Welcome to this special double issue of the quarterly magazine of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. A number of factors have obliged us to merge the summer and fall issues into one.
I am writing these lines from Rome where I am participating in the Synod of Bishops. You can imagine that I am happy to be back in a city where I spent nineteen years of my life. Every morning as I drive a rented Fiat 500 to the Vatican, the cupalone (as the Romans call the cupula of the Basilica of St. Peter) offers a great view. I make a turn and it is directly in front of me. There is no view like it.
In short, while the meetings and conversations are long, there are some great fringe benefits.
In this issue you will read about the activities of my Auxiliary Bishops and mine, meet a new co-sponsored seminarian, and hear about other initiatives and activities in this global archdiocese. You will also learn more about the AMS presence at the National Eucharistic Congress.
You and I continue to pray for lasting peace in Ukraine, the Holy Land, Africa, and Myanmar. Concern mounts are troops are deployed to Israel. The devastation of the hurricanes and storms in the south have created new worries for the residents there. The world situation challenges us and so we turn to the Prince of Peace and beg His blessing and wisdom upon our troubled world.
As the leaves change color and fall, temperatures drop in the northern climes, and thoughts turn to giving thanks, let me assure of you my gratitude for your interest and my renewed commitment to caring for the men and women in uniform, the Veterans, and their families.
Enjoy reading this issue of Salute.
Sincerely in Christ,
The Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, Archbishop
THE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA VOLUME 18 NUMBERS 2/3 2024
TABLE of CONTENTS
4Let us Give Thanks to the Lord
Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio
On the Mark, Get Ready! Go!
Bishop F. Richard Spencer
16Pilgrimage and Pastoral Highlights
Bishop Neal J. Buckon
21Eternal Presence in Changing World
Bishop Bill Muhm
26Aloha! Pastoral Visits Oahu
Bishop Joseph Coffey
30The Harvest Continues
Paul Keenan
Ten New Co-Sponsored Seminarians Welcomed
Father Marcel Taillon and Elizabeth A. Tomlin
36Goodfellow AFB...Youth Conference
Marlo Dowdy
38The Military Council Catholic Women...
Elizabeth Tomlin
41Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage Application Now Open!
44New Chancellor Appointed
Taylor Henry
50Prayer, Jubilee and Mission
Mark Moitoza, Th.D.
Cover Image: Archbishop Timothy Broglio in Eucharistic Adoration with the Military Council of Catholic Women in Cincinnati, Ohio. Photo Credit: Kristine Darden
The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, publishes SALUTE for the nation’s Bishops, active and retired military chaplains, and financial supporters of the Archdiocese.
ADDRESS CHANGES AND NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS:
Please send title, name, address and phone number to: support@milarch.org call 202.719.3600 or write: Advancement Office ArchdiocesefortheMilitary Services, P.O. Box 4469, Washington, D.C., USA 20017-0469 Feedback, letters to the editor: editor@milarch org | Website: www milarch org
Issue 2/3 2024 |
Let
us Give Thanks to the L d
By Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio
Let us Give Thanks to the Lord
The flight back to Washington from Roma is ten hours and change. It would seem an excellent moment to renew our conversation whose last installment dates back to January. We have all experienced so many things in the
past months. The Archdiocese for the Military Services continues to respond to the needs of those entrusted to her pastoral care, and I continue to give thanks for your interest and support.
To say that the activities of these months have been numerous and fulfilling probably does not do justice to the opportunities that Almighty God has placed in my path. Between the Presidency of the USCCB and the regular demands of the Archdiocese, I can honestly write that I am never bored.
For the first time in many years, the pastoral visits in Colorado were divided. After the National Catholic Bioethics Center’s workshop for bishops in Dallas I flew to Denver and made a pastoral visit to Buckley Space Force Base and our co-sponsored seminarians at St. John Vianney Seminary in Denver. Dominic Counihan even demonstrated his skill as a barber to ensure that the rest of my visits had me well-groomed.
I drove from Denver to F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Bishop Biegler welcomed me into his home and I celebrated
Archbishop Broglio and Father (LCDR) Jason Burchell, CHC, USN, impose ashes on the faithful at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center during Ash Wednesday services.
Sunday Mass with the community before flying back to Washington from Denver.
That allowed me to keep the Ash Wednesday tradition of visiting patients and celebrating Mass at Walter Reed Military Medical Center. The welcome was warm and the visits were good. The next day I visited the new Army Chief of Chaplains MG William Green. He was very cordial and wanted to nourish a good relationship with the AMS to ensure that Catholic needs are being met in the Army. I was grateful for the welcome and lunch at the Pentagon.
There was a brief visit to Columbus for the diocese’s Women’s Conference. It was a privilege to give a talk to the assembly and
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Give Thanks
to celebrate Mass with them. A chaplain’s parents were my drivers and companions for the day, which made it even more pleasant. I was able to return to D.C. for the Rite of Election for the catechumens.
After a session with the recently appointed bishops who came for an orientation at the US Bishops’ Conference, I flew to Tampa for the Army retreat. This was the Stateside version of the one in which I participated in Garmisch, Germany in January. These are good occasions to spend time with the priests, address them, and give them a report on the activities of the Conference (an added feature this year). The Army was kind enough to pay my way to and from both retreats.
The Florida visit also allowed me to visit our seminarians at St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach. I even managed to play some tennis there. I continued back to the Bethany Center near Tampa for a meeting with the Executives of the Canadian Bishops’ Conference and CELAM, the Latin American Bishops’ Conference.
That was an interesting meeting which allowed us to compare notes about the Synod, speak about common concerns, and learn about
issues facing the different nations in the regions. I made it back for the staff day of recollection at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land.
The weekend offered several interesting moments. First, the AMS Young Adult Board met virtually and talked about progress and projects in evangelizing the faithful. That was followed by lunch at the AMS for a group of Midshipmen from the Catholic Club at Annapolis. On Sunday I went to the Ukrainian Shrine of the Holy Family, which is very close to the Edwin Cardinal O’Brien Pastoral Center. The occasion was a Mass for peace and an end to the oppression of Russia against Ukraine. The Major Archbishop of Kiev was the main celebrant. Even if the occasion was somber, the celebration and music were splendid.
March was filled with the annual visit to the installations in Colorado Springs, the Administrative Committee and Catholic University Board meetings, the spring discernment retreat (which included the confirmation of one of the retreatants), and the celebrations of Holy Week with quick pastoral visits to Shaw AFB and Fort Jackson. All of my Triduum celebrations were at Annapolis, because the other Academies were on spring break.
Archbishop Broglio celebrated Mass for the Military Council of Catholic Women Forum in Cincinnati, Ohio, in April 2024, with Bishop Neal Buckon, and AMS priests as concelebrants. Pictured L-R front row are Fathers Edward Hoffman and Jason Dechenne, Archbishop Broglio, and a deacon. Second row, L-R are altar server, Bishop Neal Buckon, and Fathers Eric Albertson, Stephen Hughes, and Peter Pomposello.
