SPRING 2021
THE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA
Christ the Consolator Spring 2021
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Dear Friends of the Archdiocese for the Military Services,
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ur unusual experience continues. Restrictions are still prevalent as I write these lines. All of us hope that the vaccine and its distribution will allow some more normal activities of our life to be reestablished. Despite the shadow of the groundhog, we do hope that Easter will be spring-like. Of course, our pilgrimage through the desert of Lent urges us to focus on the victory of Christ over sin and death, the source of our hope and consolation. Lent is the moment to renew our vision. From the desert of penance, self-denial, and prayer, we begin to see what is really important. We trust in His victory and we have dedicated ourselves to spending more time with Him. We hope that the Easter celebrations this year will be a bit more like those we have known in the past. Perhaps the Corona virus has taught all of us to renew our consideration for our neighbor, those who are weakest, the poor, and those who mourn the loss of loved ones. We see Christ in the one who needs us. This first issue of the AMS quarterly publication in 2021 will, of course, recount some of the activities of the Auxiliary Bishops and me over the Christmas holidays and offer a brief look at the up-coming pastoral programs and events in the Archdiocese, as well as, some of the ministry accomplished in these months. It all seems so different. We all rejoice in the identification of the mortal remains of Father Emil Kapaun. We all look forward to numerous ordinations to the priesthood and nine additional ordinations to the transitional diaconate of AMS co-sponsored seminarians. Thank you for your prayerful support. You will meet one more seminarian in this issue. I never cease to give thanks to Almighty God for these signs of His future care for the flock. The AMS has been blessed with extraordinary men in the seminary. Enjoy the following pages of Salute. May the Risen Lord fill your hearts with His presence and give you serenity in these challenging days. Let us continue to support one another in prayer. Sincerely in Christ,
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The Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio Archbishop
THE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA
VOLUME 15 NUMBER 1 SPRING 2021
TA B L E o f C O N T E N T S 4 Catholic Coverage on Military Installations Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio 7 Adjustments Continue Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio 12 My AMS Story Mr. John Balser 14 That Great Man Raymond J. Brown 22 Walking with the Living God Bishop F. Richard Spencer 24 Sacrifices BIG and Small Bishop Bill Muhm 30 MA Grad Reflects on Growth in Knowledge and Faith Ute Eble 34 The Harvest Continues Meet Seminarian Reverend Mr. Jason Allan 38 Archbishop Broglio Affirms Dignity of Every Person from Conception to Natural Death Taylor Henry 40 FOCUS SEEK21 Cassandra (Casey) Lee 44 The Year of Saint Joseph Mark Moitoza, TH.D. COVER: “CHRIST THE CONSOLATOR” BY GERMAN ARTIST CARL HEINRICH BLOCH (1834-1890)
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.
SPRING 2021
THE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA
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, Archdiocese for the
Military Services, P.O. Box 4469, Washington, D.C., USA 20017-0469 Feedback, letters to the editor: editor@milarch.org | Website: www.milarch.org Spring 2021
Christ the Consolator Spring 2021
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catholic coverage on military installations BY ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO
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ecent meetings with the Chiefs of Chaplains of the Army, Navy, and Air Force have led me to address anew the question of pastoral care of Catholics. All three chaplain corps address the issue in different ways and the reflections below probably respond primarily to the approach used most recently in the U.S. Navy. The military desires measurable data to make determinations: number of people at a chapel service, registered counseling sessions, numbers who frequent a ministry center or chapel sponsored activity, and so forth. The metrics are important, but do they tell the whole story? Conversations with those who analyze data frequently center around the chapel and who is present for services on Sunday and during the week. Certainly, chapel use is an important category and the presence of chapels, medical facilities, physical fitness centers, theaters, commercial enterprises, golf courses, and gas stations probably all date to a time when many military members
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lived or were obliged to live on the installation to which they were assigned. Changing that principle is probably necessary and should be global, i.e., if chapels are going to be closed, then perhaps all of those other facilities should be re-examined, as well. [Of course, it is not really about closing chapels but eliminating on-base Catholic communities.] However, should that mean that a Catholic soldier, sailor, airman, Marine, Coast Guardsman, or Space Force guardian, spouse, or dependent only sees a priest if he or she goes off post? Are we communicating that other religions can have ministers (if they are chaplains), but there will be no Catholic ministerial presence on an installation? Is there a danger of creating a separate but equal system for meeting the needs of Catholic members of the Armed Forces? I have heard proposals about organizing transportation to the local Catholic parish for Mass, but
? again, that reduces Catholic needs to Sunday Mass. What about the sacrament of penance (confession), consultation with a priest, religious education, faith formation, and sacramental preparation for baptism, confirmation, first Communion, penance, and marriage? The danger is the reduction of the chaplaincy on CONUS military installations to a largely if not exclusively Protestant presence. Is that what we want to do? As the chief shepherd charged by the Catholic Church with pastoral care of the men and women in uniform and their families, I fear that the reduction of ordained Catholic personnel to those who are in the
military will impoverish the ministry offered to all the military, reduce vocations from the military, and render First Amendment privileges a dead letter on the same installations. Let me explain. If there is no Catholic priest (uniformed or contract) on the installation, that voice will be entirely absent. A sailor who wants to talk to a priest will not be able to do so. A commander who wants the Catholic viewpoint before making a decision will have to contact someone from the outside. Around 20% of the military is Catholic, yet you would have no one continued on page 6 Spring 2021
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catholic coverage...
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on a given installation ministering to the single largest denomination in the military.
and on ships? On my last visit to Afghanistan, for every military member there were three civilians!
It would, of course, be necessary to alert the U.S. Bishops to this absence. They may, in response, discourage Catholics from entering the military.
Mandatory Retirement Dates are routinely deferred for medical and dental personnel. May the same low density, high demand waiver not also be applied to priests? If the military has to pay continually to send a service member or dependent offpost for treatment, is consideration not given to hiring a specialist or sending a uniformed person to obtain competency in that specialty?
The military is the single largest source of priestly ordinations in the U.S. every year (15% in 2020). 73% of young men begin discernment for the priesthood, because a priest suggests that they do so. Do we really want to eliminate any possible contact between service men and priests on CONUS installations? There are examples of chaplains of other faith groups who were raised as Catholics, but while in the military their access to only nonCatholic chaplains prompted them to leave the Catholic faith and seek ministry in a non-Catholic denomination. Diminishing the Catholic presence on military installations will only exacerbate that phenomenon and ultimately reduce even further the number of Catholic priests in the military. Is it not also possible to examine the use of contractors (priests) to minister in deployed locations
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Certainly those charged with determining the use of funds look for tangible results, but are First Amendment rights really the most opportune category for cost cutting, especially when those budgets represent a fraction of the total Department of Defense budget? This reflection would be incomplete without a reference to the Air Force Religious Professional Deferment Program, which allows a cadet at the Air Force Academy or an airman with a service commitment to defer their commitments, enter a formation program, and fulfill their commitment as an Air Force Chaplain. At least six priests and seminarians have profited from this program. V
