Father Christopher Armstrong

THE HARVEST CONTINUES...

(ARCH)DIOCESE/RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY:

Archdiocese of New Orleans

ARMED FORCES BRANCH: Army: Active 2011-2015, Reserve 2015-2019

RANK: MAJ

COLLEGE(S) / UNIVERSITY(IES) / SEMINARY(IES) ATTENDED (DEGREES AWARDED):

Louisiana State University School of Dentistry, Doctorate of Dental Surgery (DDS); Notre Dame Seminary, Bachelors of Arts in Philosophy.

HIGH SCHOOL(S) ATTENDED:

Brother Martin High School, New Orleans, LA

HOBBIES: Reading, almost anything outside (running, walking, cycling, hiking, swimming...)

TEAM SPORTS: I enjoy playing soccer. It is a beautiful game.

WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU THOUGHT ABOUT A VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD?

When I was in Fairbanks, Alaska with the U.S. Army. Being 4,000 miles away from home forced me to assess my relationship with Christ and the Church, and as a result I grew closer to Christ and lived my life more fully according to Catholic teaching than any other time in my life. At the same time, I grew close to a beautiful, loving, and caring young lady. However, as she and I began to discern marriage it slowly became evident to me that God was instead calling me to seminary to discern more thoroughly a life dedicated to Him as a priest.

WHO OR WHAT EVENTS INFLUENCED YOUR DISCERNMENT JOURNEY?

During my time at Fort Wainwright in Alaska I came to know two Army priests who were both very holy men, Father John Brocato and Father James Peak. In their own unique ways, they both helped me open my heart to the possibility of becoming a priest.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SCRIPTURE PASSAGE, WHY?

It’s really hard to pick a favorite, but I enjoy praying with John’s gospel account of the call of the first disciples (John 1:35-42) where Jesus asks Andrew and another disciple what they are seeking, they stay with Jesus all day, and then Andrew brings his brother Simon to Jesus.

HAVE SAINTS OR CHURCH LEADERS INSPIRED YOUR DISCERNMENT JOURNEY?

St. Ignatius of Loyola’s rules for discernment of spirits helped me when I began to discern priesthood, and they still help me today. I greatly appreciate and enjoy Ignatian spirituality. Archbishop Fulton Sheen’s book The Priest is not His Own is particularly inspiring to me.

WHAT WAS YOUR BACKGROUND BEFORE APPLYING TO BE A SEMINARIAN?

I was an active-duty Army Dentist.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPIRITUAL BOOK?

Abandonment to Divine Providence by Father Jean Pierre de Caussade

WHO ARE YOUR HEROES OR PEOPLE YOU SIGNIFICANTLY ADMIRE?

I greatly admire my brother for his ability to persist and overcome hardship. I also admire two elder resident priests at my seminary for their faithful commitment to serving God and His Church.

DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE LITURGICAL LIFE OF THE CHURCH?

Yes, through daily Mass and by praying the Liturgy of the Hours. This is a collection of psalms and readings that are prayed at different times throughout the day (morning, daytime, evening, and night). It helps me make it through my day holy and constantly turns me back to God. V

CORRECTION FROM SUMMER ISSUE

Error in caption on page 9. The deacon’s name is Waller and not Walter. It is the same person captioned correctly on the photo on page 8.

What is Your AMS Story?

BY MARY LAVIN

Storytelling creates a shared sense of community. Stories educate, provide history and context, create meaning and connection, heal, and often evoke a sense of purpose and response.

Each quarterly issue of Salute includes stories that serve to give readers an inside look at the mission, “Serving Those Who Serve.” Stories include pastoral visits to military installations by Archbishop Broglio, and Auxiliary Bishops Spencer, Buckon, Muhm, and Coffey; the ministry of its chaplains, be it at home or abroad, on a ship, at an outpost location or military academy, or in a Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center; the personal discernment or recent ordination of a co-sponsored seminarian; highlights from a particular celebration of the sacraments; the continued growth of Faith Formation and Young Adult Ministry initiatives; or the impact of a recent donation.

