Kapaun Mt. Carmel Catholic High School in Wichita held an outdoor Mass on October 8, commemorating the 75th anniversary of a similar service conducted by Venerable Emil Kapaun in October 1950. The Mass took place on the school’s football practice field, with the altar set up on the hood of a 1946 Willys CJ2 Jeep, mirroring the conditions under which Fr. Kapaun often celebrated Mass during his military service.

Fr. Seth Arnold, chaplain at KMC, presided over the ceremony, assisted by Fr. James Billinger and Fr. Garett Burns, director of vocational promotion for the Diocese of Wichita. Reflecting on the event, Fr. Arnold said, “It was a beautiful experience to have that concrete and tangible reminder of the holiness of the priesthood that I live. To be able to share that with the students was really exciting. I hope that they are able to recognize how special the opportunity is, and that holiness is attainable for all of us. I tell them all the time, ‘Saints can come from Wichita, Kansas,’ and Father Kapaun is our example of that.”

Scott Carter, coordinator for the Diocese’s Office for the Beatification of Venerable Emil Kapaun, helped organize the Mass. He referenced comments from KMC Principal Chris Bloomer about how the event recreated history for students. Carter said, “We don’t get too many chances to do that. Oftentimes, attending Mass can seem so routine that an opportunity like this takes us out of the norm and helps us really appreciate what we have in such a unique and powerful way.”

Carter explained that Fr. Kapaun frequently celebrated Mass in unconventional settings due to the lack of formal altars during his military service. “He would celebrate Mass wherever he could,” Carter said. “A table would do, but often when he was traveling, it would be ammo crates, food ration boxes, or the hood of a Jeep. Sometimes he would say Mass on one side of a mountain as the other side was being hit with artillery shells.”

Carter added, “Christ is the Good Shepherd who yearns for and seeks after us. That’s exactly what Kapaun did for his men. He had the heart of the Good Shepherd and followed his call to bring Christ to men on the battlefield. In some way, the image and this Mass remind us that we are all called to bring Christ to those lost, lonely, hurting or on the fringes of society.”

Commenting on the favorable weather during the Mass, Fr. Arnold said, “It was incredibly providential. As Bishop Gerber liked to say, whenever we see those rays of sunshine, it should remind us of the Holy Spirit.”

The same Jeep used as an altar at KMC will be featured again during a Mass in Pilsen at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 8. Carter described this as a rare opportunity and encouraged attendance. Following that Mass, the Pilsen Altar Society will offer lunch for a suggested donation, with RSVPs requested to assist with planning. Organizers noted that if weather conditions are poor, the Mass will be moved indoors.

The October 8 ceremony honored Fr. Kapaun’s legacy weeks before his capture and imprisonment during the Korean War, highlighting his commitment to serving others in difficult circumstances.