ADJUSTMENTS CONTINUE BY ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO
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hallenges provoked by the pandemic continue for all of us. Yet the Archdiocese for the Military Services is ever inventive in finding ways to serve those entrusted to her pastoral care. ARTICLE BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE Spring Spring 2021 2021
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To enter Alaska I had to give evidence of a negative COVID test. The test was negative, but sending the test results taught us that several of the fax machines in the pastoral center did not work! Luckily, the personnel in my primary care physician’s office exemplified persistence. I did enjoy my time in Alaska. My arrival was in time to celebrate confirmation at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson (JBER) on Saturday and then the Fourth Sunday of Advent the next day. Fathers José Lachica (Sorsogon, Philippines) and John Reutemann (Washington, D.C.) went out of their way to ensure great hospitality and mounds of snow. Monday of my visit fell on the anniversary of Father Lachica’s ordination to the priesthood and it was good to celebrate Mass with him in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of JBER that afternoon. The beauty of Alaska even in the wintertime is over-powering. Given that COVID had limited the possibility of any office calls with the leadership, there was time to enjoy that beauty. Of course, the very short days (sunrise around 10:30 a.m. and sunset around 3:15 p.m.) require adjustment. For me it was a novelty, but I kept thinking about those who experience the short days for several months of the year. On 22 December I flew up to Fairbanks and was greeted by the Vicar General, Father Robert Fath, who also frequently cares for the faithful at two of the military installations in the area. I stayed with the Bishop of Fairbanks, the Most Reverend Chad Zielinski, who had been an Air Force chaplain when he was named to the northernmost see in the States. He is also a superb host and an excellent chef. Moose, salmon, black cod, and more were consumed during the days leading up to Christmas. An added blessing to the time in Fairbanks was the presence of Josh Miller, an AMS co-sponsored seminarian from the Diocese of Fairbanks. He studies at Mundelein Seminary outside of Chicago, but was in the diocese for Christmas. He accompanied me to all of the liturgical celebrations at Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base and served the Masses.
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Neither installation had an active-duty priest present during the time of my visit. Consequently, my visit was also very useful and practical for both of those communities at this special time of the year. On 24 December the Garrison Chaplain was there to welcome me at the main gate of Fort Wainwright. Midnight Mass there was preceded by a concert of Christmas music which I could hear from the Blessed Sacrament chapel where I heard confessions. The congregation was socially distanced, but fairly large. Newly ordained permanent Deacon Warren Lucero assisted at the Mass. The altar servers were all well-trained. The drive back to the Bishop’s residence was short, which was helpful, because the next morning would begin early. A little bit of confusion reigned at the Eielson Air Force Base gate. It was not because anyone had failed to make the arrangements to grant me access to the base. In fact, the Wing Chaplain was at the chapel waiting for me. It seems that with the shift change my authorization landed under other papers. No harm was done and I hope that the airman at the gate did not suffer needlessly! The welcome to the chapel was warm (despite the ice sculptures by the front door!). In addition to the Wing Chaplain, a young Lutheran chaplain stayed at the sound board throughout the Mass. Of course, there were some confessions and, to my surprise, also a confirmation for a young lady. It was good to see a number of young families and young airmen at the Mass. While the pandemic has eliminated any sort of fellowship or gathering after the Masses, I did make myself available to greet the faithful. Of course, if we ever meet again, we will have to tell each other who we are— with the masks it would be a challenge to recognize anyone there. continued on page 10 Spring 2021
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Bishop Zielinski and I were invited to Father Fath’s parents’ home for Christmas dinner. It was a delightful family gathering reminiscent of a few family Christmas dinners that I have enjoyed since leaving the diplomatic service of the Holy See and assuming responsibility for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO PRAYING DURING HOLY HOUR AT THE EDWIN CARDINAL O’BRIEN PASTORAL CENTER
On Holy Family Sunday, I returned to both installations. Prior to the Mass at Fort Wainwright I posed for pictures with the families and blessed the new altar used in the chapel there. Luckily, Josh was able to transport us swiftly to Eielson for Sunday Mass there. We were a bit late, but there were no services after ours. I had hoped to include the Coast Guard Base in Kodiak on this itinerary. Plans were moving forward, but an outbreak of COVID there obliged them to jettison the plans. It will have to be for another time. Departure was very late on Sunday evening—just before midnight, but, of course, the arrival in Washington was late in the afternoon on Monday. It had been a very good visit and I am grateful to the chaplain who suggested that I spend Christmas in Alaska. The month of January only had two trips and both were for retreats. First Cardinal Wuerl offered excellent reflections for us, the Bishops of
