By Maria Ferris| Correspondent

“For God, For Country, For Home” – the motto of the Catholic War Veterans and Auxiliary – is steeped in history.

The organization was established in 1935 by Msgr. Edward J. Higgins, World War I Army chaplain, after receiving permission from Bishop Thomas Molloy of the Diocese of Brooklyn to organize the first post. Founding members were World War I veterans from Higgins’ parish, Church of the Immaculate Conception, New York, thus making up the first post of the Catholic War Veterans, Astoria Post #1.

With the national headquarters located in Arlington, Va., this service organization spans the country with state and local branches. There are about 12 Catholic War Veterans posts in New Jersey.

Edward Szul is a World War II veteran and longtime member of Holy Cross Post 417 in Trenton who has served as commander at the local and state levels in addition to having been involved at the national level. Post 417 was established in 1945.

“We have all kinds of programs,” Szul said, citing adult activities such as dinners for seniors and hospital visits and a spelling bee for children. There are also programs during the holidays such as the Christmas Wafer Supper and Palm Sunday breakfast. Services are held on Veterans Day and Memorial Day. There is also an upcoming party for members of the Holy Innocents Society, which provides for the religious education for those with developmental disabilities.

For 18 years, Szul has organized a Mass on Veterans Day, which is always held Nov. 11 at Holy Cross Church, a worship site of Divine Mercy Parish, Trenton. A buffet follows the Mass in the Catholic War Veterans post home located a few doors down from the church.

Raymond Szul, current commander of Holy Cross Post 417, reflected on his CWV membership, saying, “It means helping people out – showing respect for everybody.”

CWV member Walter P. Kramarz, who was a World War II Army medic and is currently a chaplain for the Mercer County Veterans Council, said it is advantageous for veterans to join the group, which meets monthly. “We service veterans. We need help to help others.”

To be eligible for membership in Catholic War Veterans, one must be a baptized Catholic with an honorable discharge from any branch of the U.S. Armed Forces who has served on active duty for 90 days or longer. This includes training time for Reservists and those in the National Guard.

Membership in the CWV Auxiliary is open to any baptized Catholic related to a veteran within two degrees – spouse, grandfather, grandmother, mother, father, sister, brother, uncle, aunt, son or daughter.

Rosemarie Zegarski, state and local president of Holy Cross Post 417 Auxiliary, praised the organization’s charitable services. Some of its activities include involvement with Holy Innocents Society, homeless veterans and Catholic Charities. The auxiliary also provides a scholarship to help Catholic school eighth-graders attend Catholic high school.

CWV hosts collections to be sent to those serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, such as toiletries, Edward Szul said. For veterans stateside, dinners are provided, and from time to time, various posts will join together to serve them dinner, followed by bingo with transportation provided.

“We try to help everybody,” he said.