It was an honor to celebrate Divine Mercy Sunday at the Shrine in Stockbridge, Massachusetts where co-sponsored priest, Father Matthew Tomeny, MIC is the Rector.
Before leaving for Rome and the annual visit of the President and Vice-President of the USCCB to the Pope and some officials of the Curia, I met with a group of German Catholic university students. I was impressed by their faith commitment and how
well-dressed they were. They were overwhelmed that the President of the US Bishops’ Conference would meet with them!
The rest of April was rounded out by confirmations, the MCCW Worldwide meeting in Cincinnati, a quick visit to Fort Buchanan in San Juan, Puerto Rico and a day of recollection for the USCCB staff.
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Give Thanks
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The St. John XXIII Foundation had its board meeting, a Mass, and reception in San Antonio. Archbishop Gustavo Garcia Siller welcomed us to the very warm St. Mary’s Church for Mass. It was a good occasion to spend time with benefactors and meet new friends. I was touched to be honored as a founding patron of the Foundation.
The VA Chaplains had their meeting in Nashville and that Diocese could not have been warmer in their welcome and hospitality. It was good to spend time with the priests and to hear about their new challenges.
Finally, I kept my word and participated in the Christendom College Commencement. Their
Members of the Military Council of Catholic Women pose for the camera during the Forum in Cincinnati with AMS Clergy including Father Eric Albertson, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, and Father Jason Dechenne (sixth row, left to right).
chapel is beautiful and the welcome on campus was extremely cordial. Related to commencement activities was a celebration of the Eucharist for the commissioning ROTC students who were to graduate from the D.C. area Catholic universities. It was an honor to send these young men and women off for the service of our country.
The annual participation in the Warriors to Lourdes pilgrimage was moving, as always. The Knights of Columbus have the organization down to a science, the weather was good, and the crowds were beyond expectations. It was an honor to accompany our wounded warriors, to participate in
the ceremonies of the International Military Pilgrimage, and join in an international prayer for peace.
An old friend and classmate, the Most Reverend Paul R. Gallagher, the foreign minister of the Holy See was the guest of honor. I enjoyed spending some time with him and listening to his interventions.
The printing of this issue of Salute is pending my contribution. Consequently, I will end here and take up the rest of the year in the next issue. Together we continue to give thanks to the Lord for His constant care for us. V
Pilgrims at Lourdes receive Anointing of the Sick from Archbishop Broglio
ON THE MARK.
GET READY!
GET READY! GO !
GO !
(and then Pause to Reflect)
By Bishop F. Richard Spencer
Vibrant military chapels now build upon the momentum and the fruits of the recent 10th National Eucharistic Congress. Yes, MISSION now follows as the Revival is far from over. A key to success in the military chapels of our AMS Eastern Vicariate will be how we plan and execute “action and contemplation.”
In his July 21 Sunday Angelus, the Holy Father challenged the listeners to “slow down, reflect, pray to be more caring.” Addressing the crowds gathered, Pope Francis in his discourse went on to say that to be more caring and compassionate, we need to slow down from the rush and worries of daily life by spending time in contemplation and prayer to recharge our physical and spiritual energies. This is timely
advice as we in the AMS transition from our summer PCS rhythm into a robust Fall Season of chapel programs andactivities.Opportunitiesfor Eucharistic Adoration and novenas will help us balance the many challenges that will come to us. We must not lose sight of what is essential.
My goal and hope for our new fall season will be to share Christ’s love through service, evangelization and catechesis. This connection between the Eucharist and Mission is not something new. Instead it is at the heart of the Eucharist. Saint Augustine said “If we receive the Eucharist worthily, we become what we receive.”
FromtheMasstoopenthe archdiocesan phase of the Eucharistic Revival on June 19, our Shepherd Archbishop Broglio reminded us that this Eucharistic Revival is a ON THE MARK.
“time to deepen our appreciation of this sacrament of unity, our food for the journey to the Kingdom of God and our participation in the moment of our salvation.” As this Revival continues to unfold, a suggested chapel event could be perhaps a visit to a local shrine or monastery such as our military families of Fort McCoy and I did together this past summer with a pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in LaCrosse, Wisconsin.
So, how do we keep the momentum of the National Eucharistic Congress tangible within our Military Chapels? The opportunities are boundless. Perhaps something as simply rededicating ourselves to loving our families more selflessly and completely. As Father Mike Schmitz boldly shared during the National Eucharistic Congress: “You can never have a revival without repentance.”
Also we can consider reaching out to another military family who has a member deployed and assisting them with home improvements. Likewise, we can also increase our opportunities for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament as did the SOULdiers of Fort Moore, Georgia, along with their priest Father Paul Zemczak, did this past August in Adoration for one hour prior to their 0700 Sunday Mass.
The Eucharist is the source and summit of the Christian life. Joining and participating in our local service organizations such as Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, or Knights of Columbus or CWOC events are wonderful avenues of opportunities to serve the needs of the local chapel community. So, get ready, “On the Mark” and “GO” …. While also taking time to pause and reflect on the real presence of the Holy Eucharist! V
Bishop F. Richard Spencer and the late Father (MAJ) James Collins III, gather with Advanced Individual Training Soldiers at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.
WHY IS THE SACRAMENT OF CONFIRMATION IMPORTANT TO YOU?
By Bishop F. Richard Spencer
The spring and summer of 2024 afforded me an opportunity to celebrate 28 Confirmation Masses and visit military chapels representing a crosssection of our global Archdiocese for the Military Services. I posed this question to those to be confirmed: “Why are your Catholic Faith and the Sacrament of Confirmation important to you?” Using their own words and only their first names, I share their written reflections, from eleven of those 28 military chapels throughout the USA:
STEPHEN:
“I feel that I have reached a point in my life where I need to be closer to God. I have faithfully studied the teachings of the Catholic Church and believe them fully and I intend to live as a Catholic for life.”
RYAN:
“I look forward to the privilege of being a confirmed member of the Catholic Church and I am willing to accept the responsibilities as well.”
MAKENZIE:
“I want to be confirmed in order to mature in my faith and strengthen my relationship with Jesus. I am aware that when I receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit, I will be able to overcome challenges in the future. I am ready to deepen my faith fully through Confirmation.”
EMMA:
“In the past, I struggled with my faith and finding Jesus, and it was difficult for me to accept the terms of the faith. Once I saw the love of Jesus, however, I knew that I wanted to change my life for God and work towards being kind to others just as Jesus is kind to me.”
Soldiers at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri recess from Mass celebrated by Bishop F. Richard Spencer with Father (CPT) Stephen Cotter as concelebrant.
Photo Credits: Margaret Bourne, Fort Leonard Wood
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WHY
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JAVIER:
“I would like to receive the sacrament of confirmation to thank God for everything He has blessed me with and I would like to be closer to God and Jesus.”
ANDREW:
“I have an understanding that upon being confirmed I will be more equipped to face the challenges ahead in my life. My faith has and always will play a crucial role in my life and confirmation will give me the graces that I need to keep it that way.”
