He Became a Monk After Saving 14,000 Lives • Servant of God Leonard LaRue (Brother Marinus)

Leonard LaRue was a merchant marine captain who was responsible for the largest humanitarian rescue mission ever accomplished by a single ship. During the Korean War, he saved 14,000 refugees on board the Meredith Victory, a "ship of miracles". He was very religious and said that he felt God's Hand at the helm of his ship. After the war, he retired and became a Benedictine monk, taking the name "Brother Marinus". He lived a simple life in St. Paul's Abbey in New Jersey until he passed away on October 14, 2001 at the age of 87. His sainthood cause was opened in 2019. --- Wikipedia: "Captain Leonard LaRue (January 14, 1914 – October 14, 2001), later known as "Brother Marinus", was the skipper of the SS Meredith Victory, a United States Merchant Marine cargo freighter that was involved in the largest humanitarian rescue operation by a single ship in human history. Under LaRue's leadership, the ship evacuated over 14,000 refugees to safety during the Hungnam evacuation, Korean War. After the war, LaRue entered St. Paul's Abbey near Newton, New Jersey to live out his days as a Benedictine monk. He committed his days to the tradition of ora et labora—prayer and work—and was given the religious name "Brother Marinus". On March 25, 2019, Bishop Arthur Serratelli, bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paterson opened the canonization cause for Captain LaRue, known as Brother Marinus, OSB."