Smoky Hills PBS Covers Father Kapaun's Funeral Live Next Week

Father Kapaun is on his journey home and Smoky Hills PBS will broadcast Father Kapaun's vigil service and funeral live on Smoky Hills PBS on September 28 and 29.

Thousands will be paying tribute to a hero of faith and country.

"We are honored to have been given the opportunity to cover such a momentous event in Kansas history," said Michael Quade, Smoky Hills PBS Director of Broadcasting. "We hope you will join us on Smoky Hills PBS as we show our respects to a man who demonstrated such kindness, humility, piety and hard work."

The Kapaun family and the Diocese of Wichita are currently in the process of transporting Father Kapaun's remains to Wichita. His remains will be transported from Honolulu, Hawaii on a flight that will land at Eisenhower airport in Wichita on Saturday, September 25. Father Kapaun's remains will first be taken to his home parish of St. John Nepomucene in Pilsen for a private homecoming and observance for the parish community. From Pilsen, Father Kapaun's remains will be transported back to Wichita, to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, where they will stay until the rosary and vigil on Tuesday, September 28 at 7 PM and the funeral on Wednesday, September 29 at 10:30 AM. Smoky Hills PBS will cover both the vigil and the funeral live.

Learn more at www.fatherkapaun.org.

Smoky Hills PBS will cover the following live:

• Tuesday, September 28 at 7 PM a public vigil service for Fr. Emil J. Kapaun will be held at Hartman Arena.
• Wednesday, September 29 at 10:30 AM a mass will be held at Hartman Arena.

Father Emil J. Kapaun was born in Kansas in 1916 and from a young age felt a calling from God to serve in the priesthood. Ordained a Priest in 1940, Father Kapaun was called into service during World War II because of the spiritual needs of soldiers. He joined the US Army as a chaplain and traveled thousands of miles to celebrate mass with soldiers on the front lines. He would use the hood of his jeep as his altar.

Father Kapaun was taken as a prisoner of war twice. Despite an opportunity to escape the enemy, Father Kapaun knew where he was needed the most and allowed himself to be taken again. He never faltered administering aid and comfort to his fellow prisoners-of-war in Prison Camp No. 5. Father Kapaun endured torturous treatment, frostbite, malnutrition and was ridiculed for his faith. Those who he saved and comforted considered him saintly. Father Kapaun died in that prisoner-of-war camp at the age of 35.

Among other awards for his heroic efforts, Father Kapaun is one of only five chaplains to receive the Medal of Honor, which he was awarded posthumously in 2013. The Archdiocese of the Military presented his cause for being declared a Saint in 1993 and the canonization process continues to this day.

(Information courtesy SHPBS.)