OLIVER:
“I am requesting to receive this sacrament so I can continue to pursue to be closer with God and to be a better person for my Church and community.”
SOPHIE:
“I want to be confirmed so I will become a more devoted servant of spreading the Word of God to others.”
Hundreds of the Basic Trainees who participate in the weekly Religious Education class taught by Ms. Maggie Bourne at the Sacred Heart Catholic Community assemble with Bishop F. Richard Spencer and Father (CPT) Stephen Cotter.
SILAS:
“I am aware of certain situations in life that may seem hopeless or impossible but through the sacraments, I find hope.”
ALEXA:
“I am about to transition into a new phase of my life and I want to do so with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is important that I maintain my connection in the faith for more than just myself but also future relationships.”
RYAN:
“I have gone through many hardships in my life and recently I have gone through some of the toughest experiences and it has been the sacraments that sustain and support my journey.”
So, there you are, folks, a small sampling of the many fruits of our ministry labors, talents, and resources, from our teenagers in their own words as they join us in THANKING YOU, all of our supporters, benefactors, and religious education volunteers across this global Archdiocese. V
Bishop Buckon and John Buckon at the Manger in Bethlehem
PILGRIMAGE AND PASTORAL HIGHLIGHTS
By Bishop Neal J. Buckon
The incredible pilgrimage to the Holy Land with my nephew, John Buckon, proved to be a shared surreal spiritual adventure. John enlisted in the Army in 2004. He served for four years with B Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. He was a paratrooper and during his enlistment his unit had two combat deployments: the first to Afghanistan and the second to Iraq. John is 40 years of age and is now an ironworker in Cleveland, OH. He wanted this trip to the Middle East to be “religious.”
The pilgrimage was surreal because the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) was conducting combat operations against Hamas in Gaza. Hezbollah, in Lebanon, was launching rockets and drones into Northern Israel, and an estimated 60,000 Israeli refugees from the north were now residing in the empty hotels in safe zones. The Houthis in Yemen were blockading the Red Sea and Israel’s southern port of Eilat has been closed since Hamas initiated the hostilities on the 7th of October, 2023.
Despite this scenario, we traveled to the primary sites of pilgrimage to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and the Apostles. We never heard a siren, or an explosion, or a rifle shot. We did not see any protests, nor did we witness any violence. Yet in many locations such as Capharnaum, Cana, and the Churches of the Transfiguration and the Visitation we were the only two pilgrims on the grounds. It was easy to become prayerful, and we prayed for peace, the return of the hostages, and all of the people in distress throughout the Holy Land.
We celebrated Mass on Calvary and in the Tomb of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem. We also celebrated Mass in Bethlehem, Nazareth, and Magdala (Mary Magdalene’s hometown). We prayed a decade of the rosary at each site affiliated with a mystery of the rosary. We prayed the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary where Jesus preached His sermon on the mount. We prayed the Stations of the Cross with the Franciscan Friars on a Friday afternoon. After Mass at Elijah’s Cave on Mount Carmel I blessed a Brown Scapular, the Scapular of
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PILGRIMAGE
L-R: Dr. Mark Moitoza, Father Marcel Taillon, Bishop Neal Buckon, Father (LCDR) David Hammond, CHC, USN, and José Amaya at the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and placed it over John’s shoulders. There are may blessings and graces in store for an earnest pilgrim. I recommend this pilgrimage for every Catholic combat veteran.
The National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis exceeded all expectations that I had for this once in a lifetime event. There were 60,000 participants from the 198 Arch/Dioceses of the USA. Most would agree that we were on the threshold of heaven. Over the course of five days Jesus Christ made his presence known in the Sacrament of the Eucharist, and His flock was faith-filled, grace-filled, and simply “on fire.” The participants will return to their churches and chapels and sustain the momentum of the Eucharistic Revival through its third and final year.
The Archdiocese for the Military Services sponsored a Mass at Marian University and had a booth in the Exhibition Hall located in the Convention Center. AMS clergy and staff were on hand to meet and greet all the tens of thousands that passed
by. Many who stopped were seminarians and priests. Perhaps the encounter at the booth will be the catalyst for prayerful discernment for military chaplaincy. Our chaplains make Jesus’ presence known throughout the U.S. Armed Forces with every Mass and sacrament they celebrate.
One of the highlights of the summer was visiting retired chaplains. I stayed for two nights at the St. Charles Center in Carthagena, Ohio. It is home for the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. I coordinated the visit with Father Ken Schroeder, CPS. Padre Ken and I met in 1990 when he was an Army chaplain and serving with the 2nd Brigade of the 1st Armored Division at Erlangen, Germany. We have been friends for 34 years. Through Padre Ken I gained the acquaintance of Father Lou Schmidt, CPPS. Both Fathers Schroeder and Schmidt retired as Chaplains of the US Army in 2000.
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L-R: Father Lou Schmidt, Bishop Neal Buckon, and Father Ken Schroeder at the St. Charles Center in Carthagena, Ohio.
PILGRIMAGE
Bishop Neal Buckon and Father Mathew Benjamin with recipients of sacraments and their sponsors at Marine Corps Air and Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California.
I also visited Nazareth House in San Diego to call upon CH (COL) Mike Ortiz, USA-ret. Father Ortiz served with the Green Berets in Vietnam. He presented me with a signed copy of his latest book, Be All You Can Be. After a very nice visit, I moved on to another section of Nazareth House to visit Father James Boyd who is a retired chaplain of the U.S. Navy. Since 2003 he has served as chaplain of the Stella Maris Seafarer’s Center in San Diego. The center provides pastoral care to those who make a living on the sea. It was wonderful to catch up with our “senior” chaplains.
Father Mathew Benjamin, a Navy chaplain and priest of Kansas City-St. Joseph, is assigned to the Catholic chapel at the Marine Corps Air and Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, CA. He requested that I celebrate sacraments of initiation for Marines and their family members. Father Benjamin’s ministry to all service members is stellar, but his Catholic-specific ministry is simply outstanding. Having agreed on a Sunday, I drove into the heat of the high desert to celebrate baptisms, first Holy Communions, and confirmations. V
ETERNAL PRESENCE IN A CHANGING WORLD
by Bishop Bill Muhm
Iwas thrilled to celebrate Easter Triduum liturgies with our U.S. Air Force Catholic communities in Mildenhall, Alconbury, and Lakenheath, England. The Easter Vigil Mass at Lakenheath began with the blessing of the new fire. As I traced the Cross, the Alpha and Omega symbols, and the numerals into the new Paschal Candle, I prayed the inspiring liturgical formula: “Christ yesterday and today, the Beginning and the End, the Alpha and the Omega, all time belongs to Him, and all the ages. To Him be glory and power through every age and forever. Amen.”
On a very busy air base, many things happen, and many words are exchanged each day. But nothing that happened on Royal Air Force Lakenheath Air Base on Holy Saturday 2024 was more important than the dramatic words and actions of the Easter Vigil Mass.
