I know that Msgr. Pope honored our fallen soldiers with a blog post on May 30th, but I wanted comment from a different angle…literally.
On Sunday, I went with my father and my brother to pray at my grandfather’s grave in Arlington Cemetery. He served in the United States Air Force during World World II and Korea and died in 1993.
After we prayed the rosary, I turned around to survey the cemetery and found myself looking at the back sides of the grave stones. While most of the stones were blank white marble, a few were also carved on the backside. My eyes quickly swept across the field: Edna, Lora, Lisette, Mady, Eleanor…the wives.
I thought about what it must have been like not only for wives who lost their husbands in combat but those wives who “lost” months and years of their married lives while their husbands were deployed. Even today, there are thousands of wives (and now husbands) who are currently living this reality, and my prayers go out to them.
If any reader has a way to support these families or knows of organizations who help this cause, feel free to post. Thank you!
You might consider the National Military Family Association.
http://www.militaryfamily.org/
Rosaries for soldiers:
http://www.rosarymakersguide.org/giveawayrosaries.htm
Both my sister and sister-in-law have been military wives — they too make a tremendous sacrifice.
Ooops, I submitted too quickly. On the local level, many groups within (and outside) the military itself offer support.
My father served in WWII and my brother in Vietnam.
Support for soldiers who have been injured/suffering from PTSD and their families
http://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
http://www.freedomisnotfree.com/
Staff Sgt Ristaino of the Army Nationlal Guard developed the “Ranger Rosary” made with parachute cord and pony beads. Ristaino is a parishioner at St Mary’s Annapolis.
http://www.rangerrosary.com/
http://anysoldier.com/
http://www.catholicmil.org