The Road to Sainthood

The process by which someone is declared a saint is a long and careful road. See the four main steps along that road below.

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Father Emil Kapaun has been named Venerable!

February 24, 2025

Great news from Rome: Father Kapaun has been named Venerable!

Bishop Carl Kemme is pleased to announce that on February 24, 2025, Pope Francis authorized the promulgation of the Decree concerning the offer of life of Servant of God Emil Kapaun.

“As bishop of the Diocese of Wichita where Father Emil Kapaun was ordained and served and where he is now entombed in the Cathedral, I join his family, our diocesan family, his brother priests, men and women in the armed forces, past, present and future, and indeed everyone of faith in giving thanks that Pope Francis has advanced his cause by declaring him to be Venerable. I encourage everyone to continue to pray for his intercession in every situation so that many more graces and divine favors will be received because of his powerful prayers. Venerable Emil Kapaun, pray for us!”

This Decree is a formal recognition that, after a life of virtue, Kapaun freely and voluntarily made the supreme act of charity: offering his life for his fellow prisoners of war. “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends,” says Jesus (John 15:13).

The publication of the Decree opens the door for the investigation of alleged miracles needed as supernatural evidence to further the cause. One miracle will need to be approved for beatification. A second approved miracle, occurring after the beatification itself, will be needed for canonization as a saint.

Over the years we have received testimony of several instances of alleged miraculous intercession by Father Kapaun. Some of these potential miracles date back nearly two decades, while others occurred very recently. One or two will be sent in detail to the Dicastery for Saints in Rome for review by both theologians and medical experts before papal approval is given. This process will likely take many years before beatification could happen.

Bishop Kemme and all of us here at Father Kapaun’s Cause are immensely grateful for your prayers and support. This is a thrilling step, and we can now begin to address Father Kapaun as the Venerable Servant of God Emil Kapaun, or more commonly, “Venerable Emil Kapaun”.

Now, as much as ever, our work is to continue to pray and share Venerable Kapaun’s story. We ask him to intercede for us, that we all may follow his example of hope, courage, and selfless sacrifice for God and the good of those around us.

More about the offering of life:
The way that Venerable Emil Kapaun offered his life is held up for us as a model for holiness and fruitfulness in our modern day.

This offering was not just a one-time event. In a letter to his bishop, Father Kapaun writes: “When I was ordained, I was determined to ‘spend myself’ for God. I was determined to do that cheerfully, no matter in what circumstances I would be placed or how hard a life I would be asked to lead.”

From the moment he stepped foot on the Korean battlefield, Chaplain Kapaun willingly put his life in danger so that he could minister to his men both spiritually and physically. This culminated in the fateful decision to remain with the wounded during the Battle of Unsan rather than seeking to escape. After his capture, Venerable Kapaun stepped up his calling to serve his men. He continued to offer his life through daily acts of charity and self-denial. By these actions he brought hope, peace and comfort to the men suffering in the darkness of the prison camp.

At the very end, his Communist captors saw an opportunity to remove him from the American soldiers who were caring for him, effectively cutting short his life. The men wanted to fight to protect their chaplain, but Father Kapaun stopped them so they would not be harmed. “Don’t worry about me,” he said. “I’m going where I always wanted to go, and when I get there, I’ll say a prayer for all of you.” He died neglected in the camp death house on May 23, 1951, but not before asking his men to “Tell my bishop I died a happy death.”

As his friend, Lt. Mike Dowe, said, “He gave and gave until he gave his life.”

Pray for Venerable Emil Kapaun’s Cause

Servant of God

July 1993

Father Kapaun was named a Servant of God in 1993, signifying his cause for sainthood could begin. This step involves a thorough investigation into the person’s life and writings. A “Positio” (Statement or Position) on the Servant of God is compiled and presented to the Dicastery for the Causes for Saints in Rome (formerly called the Congregation for the Causes for Saints).

Each case is presented along one of three paths: Martyrdom, Heroic Virtue, or Offer of Life. Each has strict requirements for a candidate to meet. Father Kapaun’s cause was presented according to the Offer of Life (Oblatio vitae). This is reserved for a person who lived a life of virtue while alive, and in imitation of Christ, freely parted with his or her life for others as a supreme act of charity. As Christ himself said at the Last Supper: “Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13).

Venerable

February 24, 2025

The Dicastery for the Causes for Saints reviewed the life of the Servant of God according to the offer of life path mentioned above. The Holy Father approved the decree on February 24, 2025, giving Emil Kapaun the title Venerable.

This step is akin to our earthly judgment regarding how the candidate lived his or her life. Beyond this, the Church also seeks supernatural evidence in the form of miracles before advancing the candidate to the next stage in the canonization process.

Blessed

Beatification is a statement that it is worthy of belief that the candidate for sainthood is in heaven. It allows the Blessed’s home diocese or region to honor him officially by celebrating him on a certain “feast” day with special prayers at Mass and by allowing images of him inside Churches.

In order to be beatified, a Venerable must have a miracle attributed to his intercession as supernatural evidence that he is with God. This miracle must take place after his death. Martyrs — those who died for their faith — can be beatified without a miracle. While Father Kapaun did not receive recognition as a martyr, we are confident and hopeful in the alleged miracles that we are preparing for investigation.

Saint

This is the step by which the Church formally declares a person to be in heaven and enrolls him in the “Canon” or list of saints.

Another miracle, having occurred after beatification, is needed to show that God indeed approves this step. Canonization is an infallible declaration by the Holy Father, and it means the saint can be celebrated in liturgies and with images throughout the entire Church.

Pray With Us

Prayer for the Beatification and Canonization of Venerable Emil Kapaun

Lord Jesus,
in the midst of the folly of war,
your servant, Chaplain Emil Kapaun,
spent himself in total service to you
on the battlefields and in the prison camps of Korea,
until his death at the hands of his captors.
We now ask you, Lord Jesus, if it be your will,
to make known to all the world
the holiness of Chaplain Kapaun
and the glory of his complete sacrifice for you
by signs of miracles and peace.
In your name, Lord, we ask,
for you are the source of peace,
the strength of our service to others,
and our final hope. Amen.

Venerable Emil Kapaun, pray for us!

Prayer for the Intercession of Venerable Kapaun

Venerable Emil Kapaun gave glory to God
by following his call to the priesthood,
and thus serving the people of Kansas
and those in the military.
Father Kapaun, I ask your intercession
not only for these needs which I mention now…
but that I too may follow your example
of service to God and my neighbor.
For the gifts of courage in battle
and perseverance of faith,
we give you thanks O Lord.

Recite one Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be

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