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Bishop Bill Muhm prepares to light the Paschal Candle at RAF Lakenheath.
ETERNAL PRESENCE
Our Catholic faith teaches that the Church’s liturgy is not just a remembrance but a re-presentation of the redemptive suffering, death, and resurrection of the Lord. In other words, the eternal event of the Lord’s sacrificial death and resurrection becomes present here and now in the words and actions of the Church’s sacred liturgy.
Military life, by nature, is transitory. Most service members and families move every 2-3 years, and most civilians every 5 years. Most of us retire from military or government service in our 60s. As Auxiliary Bishop for Europe and Asia, I visited 41 military installations in 11 countries this spring, spending only days (or hours) at each installation. We struggle to fulfill our important but temporary responsibilities amidst a temporary world filled with passing things. Whether we live out of a suitcase or enjoy a bit more stability, It’s essential that we keep our eyes fixed on our unchanging Lord. His eternal, life-giving presence will endure in the Church, her liturgy, and her sacraments until the end of time. AMS makes possible the Church’s enduring presence in the midst of the most transitory and hazardous segment of American society. Thank you for your prayers and support for all of us at AMS. V
“It’s essential that we keep our eyes fixed on our unchanging Lord.”
Bishop Muhm with the Catholic choir at Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory
DIEGO GARCIA
By Bishop Bill Muhm
In July 2024, I was able to visit the Catholic community in Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territories. This tiny island is roughly equidistant from Africa, Sri Lanka, and Australia. Since 1970, British and U.S. service members, as well as civilian contract and government employees, have been stationed there. It is undoubtedly the most remote Catholic community in this global Archdiocese. Everyone on the island is “unaccompanied”, meaning that spouses and children are not permitted. I had a wonderful visit.
The most recent pastoral visit by a bishop was in 2013, by AMS Auxiliary Bishop F. Richard Spencer. Archbishop Broglio ordained Bishop Joseph Coffey and me as Auxiliary Bishops for the AMS in 2019, and that same year I relieved Bishop Spencer as Vicar for Europe and Asia. Since then, I’ve been trying to get to Diego Garcia for a pastoral visit. It has been challenging because there are no commercial flights to or from the island. All American visitors must be approved and sponsored by the Commander of U.S. Navy Region Japan. Finally, this year, the Lord worked a miracle, and I was able to visit the island in the company of the U.S. Navy Region Japan Chaplain Kurt Michaelis, whom I knew and had worked with on active duty in 2017. I flew to Singapore, where Chaplain Michaelis and I met and took a military “MAC” flight to Diego Garcia.
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DIEGO GARCIA
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While there, I celebrated six public Masses, including three Sunday Masses, a mid-summer “Easter Vigil” Mass in which I baptized two adult converts and confirmed them and five other Catholics, and two weekday Masses. I also heard a number of confessions and gave a one-hour talk to about 50 people on devotion to St. Joseph and why he is especially important to the Church today. There were “meet and greet” celebrations each day. I enjoyed getting to know the faithful and hard-working Catholic contract priest on the island, Father Gerald Metal, and the entire Catholic community. I’m grateful to Chaplain Calel Butler for his welcome, hospitality, and support.
Our Lord worked a miracle to get me to the island. This pastoral visit is a great example of how the Good Shepherd blesses His Church with the graces and miracles we need to carry out our mission. Thank you for your prayers and support for all of us at AMS. V
Bishop Muhm with the Catholic community at Diego Garcia, British Indian Ocean Territory.
Bishop Muhm and Father Gerald Metal with Maria Nabaweesi and Jobert Panganiban, who were Baptized, Confirmed, and received First Holy Communion at Navy Support Facility Diego Garcia on 19 July 2024.
(L to R): Bishop Peter Smith, Bishop Joe Coffey
By Bishop Joseph Coffey
On a recent pastoral visit to Honolulu,Hawaii,Iwas hostedbyFatherWilliam Kunisch, a priest of the Diocese of Honolulu, who is the pastor of St. Anthony of Padua parish in Kailua. He also works part-time serving the Veterans at Tripler Army Medical Center. Besides visiting the Veterans at the Community Living Center, I was able to celebrate Mass with Fathers Kunisch and Norlito Concepcion, a chaplain in the Army Reserve, who is stationed at Tripler. On our rounds, it was evident that Father Kunisch, like all of our priest-chaplains at our VA hospitals, is beloved by the veterans and the staff, especially the nurses. He regularly celebrates Mass for them, hears their confessions, gives the anointing of the sick and leads them in the praying of the rosary.
Tripler Army Medical Center is also known as “The Big Pink Building on the Hill” due to its unique pink, or you might say rose, colored paint on the outside of the building. It was established in 1907 on then Fort Shafter but renamed in 1920 in honor of BrevetGeneral Charles Stuart Tripler who made great contributions to Army
Medicine during the Civil War. The current building was commissioned in 1948 and a major expansion in 1985 added 433,000 square feet. Thousands of active, reserve, and retired service members are cared for every day at this iconic Army Medical Center.
While in Honolulu, I prayed for our deceased Veterans buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, often referred toas“Punchbowl”duetoits Hawaiianname Puowaina which roughly translates as “The Hill of Sacrifice.” It was formed from a volcanic eruption some 75,000 to 100,000 years ago. At Pearl Harbor, I also prayed for our deceased Sailors and Marines at the USS Arizona Memorial, the final resting place of 1,103 service members who died on that ship during the attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Very close by is the USS Missouri the ship where General Douglas MacArthur received the Japanese surrender on 2 September 1945 in Tokyo Bay which ended World War II. Those two historic sites represent the beginning and end of that terrible war. V
Top: Bishop Jospeh Coffey and Father William Kunisch in front of Tripler Army Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Bottom Left: View of the USS Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor.
Bottom Right: Bishop Coffey with Fathers William Kuisch and Norlito Concepcio, who provide pastoral care to veterans at Tripler Army Medical Center.
VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER (VAMC) IN ANN ARBOR, MI
By Bishop Coffey
Coffey
Iwith Ann Arbor, MI
priest chaplains from L to R: Father Christian Laslo, Father Edwin Emeli and Father Domenic Joseph Castro.
recently made a pastoral visit to the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Ann Arbor, MI. The Archdiocese for the Military Services has three outstanding priests who work full-time as Chaplains: Fathers Edwin Emeli, Domenic Joseph Castro, and Christian Laslo.
This VAMC is named in honor of the late Lieutenant Colonel Charles S Kettles who was born on 9 January 1930, in Ypsilanti, MI, and died on 21 January 2019. He volunteered to serve during the Vietnam War as an HH-1D “Huey” helicopter pilot. On 15 May 1967, then Major Kettles volunteered to lead a
Bishop
(2nd from right)
VAMC
flight of 8 Hueys to carry reinforcements to an embattled airborne infantry unit and evacuate wounded personnel. Enemy small arms, automatic weapons, and mortar fire raked the landing zone, inflicting heavy damage to the helicopters. Still, Major Kettles refused to depart until they were loaded to capacity. He returned to the battlefield later that day and rescued 40 more infantry plus 4 crewmen whose helicopters had been destroyed. On 18 July 2016, almost 50 years after his heroic actions in Vietnam, Lieutenant Colonel Kettles received the Medal of Honor.
