The Saint Makers: Inside the Catholic Church and How a War Hero Inspired a Journey of Faith

by Joe Drape

Part biography of a wartime adventurer, part detective story, and part faith journey, this intriguing book from a New York Times journalist and bestselling author takes us inside the modern-day making of a saint.

The Saint Makers chronicles the unlikely alliance between Father Hotze and Dr. Andrea Ambrosi, a country priest and a cosmopolitan Italian canon lawyer, as the two piece together the life of a long dead Korean War hero and military chaplain and fashion it into a case for eternal divinity. Joe Drape offers a front row seat to the Catholic Church's saint-making machinery—which, in many ways, has changed little in two thousand years-and examines how, or if, faith and science can co-exist.

This rich and unique narrative leads from the plains of Kansas to the opulent halls of the Vatican, through brutal Korean War prison camps, and into the stories of two individuals, Avery Gerleman and Chase Kear, whose lives were threatened by illness and injury and whose family and friends prayed to Father Kapaun, sparking miraculous recoveries in the heart of America. Gerleman is now a nurse, and Kear works as a mechanic in the aerospace industry. Both remain devoted to Father Kapaun, whose opportunity for sainthood relies in their belief and medical charts. At a time when the church has faced severe scandal and damage, and the world is at the mercy of a pandemic, this is an uplifting story about a priest who continues to an example of goodness and faith.

Ultimately, The Saint Makers is the story of a journey of faith—for two priests separated by seventy years, for the two young athletes who were miraculously brought back to life with (or without) the intercession of the divine, as well as for readers—and the author—trying to understand and accept what makes a person truly worthy of the Congregation of Saints in the eyes of the Catholic Church.

Genres: Nonfiction, Religion, Catholic, Christian, Biography, Audiobook

272 pages, Paperback

Published April 19, 2022

About the author

Joe Drape is a reporter for The New York Times and the author of the New York Times Best Seller Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen. He also is the author of The Race for the Triple Crown and Black Maestro. A graduate of Southern Methodist University, he previously worked for The Dallas Morning News and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. When he doesn’t live in Kansas, he lives in New York City with his wife and son

Reviews

[Pete Orsi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a very thin book. It is more like a long newspaper article- zero character development. If you are looking to understand Fr. Kapaun and his holiness or what it takes for the church to canonize a Saint, this is not the book for you. The author never really discuss Fr. Kapaun ‘s spirituality. Instead Fr.Kapaun is just a platform for the author to express his tired and stall criticisms of the Catholic Church. Likewise the author just gives a thumbnail (Wikipedia) sketch of the church’s process of canonizing a saint. In so doing the author reveals his stereotypical eastern elitist worldview, even going so far as to repeatedly reference LGBTQ issues, which has nothing to do wIth Fr. Kapaun or the process is saint making. I wish I could say I saw the author grow, but I can’t. The author just comes off as a e person who just seeks out confirmation bias- he is essentially unchanged by being exposed to Fr.Kapaun. The only reason I was able to give this book a two star rather than one star is that it does present some understanding of Fe.Hotz’s faith and obedience and Fr.Kapaun’s story is so compelling that it transcends the author’s foibles.

[Traci Rhoades · Rating 5 out of 5]

Part war story, part memoir, part church history. This book offered a variety but flowed just right. There are real life heroes in this book, including the author who bravely holds the Catholic church to a higher standard. I really enjoyed this one.

[Jeanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a child I would read as much as I could about the saints and marvel at their lives, but I wondered at the lack of modern day saints. As a teacher I would teach the saints, the sainthood process, and the role of the saints in our lives. Although improved, I still noticed the lack of modern saints, making it difficult to teach students their relevance. Joe Drape’s book teaches about the process to become a saint and about an impressive modern man-not yet a declared saint-Father Kapaun. A very human man who reacted in superhuman ways in the face of war. Ideally a saint causes us to examine our lives and helps us grow closer to God. Drape includes the reader on his personal journey as he learned about Father Kapaun and grew closer to God, a journey I found I could relate to.
I will be following Father Kapaun’s continued journey to sainthood, and I hope that it happens within my lifetime. In the meantime, I will be praying for Father Kapaun to intercede in matters on my behalf.

