
Introducing the Father Emil J. Kapaun Family and Youth Camp
From Bishop Carl Kemme:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Over the past several months I have been praying about and reflecting on a name for our new diocesan camp, a former Boy Scout Camp that our diocese purchased for a very reasonable price and which will be home to Totus Tuus Camps and – God willing – many other groups in the Diocese of Wichita.
Already, this past summer, we were able to welcome and serve over 800 youth from our diocese for Totus Tuus. I spent a little time at several of those camps, to meet the campers and their counselors and to offer the Mass for them. It was a very hopeful and enjoyable experience for me as a bishop. Because of my experience there at what was formerly Camp Kanza, I have every confidence that with the support of the Diocesan Capital Campaign, One Family, Fully Alive in Christ!, we will be able to develop this camp into a camp that will serve thousands of young people and their families for many years to come. Nevertheless, the camp needs and deserves a new name.
Through the Catholic Advance, I asked for and received many worthy suggestions. I want to thank those who took the time to submit their ideas for this name. Many suggested the name or something similar to the name I have chosen, but there were many other good names also worthy of consideration. In the end, it seemed that the name I have chosen had the greatest traction and it is understandable why. Therefore, without further ado, I have determined that the official new name for the new diocesan camp will be THE FATHER EMIL J. KAPAUN FAMILY AND YOUTH CAMP! The camp may also be called by a shorter version: CAMP KAPAUN!
Father Kapaun, as we know, grew up in Pilsen, in a great rural part of our diocese. A son of a farmer, he knew hard work and good fun. Back then, he would have enjoyed much of his free time outdoors. From his rural background and in the context of a faithful and devout family, he heard the call of the priesthood. He became a priest and desired to serve eventually in the armed forces, serving young soldiers as a dedicated chaplain. To them, he gave his attention, his care, and his fatherly advice. He ultimately died among them as a fellow POW in a prison camp. Those POWs who survived came home telling of the heroic virtues of this uncommon priest chaplain.
Father Kapaun’s heroic example of virtue will be a bright light on the importance of growing in discipleship, stewardship and evangelization, in manly virtue and holiness. I have every confidence that his virtue, on such full display in his earthly life will be a catalyst for the very kind of virtue and Catholic life that we hope to inspire in our youth today.
I hope Father Kapaun’s example will inspire the same in our youth as they prepare to take their place among us as future priests, religious, and lay faithful, as husbands and wives, fathers and mothers, to be a faithful member of the Body of Christ, the Church. I trust his example will also help families meet the many challenges they face today by becoming families where Christ is the center of family life and the goal of each family is to help each other get to heaven. That was Father Kapaun’s goal in his service as a priest solider and chaplain.
These are among the most important reasons why I believe it is important that we honor Father Kapaun by naming this important place and new ministry in our diocese after him. Let us continue to pray for the advancement of his cause to sainthood. Let us ask him to pray for us as we undertake this new service to the youth of our diocese and beyond, to all families and indeed to each person, who feels drawn to go to Camp Kapaun, to encounter Christ, to come to an out of the way place for spiritual renewal and relaxation, all in the beauty of rural Kansas! Father Kapaun, pray for us!
+The Most Rev. Carl A. Kemme
Bishop of Wichita