In more than 150 of the nation’s VAMCs, our priest-chaplains provide spiritual care for all of our brave men and women veterans. They celebrate daily Mass, anoint the sick, absolve their sins in confession, and sometimes baptize, confirm, and witness their marriages. They also are highly trained counselors. In addition to several years of college and post-graduate education, they are required to obtain four units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE).
Their training is invaluable to the spiritual and pastoral care of veterans, and I am profoundly grateful for the service of every VA priest. V
For more information about this program, please contact our Vice Chancellor for Veterans Affairs, Lauren Mick at ViceChan@Milarch.org
THE HARVEST CONTINUES...
NAME: Paul Keenan
(ARCH) DIOCESE: Diocese of Lansing, Michigan
ARMED FORCES BRANCH: Navy
RANK: Not yet commissioned
EDUCATION/DEGREES:
Hillsdale College, Bachelor of Arts in German; Sacred Heart Major Seminary, Bachelor of Philosophy.
WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE A VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD?
Age 6
WHO OR WHAT EVENTS INFLUENCED YOUR DISCERNMENT JOURNEY?
Growing up, I was inspired by my parish priest, who was joyful and said the Mass with great reverence. Throughout high school and college, I was supported by strong Catholic communities. However, it was after college that I was especially impacted while traveling to far-flung places by the experience of always being able to find a Catholic church and the sacraments made available to me by the local priest. This made me want to provide the same service, especially for those who otherwise would not have access to the sacraments.
WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU?
I’m not an adrenaline junky, but I’ve been skydiving and bungy jumping in New Zealand.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SCRIPTURE PASSAGE, WHY?
Jeremiah 29:11: “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” This verse has always reassured me when I have been uncertain about where I’m going and what I’m doing because it reminds me that God is leading me to good things.
HOW DID YOU COME TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST PERSONALLY?
I came to know Jesus personally, especially through the experience of charismatic prayer in high school and through many hours of adoration since. It is, above all, in silence before the Eucharist that I encounter Jesus’ presence.
WHAT SPIRITUAL EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES HELPED YOU DEVELOP AND SHARE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH?
The community experience in prayer meetings, small groups, and retreats has always been important to me.
WHAT SAINTS OR CHURCH LEADERS INSPIRED YOUR DISCERNMENT JOURNEY?
Pope Saint John Paul II has always inspired me with his great cry to youth, “Be not afraid!” Saint John Bosco, my confirmation saint, also inspires me by his example of priestly fatherhood.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPIRITUAL BOOK?
Searching for and Maintaining Peace, by Jacques Philippe. It pretty much tells you how to get life right.
WHO ARE YOUR HEROES OR PEOPLE YOU SIGNIFICANTLY ADMIRE?
I look up to the men I’m closest to: my father, my brother, my best friend, and my spiritual director.
HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE YOUR PRAYER LIFE? WHAT COMPRISES YOUR DAILY PRAYER? DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE LITURGICAL LIFE OF THE CHURCH? WHEN, WHERE, HOW?
For me, prayer is the vital means of remaining aware of God’s constant, loving presence. The routine of prayer at the seminary is very helpful in this: the daily holy hour, Mass, the liturgy of the hours, rosary, and the examen.
TEN NEW CO-SPONSORED SEMINARIANS WELCOMED TO THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA
By Father Marcel Taillon and Elizabeth A. Tomlin
The Archdiocese welcomed ten co-sponsored seminarians in Washington, D.C. this past June. The weekend began with a private tour of the Pentagon highlighting the many places that military chaplains are featured in art and commemoration. The group visited the somber September 11 Memorial on the Pentagon grounds and prayed for the victims of the terrorist attacks. They also visited the reconstructed chapel inside the Pentagon. The group returned to the Edwin Cardinal O’Brien Pastoral Center for Mass with Archbishop Broglio in the afternoon. Following a dinner in D.C., the men attended the Marine Corps 8th and I Parade in the late evening at the oldest Marine barracks in America.
The next day, the men attended Mass at the Crypt Chapel of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception and enjoyed a guided historical tour and dinner out in the city. The group met with AMS leaders and military branch recruiters and attended a guided tour of the underground church and catacombs at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in Northeast D.C.
AMS Co-sponsored seminarians gather in the sanctuary of the church at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in Washington, D.C..
AMS Co-Sponsored Seminarians attend Mass celebrated by Archbishop Broglio and concelebrated by Father Marcel Taillon at the Edwin Cardinal O’Brien Pastoral Center.
Archbishop Broglio visited the Fort Meyer Catholic Community in Arlington, Virginia, with AMS Vocations Director Father Marcel Taillon, military chaplain recruiters, and AMS co-sponsored seminarians.
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TEN NEW CO-SPONSORED
On Sunday, the men attended Mass at Joint Base Myers Henderson Hall where the Catholic community provided a brunch for the gathering. They also had the opportunity to visit with several military chaplains. During a visit to Arlington National Cemetery, the men were able to go below ground at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, thanks to the efforts by the chaplains at Arlington Cemetery and the Old Guard. The men met with members of the Old Guard, the unit which guards the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, and learned about the Sentinels’ training, weapons, history, and duties. The experience was an opportunity for fraternity, prayer and to enter into the family of AMS. V
Venerating child martyr remains under Holy Land Church.
The US Army Third Infantry Regiment, The Old Guard, welcomed AMS CoSponsored Seminarians to their offices near the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.
Save the Dates
2025 European Men’s Retreat “Getting to Know St. Joseph”
7-9 February 2025
Schoenstatt Pilgrimage Centre Vallendar, Germany
Sponsored by the Knights of Columbus, 1st Military Overseas District
To register, email david.puzichadunn.dpd@gmail.com
Registration deadline: 25 January 2025
Military Council of Catholic Women Regional Retreats
Central 13-16 March 2025
Saint Anthony Retreat Center
San Antonio, Texas
Northeast 24-27 April 2025
Western 24-27 April 2025
Franciscan Retreat Center
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Holy Family Passionist Retreat Center West Hartford, Connecticut
Discernment Retreat for Prospective Co-Sponsored Seminarians
3-6 April 2025
Saint Patrick Seminary
Menlo Park, California
To register, contact Father Marcel Taillon at vocations@milarch.orgor (202) 719-3677
Annual Memorial Mass
18 May 2025
Great Upper Church - The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
400 Michigan Avenue NE –Washington, D.C. 20017
Annual Memorial Mass for Father Vincent R. Capodanno, MM, Servant of God
4 September 2025
Crypt Church - The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
400 Michigan Avenue NE – Washington, D.C. 20017
LIFE TEEN
Goodfellow AFB Youth Energized After Transformative Steubenville Youth Conference
By Marlo Dowdy, Life Teen Regional Director Military and International
This past summer, a group of Goodfellow Air Force Base teens embarked on a spiritual journey that would leave a lasting impact on their lives. Attending one of the twenty-five Steubenville Youth Conferences held across North America, these young individuals encountered a powerful message of love, faith, and community. The conference, an outreach initiative by Franciscan University of Steubenville, aims to evangelize, equip, and empower youth, helping them to become radical and joyful disciples of Christ.
For many of the Goodfellow teens, the conference was a transformative experience. The vibrant worship, dynamic speakers, and small group discussions allowed them to connect deeply with their faith and with each other. They returned home not just with memories, but with a renewed sense of purpose and a stronger commitment to their spiritual journey.
One participant, Zach Koepl, a high schooler, shared his experience: “At Adoration, I felt the Holy Spirit come to me. It made me want to do more for God.”
Building on the Momentum: Life Teen KickStart at the Goodfellow AFB Chapel
Recognizing the need to continue nurturing this newfound enthusiasm, the Goodfellow AFB Chapel has introduced a new program designed specifically for small groups of high school teens: Life Teen KickStart. This program is tailored to build on the spiritual momentum gained at the Steubenville Conference by offering a structured yet flexible approach to youth ministry.
Life Teen KickStart is designed to make it easier for adult leaders to guide their teens without being overwhelmed by preparation. The program provides high-quality resources, including engaging content and activities that resonate with today’s youth. It also offers training from youth ministry experts, ensuring that leaders are equipped to foster meaningful spiritual growth in their groups.
What makes KickStart particularly effective is its emphasis on both group gatherings and small group mentorship. These components are crucial for personal growth, as they provide teens with the support and guidance, they need to navigate their faith journey. The program encourages teens to explore their faith more deeply, ask questions, and form a strong bond with their peers and mentors.
Chapel Catholic Religious Education Coordinator Jennifer Koepl, who oversees religious education at the Goodfellow AFB Chapel, is enthusiastic about the potential of Life Teen KickStart. “Our goal is to create an environment where our teens can thrive spiritually,” she said. “KickStart offers a unique opportunity to build a close-knit community that supports each other in faith. It’s about more than just attending meetings; it’s about living out the message of Christ every day.”
Looking Forward: A Bright Future for Youth Ministry at Goodfellow AFB
As the new school year begins, the teens who attended the Steubenville Youth Conference are eager to dive into the Life Teen KickStart program. They are excited to continue growing in their faith and to share the joy they experienced at the conference with their peers at Goodfellow AFB. The introduction of this program marks a significant step forward in the chapel’s youth ministry efforts, providing a strong foundation for ongoing spiritual development.
With the combination of the inspiration from the Steubenville Youth Conference and the structured support of Life Teen KickStart, the youth of Goodfellow AFB are poised to become the next generation of leaders in their faith community. The enthusiasm is palpable, and the future of youth ministry at the base looks brighter than ever. V
Learn more about Life Teen KickStart online: lifeteen.com/cym/kickstart/
The Military Council of Catholic Women Continues the Tradition of Fostering Spirituality, Leadership, and Service
By Elizabeth Tomlin
The Military Council of Catholic Women (MCCW) continues to develop women of the Archdiocese in spirituality, leadership and service with the worldwide forum in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the European retreat in Schoenstatt, Germany.
In April 2024, the Military Council of Catholic Women held their biennial Forum in Cincinnati with the theme
“Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” from Matthew 11:28. More than 120 women from around the world gathered for Mass, Rosary, Eucharistic Adoration, and small group discussion. Elizabeth Tomlin, a past MCCW President offered a keynote address on the “Joy of Vocation in a Busy Bee Culture,” and Father Peter Pomposello gave a riveting address
Illuminated Rosary at the MCCW European Retreat
Photo Credit: Rosary and European retreat - Alison Eubanks and Laura Ree
on being a “Paratrooper for the Gospel,” as someone intentional and on mission.
The Forum included what MCCW intends to be a new tradition: the Borromeo Ball, which is a militarystyle ball complete with toasting and dancing, and importantly for MCCW, an auction to raise funds for the Military Council of Catholic Women Endowed Co-Sponsored Seminarian Scholarship. On behalf of hundreds of generous donors, MCCW President Amanda Fox presented Archbishop Broglio with a donation for $20, 300.63 to support AMS’s cosponsored seminarians.
MCCW’s good work continued this fall in Schoenstatt, Germany, where the MCCW European Regional Board expertly organized a retreat themed, “Jesus I Trust in You.” The MCCW Regional Board, including Jessica Castillo, Marianne Becker, Michaela Frazier-Frolich, Carolyn Walker, and Denise Woodmansee invited participants to the retreat with the following:
“Our theme, ‘Jesus I trust in You,’ serves as a powerful call to each woman to deepen her relationship with Christ. In the stillness and beauty of Schoenstatt, you will find the ideal environment to step away from the demands of military life and immerse yourself in prayer, reflection,
The MCCW Board presents Archbishop Broglio with a donation for support of co-sponsored seminarians. Pictured left to right are Eleanor Gentilini, Amanda Fox, Melissa Weeks, Emily Jacobs, Archbishop Broglio, Christine Erickson, Kate Westermark, Stephanie Benson, and Joan LaPore.
and community. This retreat is more than a break from routine, it’s a vital opportunity for spiritual rejuvenation. As a military woman, the challenges you face are unique and often demanding. Here, in this sacred space, you will have the chance to lay down your burdens, connect with other women of faith, and discover the profound peace that comes from trusting in Jesus.”
The pastoral care of Bishop Muhm and AMS priests, Fathers Joe Deichert, John Gabriel, Steve
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McDermott, Guy Kagere, Philip O’Neill, and John Vianney Ijeoma afforded the MCCW women the opportunity to worship Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, receive absolution through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and participate in the Mass in Schoenstatt’s beautiful chapels.
One of the highlights of the retreat was experiential prayer through an illuminated rosary which incorporated the red and blue streaks of the image
The Military Council of Catholic Women anticipates holding several more regional retreats in Spring 2025, which are open to all women affiliated with the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. V
For more information about these retreats, visit www.mccw.org.
The MCCW European Retreat in Schoenstatt of the Divine Mercy, representing “the blood and water which poured forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fountain of mercy.”
Warriors to Lourdes PilgrimageApplication Now Open!
Archbishop Broglio led this year'sWarriors to Lourdes pilgrimage from 24-26 May. Some 300 active duty and retired U.S. Military personnel, including dozens of wounded, ill, or injured, along with their caretakers and family members made the pilgrimage to the waters of Lourdes. The spiritual journey to the famous Marian shrine in France, co-sponsored each year by the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), and the Knights of Columbus (K of C), constitutes the U.S. participation in the annual International Military Pilgrimage, drawing more than 14,000 pilgrims from over 40 countries.
