Digital Marian Helper Winter_2019

W ith war veterans, dignitaries, and members of many faiths gathered together this past Sept. 11, a veil was lifted on a 10-year dream of mine. Gasps and applause resounded at the sight of it — a more than 20-feet-tall bronze statue. The Guardian of Defenders Memorial — that’s “G.O.D.” for short — is the nation’s first memorial honor- ing those who’ve given their lives in the global war on ter- rorism. I also pray it will help bring healing to those veterans struggling physically, emotion- ally, and spiritually following active service. I happen to know them and their situations well. As a United States Army chaplain with multiple deploy- ments to Afghanistan, I’ve often administered Last Rites to fellow service members whom I’ve known. I’ve also seen firsthand how trauma and the tragedy of war affect our surviving service members. Many have been exposed to roadside bombs, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and suicide bombers. Many have witnessed the kill- ing of comrades or have had to handle human remains. And, yes, for the first time in their young lives, many have killed other human beings to protect themselves and their buddies from being killed by the enemy. For many service members, such trauma marks their first experience with the realities of death. In addition to physical pain, many incur men- tal wounds in the form of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and wounds in the soul, which I call “post spiritual stress disorder.” These venerable warriors deserve proper physical, psychological, and spiritual care — and a proper memorial marking their enormous sacrifice for our nation. By the grace of God, they’ve got one. With the help of a fellow military chaplain, Fr. John J. Gayton, the Guardian of Defenders Memorial was installed at Holy Rosary Church in Claymont, Delaware. The solid bronze statue, designed by me and sculpted by Julio Sanchez De Alba, sits atop a black granite base. It features the Battlefield Cross (inverted rifle, dog tags, hel- met, and boots) and an angel carrying a service member to Heaven. And by the way, those combat boots incorpo- rated into the memorial were mine, worn while I served in Afghanistan. They’ve been bronzed! The dedication ceremony at the 18 th annual Interfaith 9/11 Prayer Service drew all branches of the military, Delaware’s political repre- sentatives, many Catholics, a Hindu monk, an Iman, and a rabbi. Seven Gold Star fam- ily members surrounded the memorial as it was unveiled. A military color guard then played “Taps.” Father Gayton and I pray much good will come from this memorial. In serving our nation’s military in combat zones, both of us have wit- nessed death, despair, and evil, but we’ve also witnessed sacrifice, courage, and tran- scendence. Together, such experiences can either bring confusion or make things crystal clear. For me, what became crystal clear was that God is real, that He cherishes us, and that He will never allow evil to have the last word. But for many service members, the trauma of war can damage their sacred beliefs, values, and the very founda- tion upon which they had previously defined themselves and the world. They need reminders of who we all really are in the eyes of God. As I began thinking about a memorial, the question arose in my heart: “How can this message of mercy be seen in sign and symbol?” I immediately thought of the Father Donald Van Alstyne, MIC, (right) with Fr. John J. Gayton, the pastor of Holy Rosary Parish and a retired U.S. Navy Commander. M arian H elper • W inter 2019-20 • marian . org 29