Challenge Accepted, ISIS
The barbaric Islamic cowards of ISIS have threatened our Holy Father, Pope Francis, and have vowed to “conquer Rome”. The Pontifical Swiss Guard have accepted the challenge of defending him. Threats from Muslims against Christianity, and specifically against the Papacy, certainly aren’t new. Many have been actualized over the years, and many more will most assuredly come. However, the Commander of the Swiss Guard isn’t backing down, and says that the Swiss Guard are on high alert and are ready.
Since the assassination attempt of St. John Paul the Great (Pope John Paul II) in 1981, the security measures of not only the Swiss Guard, but also of the Vatican Police, known as the Corps of Gendarmes, have been significantly heightened. Slight changes were made when Francis was elected, but the world can be assured that the Swiss Guard are prepared.
TrueManhood requires that a man defend the common good. It goes without saying that defending the Holy Father is a good thing, and these incredible elite soldiers who make up the Swiss Guard are assigned to a very good task. When it comes to this good task, I wish I were younger, single, and Swiss – but alas, I’m older than the cutoff, married, and Italian (and Irish, Polish, & Czech).
The young men that make up the world’s smallest army must be between the ages of 19 and 30, at least 5’8.5″ tall, single, a practicing Catholic, and trained in the Swiss Army. Don’t let their Renaissance-esque uniforms fool you – they are trained warriors and ready for the battle. They train in unarmed combat, small arms, and are proficient with their pike and sword. Here’s the oath they swear on May 6th (each time a recruit becomes a Swiss Guard):
“I swear I will faithfully, loyally, and honorably serve the Supreme Pontiff Francis and his legitimate successors, and also dedicate myself to them with all my strength, sacrificing if necessary also my life to defend them. I assume this same commitment with regard to the Sacred College of Cardinals whenever the See if vacant. Furthermore I promise to the Commanding Captain and my other superiors, respect, fidelity and obedience. This I swear! May God and our Holy Patrons assist me!”
Sheer awesomeness – an oath of self-giving, self-sacrifice, and overflowing with the virtue of magnanimity! And I can guarantee that these men don’t take this oath lightly – a true and holy honor to protect the Vicar of Christ. This sort of attitude flies in the face of cultural manliness and stands for authentic manliness – TrueManhood! We here at TrueManhood are proud of these men and so grateful to have them among the ranks who will be the first to defend Mother Church and our Holy Father.
Click Here a news story from Catholic News Agency.
TrueMan up!
Army Soldiers and Families vs. “Adult” Store
I recently heard about this story from Leavenworth, KS – not far from my college alma mater, Benedictine College in Atchison, KS.
It’s great to know that Army soldiers are standing against this garbage when so often military men have a reputation for being some of the main consumers of pornography. Here’s part of the story from the American Family Association:
“Another Kansas community has been surprised by the opening of a new pornography outlet. This time the ambush is at the front gate of historic Ft. Leavenworth KS. Army families and the community are shocked at what was to be a book store but turned out to be a sexually oriented business (SOB).
The soldiers of the community, be they in uniform or civilians, are not taking this ambush lightly. They have launched “OPERATION GATE KEEPER”. They recently begin their public protest in front of the porn shop. They are also gathering signatures to seat a grand jury to investigate possible violations of the Kansas obscenity law and the community standards of Leavenworth. The law is actually categorized under “Crimes against the Public Morals” … PUBLIC MORALS, now there is a “throwback” phrase not often heard!!!
Their public protest, to raise awareness ALREADY PASSED. It is in front of Cirilla’s , which is directly across from the post front gate. You are welcome to make a sign and join these soldiers in their efforts.
Soldiers take an oath to defend the constitution from all enemies be they foreign or domestic. It is their belief that the laws of the land and the moral fabric of all American communities are under assault by the sexualizing of the culture. Cyber porn is surely taking it toll but these brick and mortar porn shops are part of the issue and a place that the law still has an effect.”
The Case for Sainthood
The Catholic Church has a process by which She determines whether or not a man or woman should be named a saint. The process can be long and tedious and involves loads and loads of paperwork, proof, documentation, etc.etc. The “case” is reviewed and then a determination is made. (For more on this process, click HERE.) One such man, Fr. Emil Kapaun, has a case being sent to the Vatican as we speak. The story of Fr. Kapaun is close to my heart, as he was from Wichita, Kansas and a military man. I grew up just 6 miles south of Wichita and as many of you know, have a long and extensive family (and even a personal) history with the military. My Father, Tony, just told me about the opportunity that he and my mother had of attending this special Mass that was held at the Cathedral in Wichita on July 1. We’ll pick up with an Al Kresta story…
“Fr. John Hotze, episcopal delegate for the office of Fr. Kapaun’s beatification and canonization, said the event marks the culmination of years of work and also celebrates the “gift” of Fr. Kapaun.
“The fact that we, unlike any other diocese in the United States, in the world, have been blessed by the example of this saintly man, Father Emil Kapaun, boggles my mind,” he said in a June 30 statement. “How can we do anything less than give praise to God for this gift and strive to follow the example of Father Kapaun’s selfless giving.” Fr. Kapaun, a native of Pilsen, Kansas, served in the Korean War. He courageously rescued wounded soldiers from the battlefield, risking his own life to prevent their execution at the hands of the Chinese. He was captured by North Korean and Communist Chinese forces after he volunteered to stay behind on a battlefield with the injured. The priest’s service to his fellow prisoners has become legendary among those who knew of him. Scores of men attributed their survival to his work tending the starving and the sick.
Fr. Kapaun died in a prison camp hospital on May 23, 1951. The Diocese of Wichita has investigated his life since 2001 and officially opened the cause for his beatification on June 29, 2008.
Andrea Ambrosi, a lawyer investigating the case for the Vatican, told the Wichita Eagle he thinks Fr. Kapaun has a good chance to
be raised to the altars. “He showed that there was not just a devil working on the battlefields of the war, but something else.” The investigator said Kapaun’s candidacy is unique compared with the hundreds of other cases he has investigated because it is so full of action and detailed. While most cases involve “very holy” priests and nuns who have miracles attributed to them, Fr. Kapaun’s story involves far more deeds of heroism, sacrifice and action.
Ambrosi has investigated two alleged miracles involving prayers for Fr. Kapaun’s intercession. In 2006 Avery Gerleman, then 12 years-old, was near death for 87 days. She recovered after her parents prayed to Kapaun. In October 2008 Chase Kear, a college track athlete, inexplicably survived a severe pole vaulting accident. His skull was fractured from ear to ear and caused some bleeding on his brain. Doctors said he would likely either die in surgery or from a post-surgery infection. However, family and friends joined in petitions to Fr. Kapaun. Kear survived the surgery and left the hospital only a few days after the incident. Doctors said both recoveries were medically inexplicable. Ambrosi said the intensity of the priest’s devotees is “incredible.” Several Catholic parishes and many parishioners pray for Fr. Kapaun’s intercession every week at Masses and many call upon him when loved ones become ill.
Fr. Hotze said that the diocese has finished collecting information that will “hopefully, with the grace of God, prove Father Kapaun worthy of beatification and then canonization as a saint of the Catholic Church.” Ambrosi and other investigators must now closely study 8,268 documents about the chaplain’s deeds and sacrifices in the Korean War. Those documents are being sent to Rome. If canonized, the priest would become the third American-born saint.”
Clearly, Fr. Kapaun was an incredible man! What a TrueMan! Living virtue at every turn. I wrote another story about him previously, which also includes some video trailers of a film that was made about his life. Click HERE for that story. We hope he is elevated to the distinction of “blessed”!
Fr. Emil Kapaun – Pray for us!
TrueMan up!
Video on Frontline Faith Project
Check this video for more on the Frontline Faith Project. Your donation of $24 (or more) can go to get this invaluable mp3 player in the hands of our heroes. If you can’t view the video, click HERE.
What will you do for the soul of a soldier?
TrueMan up!
Spiritual Help for our Heroes – Frontline Faith Project
Recently, I came across an awesome apostolate called Frontline Faith. Visit them HERE. In short, what they do is supply our service men and women, serving in deployed locations, with Catholic content on mp3 players.
“The FRONTLINE FAITH™ Project delivers MP3 players preloaded with spiritual content, especially as it pertains to military service, to members of our armed forces currently deployed or returning from deployment, with special emphasis on injured troops and troops stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan.”
What will you do for the soul of one soldier? Please support Frontline Faith and their work by donating $24 (or more). To donate, click HERE. It takes people with vision to serve those in need. Our deployed soldiers, as well as those who have been or are going to be deployed, need our prayers, support and acts of kindness. They sacrifice their well-being, their comfort, their families, their children, their spouse and sometimes their lives so that we can be free. To our service men and women of all of the branches of the military, thank you!
Home of the free, because of the brave.
Cheri, Sheila and the rest of the team at Frontline Faith… keep up the great work!
TrueMan up!
