While Francis is the revered saint known for
peacemaking, having veterans from war follow in his footsteps is hardly a
contradiction, Targonski believes. In fact, many of the realities returning soldiers
face today, are similar to ones Francis, who lived in the late 12th century,
confronted.
“Francis was a soldier. He wanted to be a knight.
Instead he was captured in battle and became a POW. He realized during his
confinement that this was all in vain,” Targonski said. “Fortunately, he was
from a wealthy family and he was ransomed. Many of his friends who were not
ransomed, were instead buried alive.”
From that experience, Targonski said, Francis
returned to ordinary life a changed man. “I truly believe he experienced Post Traumatic
Stress Syndrome (PTSD). That doesn’t necessarily have to be bad. In a way, it’s
a call to a whole new life.”
Through the process, the search for new meaning
through spirituality plays a part Targonski concluded, for the soldier, and for
saints like Francis. “I realized through my readings that more and more saints
have been in the military. St. Ignatius was also wounded in action. For the
soldiers returning from WWII, the Trappist Monasteries became swollen and there
was a boon in new vocations.”
During the August Assisi pilgrimage, 17 veterans and
some spouses participated in the journey, which Targonski, with his 20 years of
military experience, found moving. “Many were looking for a sense of peace. It
was not a junket. For travelers on vacation, the goal is the destination. For
the pilgrim, the destination is the journey. In this process, we discovered we
were healing each other.”
For many of today’s returning soldiers, the need for
pilgrimage has never been greater. “WWII soldiers had time to transition as
they floated home on ships. Modern day veterans don’t have time to process.
They can literally be in battle one week and be flying home the next. In the pilgrimage experience, we get at your
center, do some process and set a direction on where to go from here and now.”
Targonski indicated he is often asked how he, a
Franciscan Friar, can reconcile himself with the fact that he was in the
military serving as a spiritual advisor to soldiers in an environment that
seemingly promotes war and violence.
“How do you justify being Franciscan; being in the
military? I say, 'The gospel needs to be preached, everywhere. We all have the
possibility to be servant leaders and to be wounded healers. Francis was. And
Clare also had deep healing powers.'”
Targonski recalled one of the pilgrims from Assisi
who served in Vietnam. “He was a retired officer and I believe he saw quite a bit
of action. He didn’t say anything for 10 days but at the end, when we shared our
reflections, he said, ‘I saw a lot of awful things and now I can go away with
a sense of peace.’ That was a powerful moment.”
As another school year begins at Viterbo, Targonski
is happy to be on campus greeting and ministering to students. He has lots of
plans to engage young men and women who seek their own spiritual journey. Next
spring, at the conclusion of the school year, he intends to lead another veterans’
pilgrimage group to Italy.
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