During the month of November, we celebrate a significant day in the life of our nation, Veterans Day. On this day, we pay respect and gratitude to all of the men and women who have given of themselves to serve our nation in military service.
Like many national holidays, Veterans Day has had a significant history, including the time of its celebration, but is now set to its original date of Nov. 11 to recognize the purpose of its foundation. Nov. 11, 1918, is the day generally recognized as the conclusion of World War I, “the war to end all wars.” An armistice was signed to conclude the war on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of the year. However, it was on June 28, 1919, when a treaty was signed in the Palace of Versailles, France, to formally end World War I. The eventual establishment of Veterans Day on Nov. 11, marking the conclusion of World War I, was to celebrate and honor all American veterans for their patriotism, love of country and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good of our nation. Hence, Veterans Day is also known as Armistice Day.
In the world today, torn by war, it might be questioned as to why we honor those who are willing to serve our nation by going to war. The reason is that the military does not exist for the purpose of war but for the purpose of peace. War is a reality which arises from the very dark side of human nature. The valor of veterans is to protect our nation from the evil of war and to be willing to sacrifice so that war, if it comes about, can be ended as quickly as possible for the protection of the citizens of the United States.
A true veteran is a person who embodies the best of human nature in terms of service and sacrifice to protect our nation from what is the dark side of human nature in seeking to destroy the dignity of the human person. A true veteran, who may be rightly honored for his or her valor, is a faceless person who represents the best of what human nature is all about in our nation. That is why the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. is so important. We are grateful to our veterans for their noble service and for always serving our well-being through their valor.
Another significant day we commemorate this November is that of the 63rd anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on Nov. 22, 1963. President Kennedy, the first Catholic American president of the United States, was a veteran who served during World War II, earning the Navy and Marine Corps Medal and the Purple Heart for his heroism while commanding PT 109 in the Pacific theater.
It was on Veterans Day, 1963, just 11 days before his tragic death in Dallas, Texas, that President Kennedy placed the presidential wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. It would be just 14 days later that he would be buried at the cemetery with the eternal flame lit before his resting place.
On his first Veterans Day as president at Arlington National Cemetery in 1961, President Kennedy spoke some very insightful words about the valor of veterans and the significance of Veterans Day. He spoke of the inauguration of Veterans Day and the hope that World War I was the end of war. Since war still continues, he stressed that we are stronger in our efforts to end it. He quoted St. Augustine, who said, “The purpose of all war is peace.” He stressed that, “Nov. 11, 1918, signified a beginning as well as an end.” It is the valor of veterans who are instrumental in the pursuit of an end to war by their dedicated service to our nation, founded on peace.
Many Catholic leaders have praised President John F. Kennedy for his position on peace in the world and his determination to avoid war and speak of its evils. One of these leaders was St. Pope Paul VI. On his visit to the United Nations on Oct. 4, 1965, he spoke the following poignant words: “Listen to the clear words of a great man who is no longer with us, John Kennedy, who proclaimed four years ago: ‘Mankind must put an end to war, or war will put an end to mankind.’” It is in this context that Pope Paul uttered his famous words, “Never again war, never again war! It is peace, peace, that has to guide the destiny of nations of all mankind.”
On the occasion of the President Kennedy’s assassination, Pope Paul VI was deeply grieved. He expressed, “We are profoundly saddened by this crime, by the mourning which inflicts a great and civilized country, by the suffering which strikes Mrs. Kennedy, their children, and their family. With all our heart, we deplore what has happened. We express the ardent wish that the death of this great statesman may not damage the cause of the American people but rather reinforce its moral and civic sentiments and strengthen its feelings of nobility and concord. He was the first Catholic president of the United States. We recall our pleasure in receiving his visit and having discerned in him great wisdom and high resolution for the good of humanity.” Pope Paul VI offered Mass for President Kennedy in his private chapel.
Most recently, Cardinal Ernest Simoni of Albania spoke of the man of peace that President Kennedy was. Cardinal Simoni was appointed to the College of Cardinals in 2016 by Pope Francis. He was arrested by the communists at Christmas in 1963 for the public celebration of Mass in honor of President Kennedy. He spent 30 years in prison and forced labor for his expression of faith. Pope Francis referred to him as a martyr. In an interview with EWTN just a few days ago at the end of October, the cardinal personally expressed that he was appalled by “the assassination of such a great man who was a main defender of peace.” The cause of his imprisonment was his respect for the peacemaking efforts of President Kennedy.
As we celebrate Veterans Day this year, we give thanks to our veterans for their willingness to be witnesses of valor by defending our nation, not for the sake of war, but so that war may never come about again. Our veterans are true heroes in a world that needs heroes in the fullest sense of the word. They are men and women of true valor. In the words of President Kennedy in his 1961 address at Arlington National Cemetery on Veterans Day, “On this day of remembrance, let us pray in the name of those who have fought in this country’s wars. … that there will be no veterans of any further war — not because all shall have perished, but because all shall have learned to live together in peace.” Such is the valor of all our veterans whom we so gratefully salute.
Most Reverend Gerald M. Barbarito
