Father Kapuan Day is Sunday at Pilsen
St. John Nepomucene Church of Holy Family Parish will celebrate the second annual Father Kapaun Day Sunday at Pilsen.
The special day is a celebration of the life and service of Father Emil Kapaun, a native of Pilsen who died May 25, 1951, in a prison camp in North Korea. His service to fellow prisoners has become legendary.
A crucifix, hand-carved by fellow prisoner Major Gerald Fink in honor of the beloved priest, will be brought to Pilsen for viewing. The cross is made from cherry wood and the corpus from scrub oak.
The crucifix was presented to the Pilsen church by four former Korean POWs on June 6, 1954, 50 years ago, and later was transferred to Kapaun Mount Carmel High School in Wichita.
The Mass, with traditional music, honoring Father Kapaun will begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, with Father John Hotze as main celebrant joined by visiting priests of the Wichita Diocese.
As part of the offertory procession, the children of the parish will demonstrate how Father Kapaun lived the Corporal Works of Mercy.
During a program following Mass, Col. James Bell, Ret., will present an original oil painting to the church. Herbert Miller, a fellow POW from New York, will relate some of his experiences with Kapaun and in prison camps.
After the service, members of St. Anne's Altar Society will serve a meal in the church dining room for a freewill donation.
Everyone is invited to bring a canned food item which will be donated to the Lord's Diner in Kapaun's name to help others in need.
The public is invited to share in this special event. The church in Pilsen recently completed a total renovation including installation of an elevator to make the church handicapped-accessible.
