Belvoir’s Priest Answers Call to Service

Photo Courtesy of: Sister Michael Bochnowski, Belvoir Eagle

Belvoir’s Priest Answers Call to Service BY PAUL LARA, BELVOIR EAGLE

Alec Scott’s family came to Fort Belvoir when he was in the 4th grade, and Belvoir’s community of faith had a lasting effect on him. Father Scott celebrated a final Mass at Belvoir Chapel, Sunday, before reporting to Chaplain School at Fort Jackson, S.C.

“We moved to Belvoir in 1996 when I was 10 years old,” said Father Scott. “I attended school at Barden Elementary (which is now Barden Education Center) and was in its first graduating class.” So much has changed on post since then: the elementary school was moved to North Post, what used to be the old South Nine Golf Course where he would play as a child is now the imposing structure of the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, and a lot of new housing has been developed on post. What hasn’t changed is his childhood home in Belvoir Village, and the strength of community and faith.

“I’ll drive back to my old house in Belvoir Village – that stretch of the village by the woods has not

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changed, and I find that comforting,” said Father Scott. “I have a lot of gratitude for Fort Belvoir – you move around the military your whole life, but no place ever feels as much like home as does Belvoir.”

The power of community

As soon as they arrived, Alec said his family were warmly embraced by the Catholic community. “Faith has always been a big part of my life, even before I was aware of God’s presence. The environment I was in let me explore those questions, and I was blessed with wonderful priests, including Father John Mudd,” he said.

“They showed me how large an impact a person can have on your life. They were joyful, happy, normal in all the right ways, and I was attracted in what they were doing. From that grew a seed of interest, but it was not until college that I got serious.”

One fixture of Father Scott’s life, going back to grade school, was

Sister Michael Bochnowski, who had just arrived here as Director of Religious education – a post she still holds.

“I have known Sister Michael since I was 10. She was a big part of my life. She is my longeststanding faith relationship. She has been a rock at Fort Belvoir and where I received all my Catholic upbringing and religious education. In spite of myself, she has been my biggest cheerleader, and I cannot express how much she has meant to me. Sister Michael is an institution,” he said.

Sister Michael was equally effusive of Father Scott, saying his passion and persistence was evident from the beginning. “One of the things I feel happy about is seeing people growing up, and becoming generals and sergeants major, and for them to do the good that they do with the people,” she said. “He is a great example of the good we can do here.”

Sense of responsibility.

Father Scott said his journey of faith was strengthened by his upbringing as a military child.

“My familiarity with the military was definitely a big part of it. There is a sense of the culture – the people I met and the embraces from the community, but there’s a parallel sense, a feeling of responsibility what the military has given to me. It was invaluable toward becoming a priest.

Growing up in a military environment, it would make me feel ungrateful if I did not return something and offer back to the communities that made me what I am,” said Father.

And, this week marks his next transition, from priest to Army chaplain; something he looks forward to.

“The types of ministry will be different – doing more work with non-Catholic communities, and

that’ll be new to me. I’ll have a broader range of responsibilities to be not only a faith leader but also counselor, and I’ll wear a lot of different hats,” he said. “There are many different jobs, but all are under the job of parish priest. The excitement, and challenge, ahead is that I bring my faith and my priesthood to all that I do. I want to be living my faith, but I want to do everything I can to serve the military in whatever they need me to do,” said Father.

After two years as priest in Washington, D.C., Father said it is interesting to celebrate his final Mass on Fort Belvoir. “There’s this element of closing one chapter as I open the next chapter. The locus is poetically perfect,” Father Scott said. V "I want to do everything I can to serve the military in whatever they need me to do.”