There is a story for everyone in each issue of Salute. Unfortunately, with recent pastoral visits, a number of scheduled AMS events and initiatives; and individual visits with benefactors postponed due to travel restrictions and social distancing requirements since March, fewer AMS stories have been able to be captured in recent months. I invite you as a member of the AMS faith community to consider sharing your story of awareness, support, and engagement with the Archdiocese in a letter or email (or if preferred, a phone call!). For example, if you are currently active-duty, or retired, how does or did the ministry of the AMS benefit you and your family? Do or did you have a special connection to a chaplain or bishop, and what do you want those who support the AMS to know about the importance of their continued generosity? If you are a retired chaplain, how

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA

did the AMS support you your ministry, and do you stay in touch with other retired military chaplains? If you have never served in the military,

SUMMER 2020

Serving THOSE IN NEED SUMMER 2019

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA

CHRISTMAS 2018 | 1 “Madonna in the Chair THE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE in in FALL 2018 | 1Vietnam’s Quế Sơn Battlefield BISHOP FRANCIS X. ROQUE 90th Birthday & 65 Years a Priest THE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, SPRING COVER STORY ON PAGE 11 FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA HONORING THOSE WHO SERVE, HAVE SERVED, AND THEIR FAMILIES

how did you first learn about the AMS? Have you attended an AMS event or program, and if so, which one? If you support the AMS financially, what has and continues to motivate your giving?

Summer 2020 | 1

Summer 2019

1 Spring 2020 | 1 Now God has not only raised the Lord, but he will also raise us up through His power. 1 Corinthians 6:14

Without your explicit permission, stories received will not be copied, printed, or shared with other than Archbishop Broglio and AMS clergy and staff. That said, perhaps your story will provide an opportunity to inspire others if included in a future issue of Salute, e-TTENTION, or other AMS communication.

Much like our faith, stories connect and ground us, especially during times of uncertainty. V

TO SHARE YOUR AMS STORY

U.S. Mail: P.O. Box 4469 Washington, D.C. 20017 ATTN: Office of Advancement/My Story

Email: MyAMSStory@milarch.org

Father Mark Rutherford, J.C.L., Mulls New Role as Judicial Vicar

BY TAYLOR HENRY

L-R: FATHER MARK RUTHERFORD, FATHER CHRISTOPHER ARMSTRONG, AND ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO.

On 15 July 2020, Father Mark Rutherford, J.C.L.,

a priest of the Diocese of Lansing, MI, took office as Judicial Vicar of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS). Father Rutherford,

37, sat down with SALUTE to share thoughts on his

new role and how he hopes to serve those serve.

40

SALUTE: What does a Judicial Vicar do? Father Rutherford: The Archbishop has three categories of authority: executive, legislative, and judicial. So the Judicial Vicar assists the Archbishop in exercising and carrying out his judicial responsibilities. The Judicial Vicar oversees the Tribunal, which is a court established by the law of the Church in the Code of Canon Law. Among its other judicial functions, the Tribunal rules on the invalidity of marriages.

SALUTE: You acquired your Licentiate of Canon Law (J.C.L.) in the summer program at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., while at the same time serving full time as pastor of Saint Mary Catholic Church and School in Williamston, MI. How did you manage? Father Rutherford: By God’s grace and an amazing staff. They really stepped up. We had an amazing team there, where everybody chipped in and looked out for each other, and they looked out for their poor pastor who was also studying (laughs)….

SALUTE: Did you find that studying the law of the church enhanced your faith? Father Rutherford: Absolutely. You know, a lot of people joke that canon law is the dark side of the Gospel, but my prayer entering into it is, “Jesus, show me your face.” Because the Code of Canon Law is really an extension of the Good News of Jesus Christ, so that the people of God and the ministers and officials in the Church can proclaim the Gospel with the order and truth and justice that God has designed it to be proclaimed in. And so, canon law, I have discovered, is a wonderful order of norms and laws that allow for the free proclamation of the Gospel, not its restriction.

SALUTE: Before joining the AMS, you served the Tribunal of the Diocese of Lansing as Defender of the Bond in marriage cases. You have been engaged in the practice of canon law for some time now. Do you see any patterns in marriages that go bad? continued on page 45