December 9, 2012
Second Sunday of Advent
Page 13
Father Charles Suver, S.J. ~"The Jesuit of Iwo Jima" Father Charles Suver was born in Ellensburg, Washington in 1907. He graduated from Seattle College in 1924. He was ordained as a Roman Catholic priest in 1937. He taught at Gonzaga University in Spokane. He also taught at Seattle Prep. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, he joined the navy as a chaplain. On February 18th, 1945, Chaplain Suver was discussing the upcoming invasion of the island of Iwo Jima with other Marine officers. A lieutenant told him that he intended to take an American flag onto the top of Mount Suribachi. Father Suver responded that if he did that, he would say Mass beneath it. At 5:30 AM the next morning Father Suver said Mass for the Marines aboard his ship, LST 684. (The official meaning of LST was Landing Ship, Tank; the troops designated them “Large Slow Target”.) After Mass, nervous Marines, more than a few of whom had not much longer to live, bombarded the chaplain with questions, especially questions about courage. He responded,“ A courageous man goes on fulfilling his duty despite the fear gnawing away inside. Many men are fearless, for many different reasons, but fewer are courageous.” Chaplain Suver landed at Green Beach, the landing zone closest to Mount Suribachi. He hit the beach in the ninth wave at 9:40 AM into a chaotic hell of combat that would last two days. Father Suver, as he went about his tasks of tending the wounded and administering the Last Sacrament, time and again almost lost his life. It was a medium miracle that any Marines got off Green Beach alive, but ultimately after 48 hours they overcame the desperate Japanese resistance at the base of Mount Suribachi. On February 23, Chaplain Suver joined with the men raising the flag on Mount Suribachi and said Mass prior to the raising of the flag. The photo at the top of this post is of the Mass. This Mass was said in the very teeth of death. Japanese resistance was still very much alive on Mount Suribachi. While he was saying mass Father Suver could hear Japanese talking from caves nearby. For whatever reason, my bet would be on divine intervention, the Japanese did not attack the mass, and the flag was raised. The battle of Iwo Jima continued to rage until March 26, 1945 and the Marines suffered most of their casualties in the days following the flag raising. Throughout it all, Father Suver continued to aid the wounded and give spiritual aid to the dying. Although his own life was constantly at risk, in his letters home he said that he had it easy and all his attention was directed to the combat Marines who he said were going through hell. In later years he would observe that the most remarkable thing about Iwo Jima was the courage of the ordinary Marines and the care they showed for each other. All things must come to an end, even something as terrible as the battle for Iwo Jima. The cost of the battle was staggering. Reflecting their usual fanaticism and, to be fair, raw courage, almost all of the Japanese garrison went down fighting. 1,083 were captured and 21,703 were killed. 19,189 Americans were wounded, and 6,821 Americans, almost all Marines, would never leave Iwo Jima. The Marines on Iwo well earned this tribute from Chester W. Nimitz, commander of the US Pacific fleet: “For those who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue.” Father Suver would note in later years that invasions were a hard thing to get over. Father Suver went on to a long and illustrious career as a priest. He died in on Easter Sunday, 1993 of cancer. Chaplain Suver was one of 19 Catholic priests participating in the invasion of Iwo Jima as a chaplain. (Sources: Battlefield Chaplains: Catholic Priests in World War IIBY FR. DONALD CROSBY, S.J. / Web: The American Catholic)
Submitted by Kevin Neis
WOMEN’S MORNING OF RECOLLECTION All women are warmly invited to our next MOR which will be held on Tuesday, December 11th from 10:00am-noon in the Holy Family Chapel in the Ministry Center. The recollection includes Confession, meditations, a practical talk, time for private prayer and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Babysitting will be available (call Juliana Hepburn at 630-8770010), but reservations are required 48 hours in advance. We hope you can join us! For further information, call Mary Buch at 630-961-8342.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY John the Baptist urges us to “Prepare the way of the Lord”, and this is what Advent is all about. We are called to help prepare the way of the Lord by making the real meaning of Christmas come alive in our hearts, in our family and to reach out to those in need. Is there a family you know who needs assistance? Please call us at 630-355-1081 so that together we can help the suffering and poor to celebrate Christmas.