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Regions IV (DC, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Delaware) and XIV (the rest of the south-east coast). Then I spent a few days with the Navy priests whose retreat was preached by Bishop Scharfenberger of Albany. Due to the restrictions imposed by the pandemic only three active-duty priests were able to attend, but there were several retired chaplains on hand. One of the most touching moments of the second retreat is the annual Mass for the Catholic Navy priests who died in the past year. There were ten this year! Even the activities around the annual March for Life were quite curtailed this year. I was able to concelebrate the Mass that began the vigil and to hear the excellent homily offered by Archbishop Naumann of Kansas City, KS. After that celebration I led the first of the vigils celebrated across the country (including Alaska and Hawaii). It was a privilege to add my voice in pleading for those who have none. There were also opportunities to participate virtually in SEEK21 sponsored by FOCUS whose missionaries are so effective at the Military Academies. In that context we held a holy hour that was live-streamed from the main chapel at the Edwin Cardinal O’Brien Pastoral Center. It was good to pray for vocations with the participation of so many from many different locations. Now at this writing, I am trying to see what opportunities there might be to visit some of the communities, but that depends very much on the commanders of the installations and the policies in place. To visit the installations in Alaska, an exception to policy had to be issued at each installation. There is no doubt that the adjustments will continue, but the Lord will provide. V
Spring 2021
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My AMS Story
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y AMS story began in 2012, at age 60, serving as a civilian employee of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Having received notice of a 365-day assignment at the U.S. Embassy, Kabul, Afghanistan, my first concern was providing for my spiritual needs while in country. Thankfully, the Embassy was adjacent to International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) Base. With the proper credentials, Common Access Card (CAC), U.S. civilian employees could pass freely between the Embassy and the ISAF Base. The ISAF Multi-denominational Chapel conducted Catholic Mass most Saturday evenings. The Military-assigned AMS Priests provided for the spiritual needs for the International Military personal, and for the U.S. Embassy civilians as well. Security protocols escalated at one point and Foreign Nationals assigned duties at the U.S. Embassy were denied access to the ISAF Base, and thus the ability to attend Mass. Witnessing the disappointment of the Foreign Nationals denied the opportunity to attend Mass, several of us approached the assigned AMS Priest, Father Paul-Anthony Halladay, and informed him of the issue. He immediately volunteered to come into the Embassy one evening a week to celebrate Mass. We found an open classroom and converted it to a makeshift Chapel. The Embassy Mass provided for the spiritual needs for an additional group of Catholics who could not participate in Mass at the ISAF Base, as well as providing additional spiritual interaction for the rest of us. The ability to participate Mass regularly during my tour enriched my spiritual life immensely. Attending the Mass with military men and women from several different countries was precious. During the 2012 Christmas Mass, an AMS Priest asked everyone in the packed chapel to sing ‘Silent Night’ in their native language. Still today when I sing Silent Night, I get goose bumps on my arms and tears in my eyes recalling that Mass. That rendition, while a
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bit confusing, was exactly what Jesus wanted; people from across the world in many languages uniting as one, in perfect harmony, giving Glory to God. Upon returning to the U.S. in October 2013, I immediately named AMS as my annual Combined Federal Campaign Fund recipient. I retired from federal service in 2019 and AMS remains on my list of charitable contributions. I witnessed the power of God through the AMS providing spiritually for military and civilian personnel while serving in Afghanistan, and will remain forever appreciative. I encourage everyone to provide financial support for the AMS and the important work that they do.
– John Balser, U.S. Department of Transportation (Retired)
“I had just completed a full circuit of Masses at several different bases in the Kabul Area of Operation. It was hot, I had been wearing the full kit required for travel “outside the wire” in the Kabul footprint and I had showed up for that Mass drenched in sweat and smelling pretty ripe I feel quite sure. What I remember, though, was how happy everyone was to see me. They could have cared less what I looked like, they were so happy to be able to celebrate Mass. When you know how much it means to so many, you can’t help but want to give them that for which they truly hunger; Our Lord and Savior in the Eucharist. It was beautiful to behold and sincerely as much of a grace and blessing for me as it was for all those at our U.S. Embassy who joined in the MR. JOHN BALSER AND FATHER celebration.” PAUL-ANTHONY HALLADAY, KABUL, AFGHANISTAN.
