Road Trips

Road Trips in the Spencer family during my youth were always a highlight for weekends and summer vacations. The excitement of travels and exploring new locations and places of historic interest remains a joy for me. Recently I was invited by one of our young adult groups to join them for a “road trip” to explore the history of “The Tuskegee Airmen”, who trained not far from Fort Rucker, AL. The airfield and campus are now a museum park. The first African American fighter pilots in the U.S. Army Air Corps were the public face of the Tuskegee Airmen. They made extraordinary contributions to the Allied victory in Europe during World War II. Along with our experience of walking the grounds of this historic Army Air Corps airfield, our group talked about the advancements made in our American culture to become a more inclusive military community and how we, today in 2019, must protect those rights and privileges achieved in our Country over the past generations. The conversations also reminded us that there remains more work to be done in order to have a balanced society in which each member’s value is recognized and his or her contribution accepted.

Another “road trip” for me this past fall season was to the U.S. Navy “Brig” (confinement facility) in Charleston, SC. There I found that the insiders had formed a vibrant Catholic community under the supervision of a local military RCIA team from the U.S.A.F. and from the U.S.N. chapels. After two and half years of religious training and preparations, Edward James Lin was received into full communion with the Catholic

Church while over 40 of his insider mates were present to support his initiation. Newly confirmed, Lin choose the following quotation from Dr. Martin Luther King as a mantra contributing to his conversion:

“Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” We encourage Lin and his fellow inmates to keep taking those steps forward that will facilitate their transition back into society and so that they can make positive contributions for the good of all.

There were even more unique “road trips” beyond the usual confirmation Masses these past months that brought me to significant events to help spread the Good News of Catholicism. I was invited to two scouting events. First was the Eagle Scout Court of Honor for Eagle Scout Edward Cook at Fort Bragg. I was privileged to witness his ceremony and also to deliver the benediction for the event. Then in late October there was another major Catholic scouting event, the Scouting Fall Camporee for Catholic Scouts

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ROAD TRIPS!

from the Southeast Region of the AMS which was held at Camp Rock Enon, in Gore, VA, under the Catholic adult leadership of Ryan Owens of the United States Coast Guard.

Several other fall road trips included the pastoral visits and confirmation Masses. Of particular note was the October confirmation Mass at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, OH, where the entire Catholic chapel of 146 members attended the confirmation retreat along with the confirmandi in order to express their support to these young adults about to complete their Christian initiation.

All of these “road trips” and many more events are just another glimpse of the broad and diverse involvements of this global Archdiocese for the Military Services. We, the AMS, go and can be found anywhere that our Catholics are involved as they joyfully embrace and live our Catholic faith! V