[
Hans Grapje was raised in a Catholic school in The Hague and, as a
young man, aspired to become a priest, but fled to the United States
and joined the Army during WWII. He spent two years co-piloting B17s
until his aircraft was shot down in 1943 and he lost his left arm.
Captain Grapje spent the rest of the war as a chaplain, giving
spiritual aid to soldiers, both Allied and enemy.



After the war, he became a priest, serving as a missionary in Africa,
piloting his own plane (in spite of his handicap) to villages across
the continent. In 1997, Father Grapje was serving in Zimbabwe when an
explosion in a silver mine caused a cave-in. Archbishop Grapje went
down into the mine to administer last rites to those too severely
injured to move. Another shaft collapsed and he was buried for three
days, suffering multiple injuries, including the loss of his right
eye. The high silver content in the mine's air gave him purpura, a
life-long condition characterized by purplish skin blotches.



Although Cardinal Grapje devoted his life to the service of God as a
scholar, mentor, and holy man, church leaders agree: he will never
ascend to the Papacy. Why? Because no one wants a one-eyed,
one-armed, flying purple Papal leader.
]