Imagine what it was like to get an enthusiastic invitation to come to Alaska and have access to dream-come-true fishing? I could hardly believe it. And after all these years, I can still hardly believe I never followed through and accepted the invitation. There were no strings attached, but I would have to carve out some time and manage to come up with the funds to get to Anchorage.
You see, a fellow Oblate and very good friend, Fr. Dave Kenehan, after an impressive run as principal of our high school in Salt Lake City, had followed his father's footsteps and joined the army to serve as a chaplain. Dave has been stationed around the world, but as far I'm concerned, that stint at Fort Richardson Alaska was his best stop ever. I still dream about what could have been...
That's not the only invitation I got from Dave. Three times over the years he's invited me to lead retreats for the communities he's served. I've been to Carlisle Barracks in Carlisle PA, the very site of the Indian school where Jim Thorpe became famous. I'm still saddened to recall the cemetery at the school, a testimony to the dozens of young Native Americans who died of loneliness after being separated from their families. I was honored to do a program at the military parish at Fort Myer, next to Arlington National Cemetery. And most amazingly, I led a retreat for military chaplains of the Pacific in Seoul, South Korea. The base there is Yonson, and from there I was awed to visit Camp Casey in the DMZ (demilitarized zone) at the border with North Korea. I'll just say it was more than a little spooky to be so close to such a tense border.
Today is Veterans Day, an important time to remember, honor, and give thanks to those who have served our nation. I'm always impressed that my patron, St. Francis de Sales, in the Introduction to the Devout Life, when stressing the point that everyone is called to holiness, specifically mentions soldiers in the examples of occupations and careers he lists. For all the nobility of the life and role of those who serve in the military, it's a demanding position that by its very nature puts the soldier in harm's way. Even as we remember on Memorial Day those who have given their lives in military service, in honoring veterans, it's important to remember and provide support in the light of the sometimes high emotional cost of serving. PTSS (post-traumatic stress syndrome) is now a part of our everyday vocabulary. Not all wounds are visible, and those hidden, interior wounds can be just as debilitating as the worst physical handicaps. Perhaps we're too inattentive to the growing list of casualties among veterans who take their own lives. I attended an impacting workshop on this issue this past year and came away newly aware and concerned for the psychological and spiritual well-being of our veterans. In fact, we have a supply of cable-style gun locks from that program available, especially for veterans, or anyone who has an unlocked firearm in their home. Don't hesitate to request any you will put to use.
Dave is retired now. When he was in active service I was used to seeing him dressed as an officer. But he didn't spend his entire career behind a desk. He was called up for active duty during Operation Desert Storm, our nation's response to Iraq's invasion of Kuwait. There, he faced the reality of combat, the tragedy of the loss of personnel, and the troops' struggling with the reality of taking the lives of the enemy. If there is ever a situation where the presence of a priest is essential, combat is certainly it.
I've always had a special appreciation for Dave's spirit of encouragement. Way back when he was a deacon at Queens and I was a teacher at Lumen Christi, it was Dave, shocked to realize that I was teaching sailing at Camp De Sales but lacked Red Cross swim safety certification, gave me the strong push I needed to get past my hesitations and excuses and go through the long training for first, Red Cross Senior Life Saving, and then, far beyond my confidence levels, to become a Red Cross Water Safety Instructor. That's pretty trivial in the light of the reality of combat, but I continue to thank him and I thank all of you who have served with honor in our military. If I, or we, can be of any help in addressing inner wounds, I pray we will be as responsive and effective as my favorite veteran, Dave. I just wish I had found a way to accept that invitation to Alaska!
Blessings,
Father Thomas Helfrich, O.S.F.S.
St. Rita Catholic Church
Clarklake, MI
