People I Love, Number 2 THE SERGEANT WHO DODN’T GIVE A DAMN

[운연스러스]

People I Love : Number 2

                                                                                    THE SERGEANT WHO DODN’T GIVE A DAMN

It was a couple weeks before Christmas. The weather was cold and dreary. Between the Parish and the Tribunal I was swamped with work, and already tired just thinking of it.

The Sister Secretary of our Seoul Archdiocesan Tribunal seemed frightened as she ushered a big U.S. Army Sergeant into my office. “Good morning, Father. Our Chaplain sent me to see about my marriage. I was married in the Church and divorced some years ago. Now I am remarried out of the Church. The Chaplain said I should see you to get straightened out. I don’t really give a damn about this religious stuff. But the Chaplain is a good Joe and I don’t want to hurt his feelings. I thought I’d humor him.”

I sighed, and thought of the hours of work it would take to process this man’s case through our Korean Tribunal. I do all English correspondence since our personnel handled with facility only Korean. And this for a belligerent bore who didn’t “give a damn.”

I felt anger rising within me, but I was too tired to throw him out. I took him through the questionnaires. Over the next months I contacted his first wife, and obtained the other documents necessary. It turned out the Tribunal was able to grant him a declaration of nullity for his first marriage, and I notified his Chaplain to send him back to the Tribunal.

He came in as belligerently as the first time, even refusing to sit down. I took out his case envelope. “Your first wife was very cooperative and answered all our inquiries, I told him. “This Tribunal was able to grant a declaration of nullity for your first marriage. If you take this document to your Chaplain he can allow you to marry your present wife in the Church.”

The big man looked at me. His face showed complete astonishment. He sat down heavily on th chair he had refused before. Tears flowed down his cheeks and he began to cry. When he regained control, he said quietly: “Father, this is going to be a Happy Easter. My wife and I haven’t been able to receive the sacrament for twelve years.”

I wondered, “How many hurting people hide their hurt with a “don’t give a damn?”