[Geo Forman · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book lacked focus. I expected a lesson on how a person becomes a saint in the Catholic Church using, as an example, a priest who served in the army during the Korean war. I expected to learn a lot about both, the process and the life of someone whose name was unknown to me. Those parts of the book were very good. But then there was a digression into the author's renewed Catholic faith and another digression into the failings of the Church especially regarding sexual abuses. Those digressions were simply too much of a distraction for me and harmed the book.

[phil breidenbach · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely, it tells not only about the extraordinary life of Father Emil Kapaun but it also describes how the Catholic Church decides who should become a saint. The author also describes his own feelings about the Church as he tells these stories. I found that the book was well written and it flowed nicely. I'll be recommending it to others!

[Nic Lishko · Rating 2 out of 5]

About what I would expect from a NY "Catholic."

Fr. Martin? Check.
Chapters devoted to ripping the church up and down? Check.
Almost non-stop praise of Pope Francis? Check.

The 2 stars go to Fr. Kapaun, who was skimmed over for the purpose of treating the church as a brand, a thing to be consumed, a company.

Oof.

[Scott Haraburda · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent, thoroughly researched, and well-written book.

[Maryann Costa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting book. The parts about Fr Kapaun was interesting. It made me order another book to read more about him. You also will learn more about the process of becoming a saint. However, this is also a forum of the author’s idea of faith. He is a semi-catechized ex-Catholic (nominal?). There is a respect, and some good reflections he brings up. However, there is a bias that is very evident-a frustration of some aspects of the church. There are times when you are reading the author’s internal conflict. Something to keep in mind. I have mixed feelings about this book. I am, however, so happy to be introduced to Fr. Kapaun.

[Sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have given this book 5 stars for the biography of Fr Kapaun which is included within, that part was incredible and inspiring. The rest of the book left a lot to be desired. He gives you a peek behind the curtain, so to speak, of the Saint making process, which none of that is all that surprising and he’s not shy about shining a light on all of the recent scandals experienced by the church. In the end you never actually get a feeling of how the book transformed the author. I was expecting/hoping he would share in the memoir portion of the book that he has experienced a ‘reversion’ in his Catholic faith, or a fuller understanding of it, or a sense in his heart that the Catholic Church is his true home and he’s on a further quest for Truth and now dedicated to finding the Truth. No. Basically, it sounds like he went from basically no prayer life to now praying regularly to Fr Kapaun. That’s it. Now, what I’m most interested in is getting ahold of a full-on Kapaun biography and reading that.

[Doris · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway winner. I found the story of the life and road to canonization of Father Kapaun very interesting and would have like the book to remain with this storyline. However, about 3/4 into the book the author digresses and goes into the church scandals, sexual abuses, gender bias and notes how he, as well as others, have personally wrestled with their faith and how they now select what and how they want to practice. I was hoping to be convinced that the miracles cited would really be indisputable but I don't think they were presented well and got lost in the author's own musings his alienation from the church.

[Kara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved learning about Fr. Emil Kaupan and his life but this book was written by a Catholic who clearly does not like the Catholic Church. Drape seems to see the Church as a monetizing institution rather than a divine institution. He griped way more about the problems the Church has rather than celebrating its beauty which I felt was a rude way to memorialize Fr. Kaupan’s story and did a grave injustice towards him.

[Evan H. · Rating 1 out of 5]

A poorly stitched together compilation of three narratives, filled with confusing asides that seemed to do nothing more than pad the length of the short book. If you want to find out more about Fr. Kapaun, find another biography. If you want to find out more about the Congregation for the Causes of Saints, find another book.

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today’s nonfiction post is on The Saint Makers: Inside the Catholic Church and How a War Hero Inspired a Journey of Faith by Joe Drape. It is 256 pages long and is published by Hachette Books. The cover is a picture of the bible and a rosary. There is no foul language, no sex, and mild violence in this book. The intended reader is someone who is interested in biographies and how saints are made. There Be Spoilers Ahead.
From the back of the book- Part biography of a wartime adventurer, part detective story, and part faith journey, this intriguing book from a New York Times journalist and bestselling author takes us inside the modern-day making of a saint.
The Saint Makers chronicles the unlikely alliance between Father Hotze and Dr. Andrea Ambrosi, a country priest and a cosmopolitan Italian canon lawyer, as the two piece together the life of a long dead Korean War hero and military chaplain and fashion it into a case for eternal divinity. Joe Drape offers a front row seat to the Catholic Church's saint-making machinery—which, in many ways, has changed little in two thousand years-and examines how, or if, faith and science can co-exist.
This rich and unique narrative leads from the plains of Kansas to the opulent halls of the Vatican, through brutal Korean War prison camps, and into the stories of two individuals, Avery Gerleman and Chase Kear, whose lives were threatened by illness and injury and whose family and friends prayed to Father Kapaun, sparking miraculous recoveries in the heart of America. Gerleman is now a nurse, and Kear works as a mechanic in the aerospace industry. Both remain devoted to Father Kapaun, whose opportunity for sainthood relies in their belief and medical charts. At a time when the church has faced severe scandal and damage, and the world is at the mercy of a pandemic, this is an uplifting story about a priest who continues to an example of goodness and faith.
Ultimately, The Saint Makers is the story of a journey of faith—for two priests separated by seventy years, for the two young athletes who were miraculously brought back to life with (or without) the intercession of the divine, as well as for readers—and the author—trying to understand and accept what makes a person truly worthy of the Congregation of Saints in the eyes of the Catholic Church.

Review- An interesting and moving account of a man’s life and what his legacy is. Father Kapaun was a man of faith from a very young age and when he became an army chaplain, he found his calling. He died doing the Korean war, the men he served starting to pray to him for guidance and influence. Then some miracles happened when people prayed to Father Kapaun, so the Vatican started investigating to see if they had a new saint on their hands. This was an interesting look into the life of a brave man of faith and how new saints are made by the Vatican. The writing style is engaging, the story is interesting and Father Kapaun was a moving figure. I learned about how saints are made, how Father Kapaun is being considered for sainthood, and why it takes so long for a saint to be recognized. An interesting book if you want to know more about how saints are made or to learn about a moving man of faith.

I give this book a Four out of Five stars. I get nothing for my review and I borrowed this book from my local library.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

What is the process to make a saint? Joe Draper tells us the answer in this book that's part biography of a wartime adventurer, part detective story, and part faith journey. His narrative gives readers a front-row seat into the Catholic Church's saint-making machinery as he chronicles the saint-making process for Father Emil Kapaun, a military chaplain who died in a North Korean prisoner of war camp during the Korean War.
I enjoyed reading about Father Kapaun's life and ministry. The most decorated chaplain in military history, the "all man" priest was able to bring out the good that was left in broken bodies and spirits. His courage had the softness of velvet and the strength of iron, which he demonstrated in all circumstances until his death at age 35.
The ins and outs of making a saint were a bit boring in places, and quite frankly, the process is political and a way for the Church to make money. The book covers topics such as the 2020 Covid pandemic and the church's sex scandal, too. I felt angry at times as I read these sections. I did appreciate the effort Father Hotze put into preparing the case for Father Kapaun's sainthood and his dedication to the men who served beside the Father in the war.
Drape also discusses his spiritual journey as he wrestles with the realities of the Church and his opinions and upbringing of faith. Reading that he and others struggle to intertwine Church theology with real-world challenges gives me hope.
Catholics or anyone interested in the saint-making process will enjoy this book. It's also a theological book of sorts that helps Christians understand better how to put their faith into practice. The book is also a tribute to a priest who dedicated his life to God and man.

[Alexandra Beckett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Length: 250 pages; 6 hrs on audiobook

The book weaves three stories into one: the life and death Catholic war hero Fr. Kapaun, the history and process of how the Church canonizes a person (declares them a Saint), and the so-called spiritual journey of the author which seems to be lukewarm at best. The author is extremely liberal exemplified in his various comments such as: “The Church has treated women badly. It has shunned its lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender members. It has been judgmental and unbending.” Umm, I’m not sure exactly what the author expects. Probably women ordinations, same-sex blessings, and Communion for all.

However, despite the author’s liberal opinions I thought he did a great job telling the story about Fr. Kapaun’s early life and priesthood and how he became a military chaplain and died in the Korean War. Additionally, he did well explaining Fr. Kapaun’s legacy and the process underway for his official sainthood, including the stories of the two miracles attributed to his intercession.

One particular aspect that I enjoyed was the background about how long and difficult the process for sainthood used to be before the Vatican II “reforms” pointing out that “since the Vatican began keeping records in 1588, the average time for sainthood was 181 years” from death to canonization. He explains how Pope John Paul II changed the requirements for sainthood from a waiting period of 50 years after death to 5 years and from FOUR miracles to only two. And when they (the Vatican) really want to make a saint (for political benefits explained in the book) they will even waive those. For example: The rule used to be a 50 year waiting period and even though Pope JP2 changed it to only five, Benedict waived even that to begin the process immediately. I mean, why the hurry? And to canonize the other Vatican 2 pope, they waived the miracle requirement for Pope John XXIII. It’s almost as if… they were forcing canonizations.

Additionally, I found it interesting that the author says from St. Peter, 50 of the first 55 popes were canonized. In the past 1,000 years, however, only 7 have been canonized. Three of them (of 7 in the last 1,000 years!) have been Vatican 2 popes with another one (John Paul I of only 33 days reign) in the pipeline. LOL. Who knew, despite all the dismal statistics of closing parishes, dwindling vocations, belief in the Real Presence, etc., the Church is living in a Golden Age of saintly popes!

Saint Making Process

“But as the fast-tracked canonizations of Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa, and the induction of the one-miracle shy Pope John XXIII show, public relations and good politics play important roles in the decision process.” ….”Even Pope Frances has bent the rules of canonization. He has added six new saints (as of publishing in 2020), including a cofounder of the Jesuit order, Father Peter Faber, by invoking ‘equivalent canonization.’ It’s a concept that allows a pope to waive the normal rules in cases where the person has been a Venerable for a long time and has a reputation for miraculous intercession. In other words, no documented miracles are needed.” — By this and other examples, the author seems to be pointing out the politics involved in the saint making process and even accuses the Church of “naming new saints to gain converts.” Although we are ideologically opposed, I can’t say he’s wrong here. I wish the Vatican had never relaxed the canonization process or at the very least did not waive requirements to fast-track people. Now, like diversity hires, it calls into doubt whether they are there by qualifications or quotas/agendas.

Knowing all the changes that relaxed the requirements necessary to become a saint, I’m less confident in the process after reading this book. That’s to the author’s credit, however, for bringing these changes to light and how *certain* candidates are fast-tracked. There’s obviously politics as to who is fast-tracked and why.

Miscellaneous notes of interest:

There’s only two American born saints: Elizabeth Ann Seton and Katharine Drexel.

Until 1908 America was considered a missionary territory by the Church.

Chapter 2 discussed the obstacles and politics involved in the sainthood process.

In describing how “conservative” his community growing up was, the author recalls two memories of growing up during the Vatican II reforms:

A nun at his school “embraced Vatican II’s recommendation to ditch the habit” and dressed more like the “women of the day” and how it didn’t go over well with the parents who were sending their children to Catholic schools. The parents were further horrified when this nun had the kids perform a pop song rather than a church hymn.

His older parish priest was slow to adopt the reforms and was forced to be reassigned to another parish against his will and later retired. That priest still said Mass for a group of “loyalists” (conservative parishoners) but the author notes his family was not among them. The new V2 priest came in and moved the tabernacle from behind the center altar to a side one and the author says it almost caused a riot.
Author describes how his mother earned a master’s degree in social work and worked with wayward girls, and through her work, she was often at odds with Catholic doctrine, particularly (but not exclusively) with that of birth control.

Author says in a measure of devoutness, his family “simmered on medium-low.” He says his family joked about coming in before Communion and leaving before Mass ended and “making a solid 22 minutes of prayer.” His family was involved in parish volunteer activities but otherwise pretty nominal.

Author called kids being involved in the March for Life as “stage props, really.”

Memorable Quote

“It was Pope Frances who decided to canonize John XXIII along with John Paul II. In doing so, he effectively waived the requirement for miracles because only one had been vetted and accepted. Instead, Pope Frances declared that John XXIII’s ‘fame of holiness’ was enough to make him a saint.”

I was ROFL, as the kids say. This is a man who defied the instruction to release the 3rd Secret of Fatima by the year 1960 and brushed it off as “This is not for my pontificate.” What followed instead was the disastrous Second Vatican Council. Coincidence? Not if you believe the 3rd Secret has STILL not been fully revealed. The explanation that it was fulfilled in an assassination attempt is a joke. But I felt this quote in particular proves the point that the recent papal canonizations that have been fast-tracked are all politics. It was a move to canonize the Council in the wake of it being so unpopular. After all, what “fame of holiness” does John XXIII really have?

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't care if you are Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish, or Atheist you need to read this book! This book was amazing on a few different levels.

Father Emil Kapaun
While this book was giving a peak behind the curtain on how saints are canonized, it focused the journey on one particular man: Father Kapaun. Father Kapaun is like the Captain America of the priesthood. This man who deeply followed Jesus inspired everyone who came into contact with him. There is a reason why he should be canonized. It was like something straight from the pages of a book or movie, but the best part was it happened!

Canonization
The business of canonization is political as well as a matter on how to be persuasive. It was amazing to see the cost on how to get people recognized as a canonized saint. A person that everyone should emulate. This book also touched on the nasty business that the Catholic Church is trying to correct and fess up to. Victims should receive justice. Period. The perpetrators should realize what they did was wrong and how it goes against the dignity of a human person, which is part of the tenants of the Catholic faith. Yet, they should also be forgiven, which is something that Jesus would have done and did when he was on the cross facing his own perpetrators. It is not easy by any stretch of the imagination, which leads me to the last chapter.

Chapter 17
This chapter bought the whole ball of wax together in an impactful way that made me tear up slightly. Pages 232-233 is the thesis statement of this entire book and it is something for all of us as we go through a pandemic and other problems in our world right now.

Verdict: Go and read this book!!!

[Emily Lomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really feel like this book had quite a profound impact on me. I certainly learnt a lot - about being an army chaplain, the Korean War, and the complex and lengthy process of campaigning for individuals to be officially pronounced saints by the Vatican. I felt encouraged to think more deeply about virtue, miracles, and self-sacrifice, as well as the struggle that many people have gone through to balance their innate Christian faith with their disapproval of scandals within the Catholic Church. As well as being intellectually interesting, it was also incredibly moving; the descriptions of Father Kapaun’s experiences as a Prisoner of War and how he remained committed to looking after and inspiring hope in his fellow soldiers in the most helpless of circumstances, as well as the stories of two young people who made miraculous medical recoveries after their families prayed to him, brought me close to tears on several occasions.

I think my one complaint would be that the sudden jumps between chapters about Father Kapaun’s own life, the campaign for his sainthood, and the author’s own reflections on his religion felt slightly jarring to me.

[Laurie · Rating 3 out of 5]

OK this book isn’t perfect. It isn’t a detailed biography of Fr Kapaun. It isn’t a thorough examination of the institution and processes of the Catholic Church. It isn’t a detailed examination of people who have experienced catastrophic medical issues and recovered under miraculous circumstances. And it is not a memoir of a faith journey by an ordinary man.

It is a quick overview of all of the above.

It is also approachable and does it best job when it describes the heroic behavior and steadfast faith of Fr Emil Kapaun a Kansas farm boy who grew up to be a priest and army chaplain who died as a POW during the Korean War. Fr Kapaun was of an upbringing and generation much like my father and his character felt very familiar. As a lapsed Catholic I recognized the ethical framework of his faith.

I’m
The least religious person I know, but in Fr Kapaun I recognize the kind of Christian love that is sorely missing in most modern day Christianity. It should serve as a lesson to those who use religion as a cover for their bigotry.

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

In my exploration of Father Kapaun and his Kansas connections, this book came up over and over in my searches. It is well written by an experienced journalist. While Drape generally covers sports in his journalism, in this case he invested time into researching this saint-in-the-making from his own tradition.

Drape does a nice job of maintaining respect for members of the Catholic Church who are participating in service and charity while at the same time revealing many of the missteps of the institutional Catholic Church that have led to distrust in the last century. His survey is larger than the cause of Chaplain Kapaun's canonization, but he uses this particular journey to more deeply examine general Catholic process.

[Teresa]

This book tried to be, as the note at the back says, "a mash-up of a biography, journalism, and memoir." It's an interesting concept, but I don't think it succeeds here. In each section, there's a sense that the author has run out of things to say, and the parts of the book that are supposed to be "journalism and memoir" bleed into each other, ruining the sense that the author is providing us with a straight look at the facts. The part of the book that succeeds the most is the biography, which makes me wish that the author had just written a full biography of Fr. Kapaun.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Graciously received a free copy through good reads.

I am not a religious person, but really enjoyed this book. The author gave the good, bad, and ugly of the Catholic church. He also gave hope and uplifting by talking about lesser known Catholics and Saints who did great things who deserve more recognition than the more well known saints out there.

Even though I feel like Saint making is a scam for money and more members, I do hope Father Kapaun gets his Saint status because he actually deserves it.

[Amy White · Rating 2 out of 5]

If you want to learn about the amazing holy life of Father Emil Kapaun, this book is a decent starting point. Unfortunately, you will have to put up with a lot of criticism regarding a variety of different topics and modern political issues introduced by the author. I was uplifted by the story of Father Kapaun and the vivid depictions of modern day miracles attributed to his intercessory prayers. Everything else was just distracting and seemed contradictory to what Father Emil Kapaun stood for.

[Eydie Aremburg · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was a lot of information about Fr. Kapaun and thorough explanation about the process of declaring someone a saint. I very much enjoyed reading about these things. Could have done without the political section at the end of the book. Three errors that I found: Mary did not ascend into heaven, Jesus did; infallibility does not mean everything the pope says is infallible; the first COVID-19 cases were not in January 2020 but in December 2019, thus the name COVID-19.

[Nick · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well. I only listened to this book because I have basically listened to all the Holocaust/WWII books on the free Libby app. I had no clue it was about the Catholics. Ha. I stayed with it. But, really only enjoyed the prisoner of war story of the Father. I did not care for the over used police rhetoric from 2020! I’m so tired of hearing how so many police are racists. It’s simply a lie. There are way more police officers who care and help ALL races!

[Sheila · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance copy of The Saint Makers, by Joe Drape. This book shows the process of how to become a saint in the Catholic Church. The behind the scenes look at the step by step process to become a saint. Part book of faith and part book of science. I found the book interesting, especially about Father Kapaun.

[Diane Stanley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a Catholic. I am a woman but I can identify with the author. We have shared some experiences in the church including a good bit of Jesuit influence. However, if you are a person of faith, any faith, the story of Father Emil Kapaun will touch and inspire you. It is a timely and much needed read.

[Brady]

This book introduced me to the powerful story of Fr Kapaun and for that I am grateful. I would recommend reading a biography about him. Unfortunately, I don’t know if I would recommend this to be the biography you read unless you are really interested in the author and his peculiar views on Catholicism.

[Lena VanAusdle · Rating 4 out of 5]

GoodReads Giveaway

I’m not Catholic, and I don’t believe in “saints” the way that the Catholic Church defines them, but I am fascinated by people’s stories of faith. Father Emil Kapaun was clearly heroic and a deeply faithful man. I appreciated learning his story and the process it takes to become a saint in the Catholic Church

[Hayley Gillam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was surprised about how liberal and “woke” this author was in writing about such a catholic tradition. I expected more information about The Saint Makers and less fluff about the authors beliefs of the faults of the Catholic Church. I did love reading about Father Kepaun and the miracles experienced in his name.

[Joseph Calce · Rating 3 out of 5]

The chapters about Fr. Kapaun and the miracles attributed to him were gripping, and I found the insights into the saint-making process to be useful too. Drape's personal faith story felt like it was shoehorned in, and his criticism of the Church hierarchy and personal notes about COVID also felt forced.

Had the book focused on the extraordinary Fr. Kapaun, I would have enjoyed it much more. He was an absolute beast (pretty sure that's just slightly below his current title of "Servant of God").