women’s history, among others, will welcome [Soldiers of the Cross] . . . Brilliantly edited.” —Randall M. Miller, co-editor of Religion and the American Civil War Shortly after the Civil War, an Irish Catholic journalist and war veteran named David Power Conyngham began compiling the stories of Catholic chaplains and nuns who served during the conflict. His manuscript, Soldiers of the Cross, is the fullest record written during the nineteenth century of the Catholic Church’s involvement in the Civil War, as it documents the service of fourteen chaplains and six female religious communities, representing both North and South. Many of Conyngham’s chapters contain new insights into the clergy during the war that are unavailable elsewhere, either during his time or ours, making the work invaluable to Catholic and Civil War historians. The introduction contains over a dozen letters written between 1868 and 1870 from high-ranking Confederate and Union officials, such as Confederate General Robert E. Lee, Union Surgeon General William Hammond, and Union General George B. McClellan, who praise the church’s services during the war. Chapters on Fathers William Corby and Peter P. Cooney, as well as the Sisters of the Holy Cross, cover subjects relatively well known to Catholic scholars, yet other chapters are based on personal letters and other important primary sources that have not been published prior to this book. Due to Conyngham’s untimely death, Soldiers of the Cross remained unpublished, hidden away in an archive for more than a century. Now annotated and edited so as to be readable and useful to scholars and modern readers, this long-awaited publication of Soldiers of the Cross is a fitting presentation of Conyngham’s last great work

"Catholic chaplains shared fully in the lot of the common soldier in World War II - in Pacific island jungles, Europe's battered cities, North African deserts, and the oceans in between. And like the common soldier, they endured the same combat perils, exposure to the elements, internal conflicts, boredom, and intense longings for peace and home. They saved lives, provided comfort and hope, and renewed lost faith in a dark time. In this compelling account Father Donald Crosby provides an unforgettable portrait of faith under fire and grace at ground level, reminding us again that "there are no atheists in foxholes.""--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Men of God, Men of War tells the stories of chaplains who have served in America’s wars. In his exploration of military chaplaincy, author Robert Doyle poses questions about their brand of service to the United States. He examines the complexities of the chaplains’ vocation—the types of services they performed, the roles they assumed in combat and as prisoners of war, and how they interacted with the military personnel they served and supported. Doyle explores the high price many paid for their commitment to their unique type of service. Doyle illuminates the histories of chaplains who did their duty selflessly to God, to their country, to the soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen with whom they found themselves in very dire circumstances over the past three hundred years. Chaplains throughout American history have served bravely and selflessly at home and in the field, both under fire and “behind the wire.” Chaplains served as sources of motivation, inspiration, and peace for military personnel in times of hardship, especially in captivity. Doyle illustrates that while they are now treated as non-combatants, chaplains’ vital role as leaders cannot be underestimated or understated. Men of God, Men of War examines how chaplains performed under fire in hostile environments, beginning with the Revolutionary War through the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan. The chaplains of the Revolution were patriots first, soldiers second, and men of God third. From the Civil War to modern times, these men gave hope to the hopeless, absolution to those soldiers who stood before their Maker before battles, and faith in themselves and their comrades so necessary for men in combat. Doyle’s research shows that military chaplains have always remained necessary to men at war, even in a modern secular military.

"This register of the Catholic Chaplains, Army and Navy, during the World War, has been compiled for the simple purpose of historical record"--Foreword.

Presents the life of the American Catholic priest who served as a chaplain in the Korean War, describing his heroic behavior as a prisoner of war which resulted in his being awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2013.