– Father Paul-Anthony Halladay: Spring 2021
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THAT GREAT MAN
THE U.S. NAVY AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS YORKTOWN (CV-10)
Remembering Chaplain Moody, Who Was Always There for His Men BY RAYMOND J. BROWN
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et us now praise famous men . . . but I’ll just remember a faithful servant who once went to war against powers and principalities, both seen and unseen. On Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945, more than 1,300 ships, four Army divisions, and three Marine divisions would invade the Japanese home islands in a brutal 82-day campaign. But getting to Okinawa for the amphibious landings and desperate engagement with the Divine Wind (Japan’s kamikaze pilots) was no simple task.
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Two weeks earlier, on March 18, the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown—The Fighting Lady— was proceeding toward Okinawa. Though aircraft carriers were surrounded by battleships, cruisers, and destroyers afloat, and Combat Air Patrol aloft, the protective screen was not impenetrable. On that Sunday, the 18th, Japanese aircraft did break through and attacked Yorktown. A 500-pound bomb exploded in the air just off the port side of the carrier. That fifth Sunday of Lent was promptly renamed “Bomb Sunday” by the ship’s company.
Yorktown kept maneuvering to confuse the inbound targeting aircraft and to launch and land her own. The gun crews kept firing rapid continuous. And the damage control teams worked feverishly to put out fires, free compartments of gas, and de-smoke the black air. There were 23 casualties, both sailors and Marines, in three locations—one area topside in a gun mount, and two spaces just inside the skin of the ship and on different decks—not to mention damaged aircraft.
Order was restored on mayhem. The makeshift stretcher teams transported the wounded to battle dressing stations and then up deck via ladders to sick bay, laboriously opening and dogging Quick Acting Watertight Doors and advising Damage Control Central of routes. All the while the sprinkler system annoyingly hosed the sailors down. There was triage knowingly ignored, last rites administered, and even a deathbed conversion. It was a hard day and a long night of prayer and action.
Running immediately toward the explosion from Repair Locker 3 and arriving on the scene, without orders, was Lieutenant Commander Joe Moody, a Catholic priest and senior chaplain. Two men had been blinded, another man’s entrails were spread out on the deck about him, and two other shipmates were now without their legs. Amid blood flowing on deck and flames overheating the spaces, Father Moody organized stretcher teams, himself first assisting a wounded sailor to safety. Barking orders like a line officer, he gave clear direction to the Protestant chaplain, Lieutenant George Wright, on where and how they would split responsibilities.
No medal was ever conferred on Father Joe Moody. But his shipmates knew what he had done that day and never forgot it. And the historian Dr. Clark G. Reynolds, in his otherwise even-handed, warts-and-all account of Yorktown 1943–1945 (published in 1968), would refer to him as “that great man.” But the crew had known that reality long before Bomb Sunday. And long after.
The assigned Hospital Corpsmen and stretcher bearers, some drafted by Moody, responded well.
AN EPOCH FAST FADING
I am a baby boomer, one of that voluminous tribe born between 1946 and 1962. In my suburban boyhood there existed a vague and ill-informed neighborhood hierarchy concerning fathers and continued on page 16 Spring 2021
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THAT GREAT MAN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15
their roles in wartime. But rightly atop that local pyramid was my own father, Jake. He was a once-aMarine-always-a-Marine for sure —14 battle stars, a ship sunk from under him, shrapnel in his head, and malaria three times. Dad served in the Marine Detachment of USS Yorktown, in both the first ship of that name, sunk at Midway, and the second one, bound and victorious on namesake retribution. He also made two amphibious landings.
