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Catholic War Veterans
Organization History
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Not a Member? -- Join Us NOW
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In 1935, Msgr. (then Father) Edward J. Higgins, with permission of his Bishop Ordinary,
Most Reverend Thomas E. Malloy of the Diocese of Brooklyn, gathered together some few
parishioners from his parish, Church of the Immaculate Conception in New York, who had
served in World War I and formed the first CWV Post.
May 19, 1935 - Catholic War Veterans of the United States of America was
incorporated under the laws of the State of New York.
May 1935 - Father Higgins journeyed to Rome. Pope Pius XI bestowed his blessings upon
the Catholic War Veterans and blessed the American and Papal CWV flags.
July 1940 - The Catholic War Veterans was officially recognized as a Veterans
Organization by the Veterans Administration.
August 7, 1984 - President Ronald Regan signs legislation granting the Catholic War
Veterans a Congressional Charter. CWV is the ONLY catholic organization so honored.
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Excerpt of CWV Early History as written by Sister Mary Matthias, RSM
commonly known today as the "ISM" movement with a purpose to destroy Christianity.
Incidentally, up unto this time, the Catholic Church in America had strictly speaking, no
military veterans' organizations made up of men and women who had served their country
in time of war. It is true that the Knights of Columbus saw to the needs of Catholic
soldiers in camps and behind the battlefield. However, the Knights of Columbus is not
precisely a veterans' organization, but rather a lay organization commissioned by the US
Government to render services to Catholics in the US Armed Services.
Our Holy Father, Pius XI, warned of the dreadful disaster and danger of the "ISM"
movement. In Church of the Immaculate Conception in Astoria, Long Island, NY,
determined to not only to heed the Pope's plea but also to do something about it.
Father Higgins who had served as a commissioned Lieutenant US Army Chaplain had
discovered that Catholic service men and women had very little organized voice in
national matters that concerned their God, their Country and their Home. He knew that
without some type of organized action, the Catholic veterans could not, as a specific
group, voice their approval or disapproval of any matters of grave importance.
Thus, Father Higgins conceived the vital need for an organized Catholic Veterans group.
It was due to his priestly guidance together with worthy efforts of Past National
Commander John M. Dealy, that the Catholic War Veterans of the United States was
incorporated under the laws of the State of New York on May 19, 1935.
In May 1935, Father Higgins journeyed to Rome and while there, had a private audience
with Pope Pius XI. Father Higgins informed His Holiness of what thus far he had
accomplished in organizing and establishing the new veterans' group. The Pope was
pleased with and intensely interested in the new militant drive for Catholic Action. The
Holy Father did not fear for the future of the organization, but mindful of the Lord's
own Words: " Where there are two or three gathered in my name, there am I in the midst
of them..." bestowed upon it his blessing
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Snail Mail Address
CWV Post 736
PO Box 252
Woodstock, MD 21163
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Web Coordinator - A. L. Raatjes
cwv736@yahoo.com
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