In a message to the 2024 pilgrims,Pope Francisurged the faithful to be "sentinels of peace" and "to stand up and walk with courage and perseverance." The Holy Father said:“Be military men and women who stand tall and proud to honor your uniform, your motto, and your homeland, but who are also aware that you are part of a single human family, a family that is divided and wounded, but which Christ came to redeem and save through the power of love, not the violence of arms.” V
The 2025 application to participate in Warriors to Lourdes, whether as someone who is ill or injured, as a caretaker, or volunteer, is available at warriorstolourdes.com through January 15, 2025.
Archbishop Broglio assembled with US military personnel making the Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage.
Photo credit: Tamino Petelinsek
Walk with One: A Journey of Evangelization
By Mark Moitoza, Th.D.
Over ten years ago, Pope Francis wrote about the importance of proclaiming the love of Jesus Christ. In the 2013 Apostolic Exhortation Evangellii Gadium (The Joy of the Gospel) the Holy Father reminded catechists to recognize that the center of all evangelizing activity focuses upon the first announcement or kerygma. It is a reminder that we all need.
“On the lips of the catechist the first proclamation must ring out over and over: ‘Jesus Christ loves you; he gave his life to save you; and now he is living at your side every day to enlighten, strengthen and free you.’ This first proclamation is called “first” not because it exists at the beginning and can then be forgotten or replaced by other more important things. It is first in a qualitative sense because it is the principal proclamation, the one which we must hear again and again in different ways, the one which we must announce one way or another throughout the process of catechesis, at every level and moment.” (EG 164)
During this current Year of Mission of the Eucharistic Revival and this current Year of Prayer in anticipation of the Jubilee Year 2025, we are called to share that joy in both word and action.
The National Eucharistic Congress, this past July, enabled the entire nation to recognize the real presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist. Those who gathered in Indianapolis, those who gathered via livestream, and those who gathered in prayer across our land drew together not only to recognize and adore Jesus Christ, but also to be reminded of the necessity to share our love of Jesus Christ with others. The profound impact of over 50,000 people praying in silent adoration and the beauty of a relationship with the Lord Jesus that we all can experience in daily prayer is a gift to behold. We must remember though that such a gift is also meant to be shared.
Sharing our joy in faith is part of our journey of evangelization. The ‘Walk with One’ initiative of the National Eucharistic Revival invites us to expand our prayer beyond ourselves. To bring the good news to others in oneon-one moments that are not scripted nor planned. A simple four-stage
Archbishop Broglio (center) with Father Kevin Fimian (left), and confirmandi and members of the Catholic communities at Naval Station Norfolk and Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, gather after the Confirmation Mass held at Saint Michael the Archangel Catholic Military Community at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.
Photo credit: Mariana Dionne
process has been designed to invite us to discern how to be open to share the Lord with a ‘heart-to-heart’ approach. The stages of spiritual companionship are:
1. Identify someone in a spirit of humility
2. Intercede for that person in communion with the Holy Spirit
3. Connect in Eucharistic friendship
4. Invite that person on a path most suitable for him or her
The Eucharistic Examen helps us to pray through these four stages to discern the path the Lord is calling you to follow in accompanying another person toward Jesus. These prayer resources may be found online, eucharisticrevival.org/walk-with-one. The ‘Walk with One’ initiative reminds us that ‘Everyone Can Evangelize.’ Go and share the Joy of the Gospel so that others may recognize Jesus living at their side every day to enlighten, strengthen and free them too. V
Resource links:
The Year of Mission – https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/year-of-mission
Walk With One – https://www.eucharisticrevival.org/walk-with-one
The Year of Prayer – https://www.iubilaeum2025.va
The Jubilee Year 2025 – https://www.iubilaeum2025.va
New Chancellor Appointed for the Archdiocese for the Military Services:
Archbishop Broglio Expresses Heartfelt Gratitude to Outgoing Chancellor, the Reverend Monsignor Robert R. Cannon
By Taylor Henry
On 1 September 2024, retired US Army Colonel Anita Raines began serving as Chancellor of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. Col. Raines comes to the Archdiocese after a distinguished career in the Department of the Army. For the last nearly forty years, as a U.S. Army Commissioned Officer and DoD Civil Servant, Col. Raines has demonstrated outstanding
leadership skills in logistics, operations, resource, and planning management. Most recently, Col. Raines served as the Director of Organic Industrial Base Strategy in the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Material Readiness, Office of the Secretary of Defense. Col. Raines has served as the Region IV Representative of the United States Conference of Catholic
Bishops (USCCB) National Advisory Council (2016-2020), and as the Chair of its Executive Board (2019-2020). She has served in and supported ten dioceses throughout her long military career. Col. Raines currently serves as Dame Commander with Star in the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre, and as its President of the Military Section in the Middle Atlantic Lieutenancy.
Col. Raines steps into the office of the Chancellor succeeding Monsignor Robert Cannon, J.C.D. Cand., a priest of the Diocese of Venice, FLA,
and a retired Air Force Chaplain who has given distinguished service to the AMS for the past eight years. Monsignor Cannon will continue to serve in the Archdiocese during Col. Raines’ transition to Chancellor, and plans to remain in the Washington, D.C. area as he completes his doctorate in Canon Law. Before his Monsignor Cannon had a distinguished, 30-year Air Force career, retiring at the rank of Colonel. He earned his licentiate in Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, Italy, in 1988, and has served in a variety of pastoral and administrative posts. V
“I am deeply grateful to Monsignor Cannon for his distinguished service as a chaplain and most recently as the Chancellor of the Archdiocese. He suggested that I prepare for his succession before the conclusion of his second term. It is typical of his ministry that he looks ahead.I am also glad that he will be able to dedicate most of his time to the completion of his contribution to canonical studies with his dissertation.
Col. Raines is eager to bring her exceptionally fruitful military leadership experience and her love for the Church to the service of the Archdiocese. For this I am most grateful, and I look forward to her collaboration in the ever-important mission of the AMS.I see her contribution also as a realization of the mandate given to the laity to assume active roles of ministry in the Church.”
– Archbishop Broglio
Issue 2/3 2024 |
Parents and Families at the Center of Faith Formation
By José M. Amaya, Director of Faith Formation
The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS) has accepted the invitation from the National Community of Catechetical Leaders (NCCL) to participate in Parents and Families at the Center of Faith Formation Project. This is a new national five-year Project. It is a grant-funded initiative by Lilly Endowment to explore how to strengthen faith transmission at home in the first two decades of life. As well as to create Catholic faith communities to accompany and support parents and the whole family intentionally. This Project supports the Archdiocesan comprehensive vision for catechesis to strengthen focused on family.
The prevailing school model of religious education created in the 1970s for children and adolescents is not adequate for the task of faith transmission and formation for today’s family in the context of evangelization. The school model separates parents from their children in hopes that the children will evangelize and catechize their parents. New models of faith transmission and formation are needed that make the home central to faith practice and formation.
Facilitators with the National Community of Catechetical Leaders gather in Las Vegas, Nevada for training in the Parents and Families at the Center of Faith Formation Project, a family catechesis endeavor to reinforce the family as the center of faith formation.
