WASHINGTON, DC — Vietnam War hero Father Vincent R. Capodanno, MM, CHC, LT, USN (1929-1967), Servant of God, “gave his life for others and we are inspired and try to learn how to be for others in the midst of a world too often mired in the swamp of selfishness and worship at the altar of me.” His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, preached those words Thursday night, Sept 3, to a packed congregation in the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.
Archbishop Broglio was the principal celebrant for the live-televised Memorial Mass for Father Capodanno of Staten Island, NY, a Maryknoll missionary, U.S. Navy chaplain, and posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor, whose Cause for Sainthood is now before the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. An overflow congregation of nearly 500 participated in the Mass, which is celebrated annually around the anniversary of Father Capodanno’s death—this year marks the 59th—on Sept. 4, 1967. Father Capodanno died of multiple gunshot wounds while scrambling, unarmed, to minister to outnumbered U.S. Marines under ambush in Vietnam’s Quế Sơn Valley as they carried out “Operation Swift” against the North Vietnamese Army. The priest hero was 38 years old when sacrificed.
“This evening,” Archbishop Broglio preached, “we beg the Lord to free us from our small ideas and our limited conceptions that create divisions and build walls and make us compete against each other for medals and goals that will not last in eternity. We beg for the largesse of spirit that motivated Vincent Capodanno to give his all on the last battlefield of his life.
“We gather in this magnificent crypt church to pray for the repose of the soul of a faithful missionary and chaplain and we believe that he can intercede for us before the Throne of Grace. We see in his example an opportunity to open ourselves to our full potential and to shatter the barriers that separate one from another.
“We long to see Father Capodanno raised to the altars—not because he needs the notoriety or something more lasting than the posthumous Medal of Honor. Rather we believe that his heroism, his authentic chaplaincy, his goodness, and his example will serve to build up the Body of Christ, inspire other chaplains, and draw all of us more easily into that heavenly company in the Kingdom of God.”
Archbishop Broglio was joined at the altar by Auxiliary Bishops Joseph L. Coffey and Richard B. Higgins (Ret.), Bishop Emeritus Paul S. Loverde, J.C.L., S.T.L., of Arlington, VA, and priests of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), including Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia Monsignor Anthony R. Frontiero, S.T.D., Judicial Vicar Father William (Chris) Palladino, J.C.L., and Vocation Director Father Paul-Anthony Halladay, CH (MAJ), USA (Ret.). The Rev. Mr. Jonathan Hoole and the Rev. Deacon Timothy Wolfkill served as deacons of the Mass. Mr. Tim Hanley, a Marine who served with Father Capodanno in Vietnam, participated in the offertory procession. A large group of Marines came from Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA, to participate in the Mass, and nearly 80 midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy traveled from Annapolis, MD, to join the celebration. They included nearly three dozen choir members who sang sacred hymns under the direction of Basilica Music Director Peter Latona, D.M.A. Co-Sponsored seminarians served as ministers at the altar, along with servers of the Basilica.
Mass concluded with the sounding of Taps before the Congregation joined in singing the Navy Hymn, “Eternal Father Song, to Save,” as Archbishop Broglio and his concelebrants receded from the sanctuary.
Watch the video of the Mass.
The Father Capodanno Guild has been established by Archbishop Broglio to promote awareness of the Servant of God and to seek prayerful support for his Cause. The Catholic Church requires at least one miracle attributed to a sainthood candidate in order for the candidate to be beatified. Anyone with information on Father Capodanno, including accounts of favors received through intercessory prayer, is asked to contact the Guild at capodannoguild.org or Mrs. Mary Preece at mpreece@milarch.org.
Donations for the Cause are gratefully accepted at