I have lived most of my life in the giant shadow of that Greatest Generation, perhaps the more so as I chose a career in uniform. Abiding in that giant shadow was all I had ever known, and it seemed normal. Now that the bastions of that generation have almost all passed on, I realize that having been in their long-enduring presence was a privilege. Their like we will not see again. I have a memory of encountering only one of my father’s shipmates before Dad died when I was twelve years old. That was Yorktown’s wartime chaplain, Father Joseph Moody. And at that one time I was perhaps eleven years old. But the memory somehow stuck. I am glad it did, as in recent years I have learned the story of, among other things, a most remarkable seagoing officer who happened to be a chaplain.
UNRAVELING A LONG FORGOTTEN PAST Father Joseph N. Moody (right) on the Yorktown, 1947
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My dad stayed in touch with Father Moody after both had detached from The Fighting
Lady and returned to civilian life. Indeed, Father Moody solemnized my parents’ wedding in 1948. And my father stayed in touch with him more than I knew. I now surmise that there were letters, phone calls, and visits I did not know about. Piecing together some painful clues from my boyhood, I eventually came to understand that the war never actually ended for my father. That truth is perhaps best demonstrated by an occasion when my mother abruptly stopped him from looking at certain Yorktown photos from the Pacific war. He asked why, and she abruptly chastised him, “You know why.” I asked Mom later about that brief discussion, and she just said that when Dad started to think about those who did not come back, he became saddened. As an adult, I came to realize that at such times he waxed truly morose and would seek solace in alcohol. Back then no one called it PTSD. As for the one time I recall seeing Father Moody, it was when my brothers and I accompanied our father on a trip some 50 miles from
our New Jersey home to Highlands, New York. Father Moody was then a professor at Ladycliff College (a Catholic women’s college that is no more, the grounds now part of the U.S. Military Academy). The cover story for the trip was taking us kids to visit the West Point museum, which we did do. But first Dad would have a visit with Father Moody (“my friend”), while we three gradeschoolers played with the priest’s Irish setter. I do recall wondering what a former Navy chaplain was doing at West Point. In retrospect, I realize that my father was meeting with his trusted chaplain and shipmate for counseling and prayer about a personal battle that was tougher for him than Okinawa’s 96 consecutive days of GQ calls. While I was growing up, my dad told absolutely no stories of battle horror, fears, and carnage. But one recurring theme in his talk was the courage and seeming omnipresence of Chaplain Moody. I also have come to think that my father’s occasional dictum, “Some continued on page 18 Spring 2021
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people say you need a psychiatrist; all you need is a priest,” may have been more self-reassurance than general social comment. Within two years of that visit with Father Moody, whose appearance and demeanor seemed that of a genial Gregory Peck, the former Sergeant John M. Brown went the way of all flesh at age 41. After his passing, my mother made one final trip to see her deceased husband’s chaplain. Our diminished family then moved seven states away. And I seldom thought about what I have just recounted.
