Returning Vietnam Marine Chaplain Lt. John R. McNamara Addresses St. Catherine’s Holy Name Society-October 10, 1966

“The morale of the fighting men in Viet Nam is tremendous.”

That was the reassuring message delivered by Lieutenant John R. McNamara, U.S.N.R., a Marine Corps chaplain who recently returned from active duty in Vietnam, during a guest address to the St. Catherine’s Holy Name Society meeting last night.

Introduced as a “True Christian Soldier” by the society’s spiritual director, the Reverend Francis H. Delaney, Chaplain McNamara shared powerful reflections from his seven-month tour of duty with the first battalion of the Seventh Marines in the Chu Lai district of South Vietnam—service for which he was awarded the Bronze Star.

Three Lasting Impressions of Vietnam

Reflecting on his wartime experiences, Chaplain McNamara told parishioners that three specific observations left a “deep and lasting impression” on him:

1. The Dedication of Young Marines: First, he praised the unwavering commitment of young Marines to their ideals. Recalling how word reached field units about anti-war “Vietniks” and draft card burners back home—alongside loose talk of drafting dissenters and sending them to the front lines—McNamara noted that such domestic protests did not shake the Marines’ resolve. He recounted a telling speech delivered to the Seventh Marines by their battalion commander regarding draft card burners: “First of all they don’t pack the equipment and secondly, their very presence would be an insult to you.”
2. The Vietnamese People: Second, McNamara described the local civilian population as pagan and primitive, yet possessing a profound, innate understanding of respect and family life.
3. The Resilience of Missionary Father Dennis Paquette: Finally, the chaplain shared the remarkable story of Father Dennis Paquette, a Canadian missionary who had served in Vietnam since 1955 through successive French, Japanese, and Communist regimes in Hanoi. Arrested by North Vietnamese authorities in 1958 on trumped-up charges of spying, theft, immorality, and seven murders—and unjustly convicted by a civil court—Father Paquette’s life was ultimately saved at the request of an international commission visiting Hanoi. Banished first to China and then to Hong Kong by communist police, Father Paquette courageously returned to Vietnam. Today, he oversees the massive Chu Lai Parish spanning 360 square miles, 26 churches, and 6,000 parishioners. Describing him, McNamara remarked, “He is one of the few real saints I have ever met.”

A Call to National Idealism

Drawing his remarks to a close, Chaplain McNamara brought his battlefield observations back home to American society. He warned that political catchphrases like the “Great Society” will amount to nothing more than empty slogans unless American citizens actively preserve their core values: maintaining a dedication to ideals like the Marines, holding a deep respect for family life like the Vietnamese people, and striving for personal sanctity like Father Paquette.

Holy Name Society Officer Installations

In addition to the chaplain’s featured presentation, the meeting included the formal installation of new officers for the St. Catherine’s Holy Name Society:

• President: John H. Flynn Jr. (16 Alandale Parkway)
• Vice-President: Richard H. Mahoney (116 Juniper St.)
• Treasurer: Peter Keady (8 Pine St.)
• Secretary: John D. Noonan

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger