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CK101 "THEY COULD BE A SAINT" PAGE
Vincent Robert Capodanno was born in 1929 in New York. He was the baby of a large Catholic family. Everybody called him “Junior.” He always had a playmate since he had eight older brothers and sisters.
Vincent at his 8th grade graduation
When Vincent grew up to be a young man, he understood that Jesus was calling him to be a missionary priest.
Vincent as a seminarian with the Maryknoll Society
After being ordained, his first assignment as a missionary priest was to go and minister to the poor in Taiwan, far away from the United States in Asia.
Father Capodanno distributing Holy Communion at Mass in Taiwan
Later he would receive orders to go to Hong Kong and teach English at a high school run by his religious community. At that time a war in Vietnam had begun and he had a deep desire to help the young American Marines who were fighting in that war. So even though he didn’t like the assignment to go teach English, he obeyed. Still, Father just could not stop thinking about all the young men he had seen on Vietnam’s battlefield when he had made a visit home to America and watched the evening news. Father wanted to serve as a priest where he believed God wanted him the most. He thought Jesus was calling him to serve in Vietnam.
In time, he was granted permission to enter the Chaplain Corps. He was now a priest who served U.S. soldiers in the military and he was going to Vietnam! His plane ride from the United States to Vietnam took over sixteen hours.
Regardless of race or religion, Father was always available to every Marine he served in Vietnam. He joined his Marines on patrol and on the battlefield. He was often under heavy enemy fire and risked his life to attend to the men who were wounded. He calmed their fears and bolstered their faith.
Father Capodanno on the right with two U.S. soldiers in Vietnam
Father Capodanno was there to administer the Sacraments. He was there to bring the soldiers Jesus! He said he wanted to "radiate Christ."
"The Grunt Padre" - his nickname - speaking to a group of soldiers
From the outside, Father looked just like everyone else. He wore a flak jacket to blend in with his men and had a crewcut under his helmet. The only difference was his hair color. Father’s hair was a little bit grey on the sides since he was thirty-seven years old. Most of the Marines he served were eighteen.
"Merry Christmas!" Father Capodanno with Jesus, Mary and Joseph
On September 4, 1967 in the United States, families celebrated Labor Day in peace. In the Que Son Valley of Vietnam, it was not peaceful. The enemy soldiers outnumbered the U.S. Marines, 2,500 to 500. The battle was fierce. Father moved slowly among the wounded and dying, ministering and blessing them. When he saw one corpsman get knocked down, he positioned himself between the injured man and the enemy. There was more shooting and this time Father Capodanno was shot and killed. When word of the Padre’s death got out, there was a silence in the valley. His men wept.
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Father died precisely where he had wanted to be, where he knew God willed him to be. One of the Marines who served with Father said he had a look of peace on his face when he died.
Servant of God Father Vincent Capodanno (1929-1967)
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