Fr. Lafleur | Knights of Columbus #2281

Father Joseph Verbis Lafleur is one of several Knights on path to canonization.

In 1946, the Knights of Columbus held a parade in Father Lafleur’s honor from the Opelousas Courthouse to St. Landry Catholic Church in Louisiana.

The Knights of Columbus is a global Catholic fraternal organization that strives to live out the principles of charity, unity, fraternity and patriotism.

Fr. Verbis Lafleur: A Life of Service and Ultimate Sacrifice in WWII

Father Verbis Lafleur was a military chaplain and Knight of Columbus who served in the Philippines at the start of World War II.

During the Japanese attack on the Philippines on December 8, 1941, Father Lafleur bravely moved between bunkers to administer aid and lead prayers, earning the Distinguished Service Cross.

After the U.S. surrendered the Philippines in May 1942, he was captured and became a POW. As the U.S. prepared to retake the Philippines, Father Lafleur was placed with 750 US POWs on the Shin'yō Maru, which was torpedoed. Refusing to abandon the ship, Fr. Lafleur helped men escape before going down with the ship.

Of the 750 men on board, 668 died, but survivors remembered his heroism. Posthumously, he received two Purple Hearts and a Bronze Star for his valor.

  • “His demeanor was so convincing that it led me to pursue to become a Catholic. I saw something in him that I wished I had... If there ever was a saint, Father Lafleur was one."

    — Bill Lowe | Convert to Catholicism

  • "In a time when so many, both within the Church and society, are searching for role models, the life and death of Father Verbis Lafleur provides a splendid example of courageous faith and heroic civic virtues. No doubt, all who learn of him will be inspired to live the Catholic faith with deeper commitment and service for the common good. He is a testiment to God's timeless grace."

    — Most Reverend Gregory M. Aymond | Archbishop of New Orleans, LA

  • "Father Verbis Lafleur exemplifies anew the noble words of Our Divine Savior, 'Behold, I come to do Your Will, O God.' All who learn of him will be inspired to emulate the generosity of a priest whose resolute service in the military led to the supreme sacrifice."

    — Rev. Monsignor Jeff DeBlanc, Jr. | Diocese of Lafayette, LA

  • "It has been said 'a little light goes a long way.' Father Joseph Verbis Lafleur is the 'light' that helped many U.S. Military Men navigate the dark rooms within themselves as they endured being prisoners of World War II. Fr. Lafleur's story is one of the rare ones that change the way you think about everything— he is as close to anything we now have to a definition of the real character of a Blessed Saint."

    — Harold J. Arata | Colonel, USAF

  • "Father Lafleur meets all my criteria for patriotism and serves as a role model for all who seek to serve their country in a multi-dimensional role."

    — Dr. Billy R. Reagan | Radaman Second Class, USN / Superintendent of Houston, TX Schools

  • "Father Lafleur's life is bound to inspire both young and old. He presents as a remarkable priest, living his vocation, while serving his people in an extraordinary way to the very end... and beyond."

    — Lawrence LeLeux | St. Francis of Assisi Religious Goods | Houston, TX

  • "The outstanding heroism of Father Lafleur is a remarkable chapter in the outstanding service our military clergy performs on our battlefields as they unselfishly and bravely minister to our wounded and our dead."

    — Johnny Rayond | Lietenant Colonel, U.S. Army

  • "Father Joseph— one who had a heart full of faith— is one of America's greatest heroes."

    — Elbert Lee Guillory | State Senator, Louisiana, USA

  • "Truly, Father Lafleur lived a heroic life dedicated to God, his Church, country, and family."

    — Rev. Monsignor John G. Fitzgerald | California, USA

  • "Having been a member of the military service for over thirty years, and served overseas in the Philippine Islands, Korea, Vietnam, and several other countries as a military lawyer and judge, I happily take this opportunity to say that I have never heard of a more devoted person to the United States Army, as well as his Church, than Father Verbis Lafleur— only the words 'hero' and 'devotion' come to mind."

    — Jack Crouchet | Colonel, U.S. Army

  • "Father J. Verbis Lafleur physically embraced his fellow prisoners-of-war while ministering the spiritual words of God to those who were saved and continued the same passion with those he followed in death."

    — Lincoln “Link” Savoie | Chief Warrant Officer, U.S. Army

  • "... it is our charge to do everything possible to bring to pass this petition that has been handed to us— that ultimately Father Lafleur be declared a saint... In my opinion, he certainly does have all the qualities necessary to become a Saint."

    — Philip M. Hannan | Archbishop Emeritus of New Orleans, LA

  • "The world needs such an example justice, charity, and everything that made Father Lafleur the outstanding priest and chaplain he was. We particularly need such examples in the American military."

    — Philip M. Hannan | Archbishop Emeritus of New Orleans, LA