UNEXPECTED LINKS TO THE PAST After my own long seagoing career ended, I happened upon a website remembrance concerning a Marine who had served in Yorktown during the great central Pacific offensive. One Ed Sarkisian had been wounded on that Bomb Sunday in March 1945, yet still assisted in the evacuation of others. After being treated, he returned to skyward watch duties. Ed later received the Navy Commendation Medal,
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recommended by one Chaplain Moody, a name I had seldom recalled. I contacted Ed through the internet, saying I was somewhat familiar with his past, and that I was quite B
No medal was ever conferred on Father Moody. But his shipmates knew what he had done that day and never forgot it. And the historian Dr. Clark G. Reynolds, in his otherwise even-handed, warts-and-all account of Yorktown 1943–1945, would refer to him as “that great man.” B
aware that Commendation Medals to seagoing enlisted men were not just handed out with the midnight rations. Ed Sarkisian answered— only it was Ed Junior, a captain
for United Airlines, for he had written the piece about his father. Over several email and phone conversations, I asked Ed Junior if his father had ever come across my dad. It turned out that his father had known mine quite well and wished to speak with me. The senior Ed was approaching 90 years of age and had severe Parkinson’s challenges. But he remembered his sea duty as if it were yesterday. And, as is often the case with war veterans, he spoke little of combat and much of his shipmates—both their prowess and their humorous foibles. He complained sardonically about one officer, whose indelicate nickname I will not disclose. And he told me specifically about my father’s seaward persona, a description that my wife said was remarkably akin to mine. And throughout our conversation, the older Ed, not a Roman Catholic, told me about how Chaplain Moody was always available for everybody, seemingly omnipresent. He served as a
reminder that there was something and Someone bigger and beyond the arduous shipboard routines occasionally interrupted by terror. A few years later, Ed Junior called me. He had just given his recently deceased father’s car to Herbert Feldman, who had been a Hospital Corpsman in Yorktown, and he was, in fact, right then riding in the car with Herb. Somehow Herb heard me mention Father Moody to Ed, and he started spouting loud and animated compliments, which I could hear at my end. So they pulled over, and Ed handed Herb the phone. The old shipmate, who had to be at least 90 by then, spoke effusively about his chaplain of some 70 years past: “He was always there for us, on the flight deck, in the hangar, in sick bay— always!” And he related that, after the Bomb Sunday attack on March 18, 1945, Father Moody had prayed with and for the wounded well into the wee hours of the 19th. And there had been a deathbed conversion shortly before 4:00 in the morning. continued on page 20 Spring 2021
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DOING MORE THAN DUTIES ASSIGNED
This greatly interested me, this adulation for a man not seen for so long, for Father Moody had passed away in 1994, at age 89. So I began digging through people and papers associated with USS Yorktown—now for many years a floating museum at Patriot’s Point in Charleston, South Carolina— and I could find nothing but good things recorded about Father Moody. Slowly, and over several years, I became acutely aware of his singular shipboard influence, ever remembered by those who witnessed his leadership and ministry. Among the many things I discovered are the following: • On December 22, 1944, early in his assignment to Yorktown, Father Moody tripped and fell off a moving aircraft elevator, breaking his wrist. Undeterred by the pain and limited use of one hand, he carried on with preparing for and conducting a number of Christmas services, and even some holiday entertainments.
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• Aboard any ship, there is generally inaccurate, rumor-mill knowledge about operational plans and destinations, course changes, alterations in readiness levels, and the like. However, almost immediately upon reporting aboard, Lieutenant Commander Moody requested permission to provide daily broadcasts to the crew on current events and, to the extent possible, operational plans. This permission was— surprisingly to anyone who has served in a commissioned ship— granted, and the addresses were enormously well received. Admiral Arthur Radford commented on their morale-building utility, and enlisted men sarcastically surmised that this was how officers themselves found out what was really going on. • Although seamen have a deserved reputation for using scurrilous language, Father Moody could routinely advise, “Watch your French,” and his respectful shipmates would promptly clean up their act. It is a rare officer who has that effect on those around him.
• Upon arriving in San Francisco after Japan’s surrender, Father Moody arranged a huge dance party for the 3,000 Yorktown sailors. He got 1,000 young ladies to attend, though how he did that is lost to memory. But then he was advised that the black stewards of Yorktown would not be allowed in the civic center. Chaplain Joe Moody would have none of that. He went straight to the top, with the result that the entire ship’s company of 3,000 men was invited to the gala.
ENVOI
Yet the considerable esteem in which he was held in each of the two camps was virtually unknown to denizens of the other. His academic curriculum vitae might make mention of Monsignor Joseph N. Moody, Ph.D., having been a Navy chaplain, but contain no more details than that. Nor does Father Moody seem often to have mentioned his naval experience to his clerical or academic colleagues. Sometimes he might have referred to the floor as a deck or express a wish for things to be squared away, but that is about all he seems to have provided as clues to his heroic past.
