theleaven.com | vol. 35, no. 16 | November 22, 2013
Remembering JFK John Kennedy was a source of pride for Catholics — and then suddenly, he was gone
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or many members of Generation X and Generation Y, this Nov. 22 is just another date on the calendar. It’s one day closer to Thanksgiving, and nothing more. But to members of another generation — call it “Generation K,” the Kennedy Generation — the date is fraught with meaning. Today is the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy at 12:30 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 22, 1963, at Dealey Plaza in Dallas. One moment the young and popular president was smiling and waving at the welcoming crowd from his roofless limousine. The next, he was slumped over, bloodied, held by his wife Jackie while the car raced to Parkland Memorial Hospital. On television, Walter Cronkite reported on CBS at 12:40 p.m. of the assassination attempt. Cronkite
Story by Joe Bollig
confirmed the president’s death at 2:38 p.m. “I was stationed out at St. Joseph of the Valley [Parish] and had just come home from teaching religion at Immaculata High School [in Leavenworth],” said Father George Bertels, now retired and living in Leavenworth. “I was sitting there eating a bite, and I heard it on the radio,” he continued. “The first thing that came to mind was, ‘This has never happened to the United States. It’s happened all around the world, but not the United States.’ There was almost unbelief on my part. It was really a shock, as far as I was concerned.” Like many Catholic Americans, Father Bertels was a Kennedy fan and very proud of the first Catholic president of the United States. “I was studying in Washington, D.C., w h i l e [John F. Kennedy] was in the U.S. Senate, and he was a n idol for us young priests,” said Father Bertels. “He was an inspiration.” Msgr. Michael Mullen also taught religion at Immaculata High School. He remembered the principal, Sister Dolorine Eakes, SCL, calling a special assembly for all students to pray for the president. “There was total shock,” said Msgr. Mullen. “One thing you have to remember is that, in 1963, we were in a Cold War tussle with the Soviet Union over the Cuban missile
situation. Fidel Castro came to power [in Cuba] in 1959. We were very concerned that he had an affiliation with the Soviets.” A large number of students belonged to military families at nearby Fort Leavenworth, with its Command and General Staff School, so the school was always aware of the military. “It was sad,” said Msgr. Mullen. “I liked him as a president. He was popular. He was a good orator when he spoke.” Msgr. Charles McGlinn, pastor of Curé of Ars Parish in Leawood, was studying at St. Thomas Seminary in Denver in November 1963. “We were in a very boring class — Latin, I think,” recalled Msgr. McGlinn. “Someone came into the class and announced it. It was riveting. For the rest of the day, all of us were in the rec hall — the only building on campus where we could watch TV. Classes were canceled and we watched.” Assassinations in those days were something that happened to minor figures in obscure Third World nations, not the United States. It seemed surreal. “It was a shock,” said Msgr. McGlinn. “The whole nation was in shock. There was real mourning, palpable grieving. We experienced it at the seminary. My family [at home] experienced it. It was a really devastating kind of thing.” >> See “Kennedy” on page 16