From Atomic Bomb Blessings to a Lifelong Pursuit of Nuclear Disarmament

In the fall of 1945, Father George Zabelka, an American priest, found himself amidst the ruins of Nagasaki. He walked through the Urakami district, the site of the Urakami Cathedral, ground zero for the atomic blast. He had served as a chaplain with the U.S. Air Force, stationed on Tinian island, and had blessed the crews of the 509th Composite Group before their missions to Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Zabelka, who would later pass away in 1992, discovered a piece of a thurible amidst the rubble, a metal device used for incense during religious services. He had recited prayers for the crews, seeking their protection and a swift end to the war. Initially, he believed the bombings were justified.

However, after witnessing the devastation in Nagasaki and Hiroshima, Zabelka's perspective dramatically shifted. He began to grapple with his role and the moral implications of the bombings. He joined the National Guard and became actively involved in peace movements, including working with Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s.

In the early 1980s, as the threat of nuclear war loomed, Zabelka embarked on a pilgrimage to Bethlehem, where he began advocating for nuclear disarmament. He carried a deep sense of guilt, as noted by author James Thomas, who traveled with him. Thomas recounted that Zabelka's shoes bore the words "Hiroshima" and "Nagasaki."

In 1984, nearly four decades after the bombings, Zabelka returned to Japan, bringing the thurible with him. He shared his story of profound suffering and his belief that there was no justice in war. He attended Masses in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, praying for the victims.

Toyoki Harada, now a vicar-general, recalled the emotional impact of the Mass in Hiroshima, where those who had dropped the bombs and those who had suffered gathered together. He empathized with Zabelka's wartime role and the difficult position of clergy serving the military. Thomas believes that if Zabelka were still alive, he would be horrified by the continued existence of nuclear arsenals and would passionately call for their elimination.