10Feb07 - Twin Cities Priest is Hurt in Iraq Bomb Blast: Twin Cities priest Tim Vakoc seemed clearly caught in the wrong place at the wrong time when a bomb blew up in his face along an Iraqi road three weeks ago.

But if he could speak from his Washington, D.C., hospital bed, he would say the opposite, according to friends of the Army chaplain.

"His faith life says that no matter what the circumstance, that is God's will and that is what God wanted,'' said a friend from Vakoc's former parish in Eagan. "When he comes out of this whole thing, he'll say this all had a purpose.''

Vakoc's recovery has been uncertain, sometimes imperceptible. He is fighting for his life, essentially in a coma. His family is guarded and hopeful. Those close to Vakoc say his greatest suffering will be if he can't return to military duty.

01June2005: On Saturday May 29, 2004, Army Major H. Timothy Vakoc, a Roman Catholic Priest, was returning from saying Mass for soldiers in Iraq when his humvee was struck by an IED (improvised explosive device) and he sustained a severe brain injury. He was treated in Germany, then Walter Reed for several months then transferred to the VA Hospital in Minneapolis where he lay in a coma for 6 months.

Miraculously, in the late spring of 2005 he began showing signs of improvement. Dr Michael Wagner, Director of Family services at Walter Reed was contacted and thru the assistance of the Yellow Ribbon Fund a special computer was donated to help Father Tim communicate with the world. By coinsidence, Teresa and Missy were working the Troop Transport flight that took Father Tim and his Army Striker Unit from the US to Kuwait (photo on right above is Father Tim standing to the right of Teresa onboard during the trip).

01June2007: Father H. Timothy Vakoc, a U.S. Army chaplain recovering from injuries suffered nearly three years ago in Iraq, today will receive the 2007 Distinguished Alumnus Award from the St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity of the University of St. Thomas.

Vakoc, 47, will receive the award at a ceremony that starts at 5 p.m. today, April 26, in St. Mary's Chapel on the seminary campus. The award has been presented annually since the seminary's centennial in 1994; it was established to recognize alumni "who have lived their vocation in an extraordinary way."

Family, friends, seminarians and seminary faculty members will be on hand for the presentation, which will be followed by a reception.

As the Rev. Timothy Vakoc gradually recovers from a severe brain injury sustained in Iraq in 2004, he ministers to people along the way.

28Feb07, MN: A friend lowered a microphone so the Rev. Tim Vakoc could address attendees of the award banquet at Benilde-St. Margaret's, his old high school, from his wheelchair.

For 20 seconds, only the gymnasium lights hummed in the quiet.

"Thank you," Vakoc said.

Silence returned as he labored for breath.

"And," he whispered, "God love you."