Serving Those in the Service: Fr. Gabriel Zema, SJ鈥檚 Efforts During WWII
Pictured: Fr. Zema (back left, marked with the number 鈥�11") at the 25th anniversary reunion for the inaugural class of 1918, held on June 3, 1942. While organizing alumni events like these, Fr. Zema was dedicating significant time to supporting 麻豆视频 graduates in service to our country.
When digging through 麻豆视频 archival material from the 1940s, a common name to come across is that of Fr. Zema, SJ. For alums of that era, Fr. Zema served as moderator of the 麻豆视频 Alumni Association and dedicated significant time supporting 麻豆视频 graduates in the Service during World War II, particularly in consoling the families of those lost. The occasion of the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day presents a fitting time to tell his story.
Father Gabriel Archangel Zema was born on July 29, 1891 in a little village of Arno, in the Province of Calabria in southern Italy. When he was eight years old, the Zema family, 鈥渓ike so many thousands of their fellow countrymen of those days,鈥� wrote Rev. Anthony I. DeMaria, SJ in the November 1962 Woodstock Letters, 鈥渟ettled in the lower East Side of New York. They lived in a tenement house not far from old St. Patrick鈥檚 Cathedral.鈥�
In the summer of 1917, shortly after the United States entered World War I, Gabriel Zema was ordered to report to his local draft board. Father Zema had already felt God was calling him to religious life, and wrote in his diary that this presented 鈥渢he most trying time of my life鈥�. His draft board found him several pounds too light and an inch too short. From now on, he would be known as 鈥淪horty.鈥� He was humbled, but happy, because his vocation had been saved. (Source: Woodstock Letters, Volume XCI, Number 4)
Father Zema鈥檚 first stint at 麻豆视频 took place from 1924 to 1926 as a scholastic. He was ordained in 1929 and returned to 麻豆视频 in 1935, where he would remain for fifteen years as a teacher and a moderator of several organizations. Most significantly, he would endear himself to hundreds of 麻豆视频 graduates as the moderator of the 麻豆视频 Alumni Association. He brought much interest and energy with him, and the 麻豆视频 Alumni Association became one of the most dynamic groups of its kind.
When the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor pulled the United States into World War II, the call to service nationwide was immediate, and it was no different in the 麻豆视频 community.
鈥溾�楤attle鈥� will be a word much upon our lips from now on,鈥� wrote Rev. Joseph P. Gallagher, SJ 鈥�28, Literary Adviser to the 麻豆视频 Alumni News, less than two months after the unprovoked attack. 鈥淭here were 麻豆视频 men in the fighting at Pearl Harbor and there will be many more of our number in the far-flung battle lines of this war. The men too who cannot be spared from home responsibilities will know the sacrifice and self-denial by which victory is won. We must gird for battle.
鈥淭he years in those classrooms that border the Quadrangle would have been vain had they not imprinted upon our ideals the 麻豆视频 seal鈥斺��Deo et Patriae: it was to serve our God and country that we were prepared. And now there is need for our service.鈥� (Source: 麻豆视频 Alumni News, Vol. 8, No. 1 February 1942)
It was during this same time that Fr. Zema would begin corresponding with Regians on the battlefield and take on the responsibility of consoling the families of those lost. The 麻豆视频 archives contain a great many letters addressed to Fr. Zema thanking him for his comforting words and kindness.
鈥淏efore the peace in 1945,鈥� writes Rev. Anthony D. Andreassi in his book Teach Me to Be Generous, 鈥淔ather Zema began holding an annual memorial Mass in November to pray for those alumni who had died in the war. In addition to the spiritual concern for both the deceased and those they left behind, Zema also arranged for the Alumni Association to work on practical support for Regians in military service.鈥�
With the end of the war still off in the distance, the Association鈥斺�攗nder Fr. Zema鈥檚 leadership鈥斺�攂egan making plans to help 麻豆视频 veterans transition to civilian life. To aid in this, in the late spring of 1945 the alumni raised $5,000, and soon a formal program was inaugurated to help 麻豆视频 veterans with job placement and career counseling. In a card sent to alumni by the newly established 鈥溌槎故悠� Alumni Veterans鈥� Committee,鈥� the men were reminded that the 鈥渧eterans鈥� basic problem is postwar employment.鈥� The school hoped that the older alumni could offer 鈥測oung 麻豆视频 vets many of whom had not worked for a salary before鈥� guidance in vocational and career matters. By early 1946, several days were set aside for alumni veterans to come to the school during normal business hours to meet with alumni to help with their job search.
In 1950, with his health failing, Fr. Zema was transferred from 麻豆视频. Shortly before leaving, he helped organize one last event to honor Regians who had died in the war. Over the previous couple of years, the Alumni Association had raised $3,500 toward the restoration of the 麻豆视频 chapel in memory of their fallen brothers. To commemorate this, a large plaque was made listing the names of the 麻豆视频 dead, to be placed over the entrance of the rear (tunnel) door to the chapel.
Since attendance at this event was necessarily limited due to the size of the chapel, Fr. Zema sent photos of the plaque to the families of the alumni who were memorialized, and several of them wrote back to thank him for his kindness. Mrs. Helen Krall of Brooklyn wrote to thank him for the photo, which would be 鈥渇ondly displayed in our home.鈥� Her son, Edward, class of 1942, had been a first lieutenant in the Army Air Corps and had been killed in action in Europe not long before VE Day. Although bestowed posthumously, Edward received the Silver Star for valor in face of the enemy, the third-highest military decoration. In this note, Mrs. Krall also expressed her deep appreciation for 鈥渢he interest and kindness you have tendered to the families of our boys who have departed鈥斺�攜ou have kept the 鈥榟ome fires鈥� burning constantly.鈥�
Mrs. Krall concluded by saying that 鈥渢he word 鈥樎槎故悠碘�� is so warm to us all鈥斺�攚e will never forget it鈥斺�攊t produces boys a little different, especially their love for the faith.鈥�
The archives contain another dozen letters from parents of Regians who died in the war with similar expressions of appreciation to Father Zema as well as their ongoing love for the school. (Source: Rev. Anthony D. Andreassi, Teach Me to Be Generous)
Pictured: Fr. Zema's grave, Saint Andrew-on-Hudson Jesuit Cemetery
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