Sep 26, 2021

🎥 Remains of revered Kansas priest arrive home

Posted Sep 26, 2021 1:45 AM
The remains of Fr. Emil Kapaun arrived in Pilson Saturday -photo courtesy Catholic Diocese of Wichita 
The remains of Fr. Emil Kapaun arrived in Pilson Saturday -photo courtesy Catholic Diocese of Wichita 

WICHITA  — After 70 years, the remains of a Kansas priest who is being considered for sainthood arrived home Saturday afternoon, according to Catholic Diocese of Wichita.

The remains of Rev. Emil Kapaun were flown back to Kansas from Hawaii and then taken to Pilsen — Kapaun's hometown — before being taken to Wichita, where a funeral is scheduled for Sept. 29. He died in a prisoner of war camp during the Korean War.

Kapaun was captured in 1950 while attending to soldiers during the Korean War. He died of pneumonia at the POW camp while continuing to minister to fellow prisoners.

Kapaun, the Marion County-native, a priest of the Diocese of Wichita, served as an Army Chaplain during WWII and the Korean War, and was taken as a Prisoner of War in 1951. He continued to minister to Americans as a POW before passing away on May 23, 1951.
Kapaun, the Marion County-native, a priest of the Diocese of Wichita, served as an Army Chaplain during WWII and the Korean War, and was taken as a Prisoner of War in 1951. He continued to minister to Americans as a POW before passing away on May 23, 1951.

Kapaun was awarded the Medal of Honor. In 1993, the Catholic church named him a “Servant of God,” which began the lengthy process of canonization.

The Defense Department’s POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced in March that Kapaun’s remains had been identified at the agency’s laboratory at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

On March 4, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency reported the remains of Father Emil Kapaun were positively identified. 

 A public Vigil service for Fr. Kapaun will be held at Hartman Arena on September 28th at 7:00 p.m. On Wednesday, September 29th a Mass will be held at Hartman Arena at 10:30 a.m. Following the Mass of Christian Burial at Hartman Arena, Father Kapaun's remains will process from Veterans Memorial Park (339 Veterans Memorial Pkwy) by way of horse-drawn caisson from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception where he will finally be laid to rest.