U.S. military veterans, police officers and other members of the community take part in a Veterans Day Mass at St. Cecelia’s Church on Nov. 10. SOUTH BRUNSWICK — For some, Veterans Day may be a day off from work or a day of shopping sales.
But Americans should take time to honor those who have risked their lives for the nation and its freedoms, Rev. Charles T. O’Connor of St. Cecelia’s Church said.
“Regardless of what we think of the current war, we must believe in the citizens that put their lives in great risk for us,” he told congregants during a Nov. 10 Veterans Day Mass in Monmouth Junction. “They need our support, and we must never forget.”
O’Connor, who is new to the congregation, reached out to Ray Kuehner at the Knights of Columbus No. 7046 of South Brunswick about putting together a Veterans Day Mass.
The father said he had been conducting the Mass at his former congregation since 2001 and looks forward to making it an annual event at St. Cecelia’s Church.
Kuehner helped put the Mass together, which saw veterans from all sections of the military, including the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. Silence fell on the congregants as they remembered prisoners of war and missing-in-action soldiers. The South Brunswick Police Department’s Honor Guard also participated, and the Knights of Columbus hosted a breakfast after the Mass.
Among the veterans were Mayor Frank Gambatese, who served in the U.S. Air Force, and Charles Micale of Milltown. He served in the U.S. Army from 1963 to 1965. He went to boot camp at Fort Dix and then spent 8 months at Fort Carson, Colo., before heading overseas to Camp Casey in Korea.
Micale, who said his son-in-law is a member of the Knights of Columbus and his family is part of the musical choir at the church, said the Mass was wonderful for all the veterans — past and present.
Group Capt. Conrad Dalton, who served in the Indian Air Force for 30 years, is visiting from India and reached out to O’Connor. He asked if he could be part of the ceremony even though he didn’t serve for the United States. O’Connor said he was more than welcome to participate.
“I served during the Indo-Pakistani war in 1971 when Bangladesh was created,” Dalton said. “I retired 10 years ago, and my wife and I come to St. Cecelia’s when we come visit our daughter, who lives in Dayton.”
Dalton said he will bring the ceremony Mass idea back to India.
“We don’t have anything like this to honor and glorify the military,” he said.
O’Connor said the Declaration of Independence defined the legacy of veterans, who fought for the rights to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
“These rights come from God,” he said, “and no one can take that away from us.”