Statement of Archbishop John Nienstedt upon the death of Father Tim Vakoc (Major)

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All of us in this Catholic Archdiocese are grieving with the family of Father Vakoc, who died last night after surviving terrible wounds in the Iraq War five long years ago. We are joined in that grieving, to be sure, by the men and woman whom he served as chaplain in Iraq and those of who witnessed his extraordinary courage and faith at Walter Reed Hospital and here at our Veteran’s Hospital. A man of peace, he chose to endure the horror of war in order to bring the peace of Christ to America’s fighting men and women. He has been an inspiration to us all and we will miss him. We ask everyone to remember him in prayer.