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3 motivating passages from "No Bullet Got Me Yet"

Maria Montemayor

Monday, July 29, 2024

Cover of No Bullet Got Me Yet: The Relentless Faith of Father Kapaun.

The book No Bullet Got Me Yet: The Relentless Faith of Father Kapaun by John Stansifer gives a glimpse into the life of Fr. Emil Joseph Kapaun. His parish and military experiences paint the picture of Fr. Kapaun as well-loved, spiritual, kind, and an “anima candida,” a candid soul (Stansifer, 2024, p. 80). Many people admired the priest, whose letters revealed his caring personality and consideration for others.

The juxtaposition in the book between Fr. Kapaun’s letters, the history of the Korean War, and the accounts of other people’s experiences with him is not seamless. The transitions between different personal accounts to reports and narration at times felt disjointed.

Despite this, the book reveals the selfless heart of a priest who won over men of all faiths in the army. Here are three passages in the book that resonated with me:

The Practice of the Three Hail Marys

[Fr. Kapaun’s] love of our Blessed Mother was deep and heartfelt. Proof is offered in a leaflet found in his prayer book with the title THE PRACTICE OF THE THREE HAIL MARYS, in honor of the Power, Wisdom, and Mercy of the Blessed Virgin Mary. [...]

PRACTICE: Recite, morning and evening, the Three Hail Marys in honor of these three great prerogatives, with this concluding invocation:

In the morning, ‘O my Mother, keep me from mortal sin during the day.’

In the evening, ‘O my Mother, keep me from mortal sin during this night.’ (p. 54)

When I read this passage, I bookmarked it right away. Like Fr. Kapaun, I have a devotion to Mary, so I related to him and found this simple prayer practice to be something that I would do. I believe that anyone who loves Mary and struggles with sin will find it useful and applicable to their lives.

Chosen to be among the dying and dead

“Somehow or another, God has chosen me to be here among the dying and the dead to be of what help I can to them. To do it, all of us here have to face death, and we see it on all sides of us. We wonder when our turn is next; and to hear that you people back home are doing so much for us makes us feel—well I don’t know how to describe it.” (p. 233)

This passage, from one of Fr. Kapaun’s letters to Fr. Joseph Goracy, a priest of the Pilsen parish, shows how he felt chosen by God to minister to the dying and the dead as a chaplain in the military. God has plans and vocations for each of us, and this passage is a reminder that we need to live out those vocations with integrity, grace, and acceptance even in the face of fear. Fr. Kapaun had a special calling to serve the dying around him. He also faced death but, in spite of his own apprehensions, he felt grateful to Fr. Goracy and the priest’s parish for dedicating a High Mass to his own prayer intentions and those of the troops he served with. We too can live a life of gratitude even when we face fears, challenges, and obstacles.

A real friend

“We all knew that this man was a real friend. We weren’t wrong because in the tough times that followed we could always look to our priest for guidance, leadership and encouragement. He kept our spirits bright and our morale high. He gave us many a laugh when laughter was hard to come by, with his witty remarks and his methods for obtaining more chow to supplement our starvation ration.” (p. 283)

How many of us consider ourselves to be a good friend to others? This passage shows how Fr. Kapaun was an authentic friend to the men he encountered in the military. Even in the “tough times,” they could look to him for support and encouragement. We can look to Fr. Kapaun’s example and try to be a better friend especially to those who are suffering or going through hard times.

If you liked these passages, you can read the full book which is available for purchase on Amazon and in major bookstores. The book will also be adapted into a film.

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