The Directory for Catechesis emphasizes “catechesis for adults” as the “chief form of catechesis” (n. 77). Catechesis is a privileged moment in the process of evangelization. It is the stage for Christian initiation, growth, and maturation in the Catholic faith (n. 56). The Directory stresses catechesis in, with, and of the family. If the family is to become a proclaimer and witness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the members of the family must be accompanied to know the gift of faith, hope, and love. How can we truly engage the faith transmission and formation of the family without first identifying their faith needs and challenges?
NCCL is training Consultants to guide Catholic faith community leaders to design models of faith formation that accompany parents/families in faith formation. Dr. Lorrie Lane Dyer and Deacon Warlito Borja will serve as Consultants for the AMS cohorts. In the process, new resources and approaches will be created that are contextual, developmentally appropriate, responsive, personalized, and inclusive.
Twenty installations from across the military branches are being invited to participate. While the Project is five years-long, Catholic faith communities will commit to three years. NCCL will support leaders with workshops, monthly consultation, support meetings on Zoom, and resources to guide Chapels in creating and implementing their plan at no cost to the Chapels. The AMS Family Witness to Christ digital platform will support families with faith resources.
The Project recognizes that parents/caregivers and the family are the most powerful influences in the lives of young disciples. Identifying and implementing models of family catechesis that intentionally equip and accompany parents and families will require time and the support of the Catholic priest working together with the catechetical team to evangelize and catechize the domestic church. V
Praying for and Praying With
By McKenzie Mauss, Associate Director for Missionary Discipleship
“The most important prep work I did for being a missionary was to pray for the community that I would be serving, that God would prepare their hearts to be open to receive Christ’s love.” This is a wise and beautiful statement from Regina Fontana. Regina, along with Caroline McDermott, are part of Team Saint Paul. The pair arrived at Fort Campbell in the beginning of February. Immediately upon meeting the Catholic community, Regina could see that God had answered her prayers. Regina and Caroline began their ministry through hosting socials, having after-Mass fellowship, getting to know the soldiers over lunch and coffee, game nights, farewell parties, and continued prayer. As Caroline and Regina became acquainted with the community and the nuances of military life, they understood the need and desire for prayer and silence among the young adult soldiers.
Caroline and Regina began to host quiet prayer time outside of the chapel’s normal operating hours. This offered an opportunity for soldiers and their families to sit before the Lord in silence twice a week. Each week, Team Saint Paul saw new soldiers popping in and asking if they, too, could pray for a few minutes. Two soldiers experienced Eucharistic Adoration for the first time in
their lives. This opportunity inspired one of the young men to go to confession for the first time in eight years. Since holding these quiet prayer hours, Caroline and Regina have noticed more soldiers attending daily Mass.
“The entire idea was accepted right away by the community. One soldier admitted this is exactly what he needed in his life. Silence and prayer time,” noted Caroline about the first few prayer hours. The Catholic Pastoral Life Coordinator at Fort Campbell also noted an uptick in people asking to pray. He sent Team Saint Paul a text one Friday morning saying, “Here is affirmation you are making an impact. On Fridays I normally open the church for quiet prayer. I had three young adult soldiers waiting at the door to pray.”
It is evident that there is power in praying for and praying with one’s community. Team Saint Paul missionaries commit to praying a Holy Hour every day during their time in ministry. Caroline and Regina are accompanying the young adults at Fort Campbell in their own prayer journey. Providing the opportunity to experience Eucharistic Adoration in a calm and prayerful way has generated fellowship and addressed the deep desire to know Christ. V
U.S. Army Soldiers pray a holy hour at Soldiers Chapel at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, as Team Saint Paul hosts prayer time on Friday evenings.
IPrayer, Jubilee and Mission
By Mark Moitoza, Th.D.
n preparation for the Jubilee Year, which will take place in Rome throughout 2025, the Holy Father wrote to those entrusted with organizing pilgrim gatherings to encourage the faithful to embrace the Year of Prayer. The Pope wrote: “From now on, I am happy to think that the year preceding the Jubilee event, 2024, will be dedicated to a great ‘symphony’ of prayer. First of all, to recover the desire to be in the presence of the Lord, to listen to Him and adore Him.” 1 There is a magnificent connection between the current Year of Prayer and the National Eucharistic Revival. Both moments focus on the necessity of recognizing the real presence of the Lord. They also invite a response.
The Year of Prayer encourages the faithful to take the opportunity to prepare well for the Jubilee. The focus is to “…intensify prayer, understood as a personal dialogue with God. [A developed guide aims] to offer reflections, ideas, and advice to help people to live their dialogue with the Lord more fully in their relationships with others.” 2 The Jubilee 2025 website references the meaning of a Jubilee found in the Book of Leviticus, “Even though it wasn’t easy to organize, it was intended to be marked as a time to re-establish a proper relationship with God, with one another, and with all of creation, and involved the forgiveness of debts, the return of misappropriated land, and a fallow period for the fields.” 3
The National Eucharistic Congress, a moment within the three-year revival, invites the faithful throughout the United States to restore their understanding and devotion to the real presence of Jesus in the
Eucharist. During the congress pilgrims will participate in Eucharistic adoration, celebrations of Mass, and meaningful presentations. Those encounters will invite all present, and anyone joining via livestream, to re-establish a proper relationship with the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. The entire focus on Eucharistic revival is designed to renew and deepen one’s faith so that each may go out on a mission to share the gift of the Eucharistic Lord with others.
How can we make time to pray? What can we pray for? How can we slow down enough to listen to the Lord in prayer? These familiar questions were also asked by the disciples who pleaded with the Lord to teach them how to pray, Lk 11:1. The Year of Prayer guide, “Teach Us To Pray” Living the Year of Prayer in Preparation for Jubilee 2025, prepared by the Dicastery for Evangelization. It is available in multiple languages on the Jubilee 2025 website, detailing a variety of ways to pray. The second chapter highlights some of those prayers. Adoration - an act of humility and reverence before the greatness of God, recognizing our dependence on Him. Praise and Thanksgiving - expressing joy and gratitude to God for His countless gifts. Intercession - praying for the needs of others. Supplicationbecoming aware of human vulnerability and our need for help. As the Church continues to journey through this Year of Prayer, may our prayers contribute to the hoped-for ‘symphony,’ enabling all of us to embrace the mission of sharing our joy of recognizing the presence of Jesus in anticipation of Jubilee. V
Teach Us To Pray:
Living the Year of Prayer in Preparation for Jubilee 2025 www.iubilaeum2025.va/en/giubileo-2025/verso-il-giubileo/2024anno-della-preghiera.html
Jubilee 2025 website: www.iubilaeum2025.va/en
National Eucharistic Revival website: www.eucharisticrevival.org/revival-resources
Archdiocese For The Military Services, USA P.O. Box 4469 Washington, D.C. 20017-0469
“Serving Those Who Serve”
“I pray that Almighty God might grant you good health and serenity in the days of winter and beyond. Thank you for your continued interest in the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.” –Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio
