CATHOLIC WAR VETERANS AND AUXILIARY OF THE USA

(Excerpt taken from the booklet written about the Catholic War Veterans by Sister Mary Matthias, RSM) Ever since the close of World War I, America has been threatened by the so-called political heresies commonly known today as the "Ism" movement, whose purpose is to destroy Christianity. Up until this time, the Catholic Church in America had, strictly speaking, no organized military veterans group made up of men and women who had served their country in times of war. While the Knights of Columbus attended to the needs of Catholic soldiers in camps and on the battlefield, they are not precisely a veterans organization but rather a lay organization commissioned by the United States Government to provide services to Catholics in the Armed Forces of the United States of America. Our Holy Father, Pius XI, warned the world of the dreadful dangers posed by the "Ism" movements. In response to this warning, particularly aimed at Communism, the Reverend Edward J. Higgins, Pastor of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Astoria, Queens, New York, resolved not only to heed the Pope’s plea but also to take action. Father Higgins, who had served as a commissioned Lieutenant Chaplain in the United States Army, realized that Catholic servicemen and women lacked an organized voice in national matters concerning their God, their Country, and their Home. He understood that without some form of organized action, the Catholic War Veterans could not, as a specific group, express their approval or disapproval on issues of significant importance. Consequently, Father Higgins recognized the critical need for a structured Catholic veterans group. Thanks to his priestly guidance and the dedicated efforts of Past National Commander John M. Dealy, the Catholic War Veterans of the United States was incorporated under the laws of the State of New York on May 19, 1935. This organization now encompasses numerous Catholic War Veterans posts across the nation, which can be explored further on the Catholic War Veterans website.

To promote service to God, Country, and fellow man through the understanding of Christian values recognized by the Catholic Church; to support local veterans, youth, and community organizations, and strengthen our Catholic faith, we encourage participation in Catholic War Veterans posts and engage with the Catholic War Veterans website.