Father Moody mustered out of the Navy after the war to an Perhaps that is not surprising, outstanding academic career. He because he never made things about authored some ten books and taught him. Rather, as Herb Feldma said, at several colleges and seminaries, “He was always there for us!" V including Boston College and the Catholic University of America. The accolades from that world are as laudatory as those from Yorktown. B Article originally published in Touchstone: A Journal of Mere Christianity www.touchstonemag.com Raymond J. Brown is Secretary of the American Lutheran Publicity Bureau, a retired U.S. Coast Guard captain, and a security consultant living in New Hampshire. He and his wife Susan, a librarian, have three grown children. Spring 2021
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WALKING WITH THE LIVING GOD BY BISHOP F. RICHARD SPENCER
LITURGICAL PROCESSIONS are holy moments of walking with the living God! Religious processions are expressions of a people’s desire to walk in mutual harmony toward and with their God. This past Christmas Eve, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, Father Jason Hesseling and his chapel community decided that an outdoor procession flowing from the Christmas Mass within the military housing communities would provide comfort and beg protection during the current pandemic. So, in nine-degree Fahrenheit weather, we went forth in a liturgical procession. The event was being streamed live on Facebook. Families would gather on their front porches with lighted candles to join with their prayers as the procession passed and receive a blessing with the Blessed Sacrament within the monstrance. Led by a large cross our Christmas procession expressed the fact that our Christian life is a constant movement toward God. Even within a pandemic, our prayer is always “walking with God” in the good times and difficult times of our lives. Our particular procession included Bill Nance, Senior, as the
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reader of various biblical reflections as we stopped to pray in the different neighborhoods. Also included in the procession were altar servers Henry Rambo and Billy Nance, Deacon Robert Zbylut, and Father Hesseling. Why do we have processions within our military chapels? The root word of procession is the Latin processio, “marching forward.” There are many different occasions for liturgical processions. Some are a part of the liturgy for certain feasts: Candlemas, Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, rogation days, and Corpus Christi. Others are occasioned by a particular circumstance: the solemn transfer of relics or a patronal feast. Some processions, such as those of the Palm Sunday and the Easter Vigil, relive a special event in the history of salvation. Functional processions, simply solemnize a necessary movement from one place to another, as, for example, funeral processions. Still others have as their purpose to bless and continued on page 27 Spring 2021
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Sacrifices
BIG AND SMALL
BY BISHOP BILL MUHM
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hen I tell people I am the AMS Vicar for Europe and Asia; invariably they will say, “What a huge territory!” Eurasia is a huge geographic territory, but our military Catholic communities in Asia are concentrated mostly in Japan and Korea. It does not take a huge sacrifice for me to visit our AMS Catholic communities in Asia — just a long flight. COVID kept me in Europe from March until November 2020. In NovemberDecember, I was able to visit our Catholic military communities in Korea, after a year since my last visit. I celebrated Mass, confirmed two service members, and shepherded nine AMS priests and one AMS deacon at Camp Humphreys, Chinhae Naval Station, Camp Walker, Camp Carroll, Kunsan Air Base, Osan Air Base, Camp Casey, and Camp Bonifas. One senior leader in Korea thanked me for coming; he said I was the first “V.I.P.” to visit Korea in several months. He said my visit encouraged many service members, U.S. Government civilians, and family members far from home. The Knights of Columbus Bishop Joseph W. Estabrook Assembly took me on a pilgrimage to Haemi Martyrs Shrine, where numerous Korean Catholics made the ultimate sacrifice for Christ and His Church during the persecutions of the 1800s. Many martyrs were drowned or beaten to death on this holy ground. The Korean martyrs teach us what heroic sacrifice looks like. The pilgrimage was rewarding for several reasons: First, I followed in the footsteps of Pope Francis’ 2014 visit, there were no crowds during COVID times. I enjoyed spending the day with our faithful Knights of Columbus. The heroic sacrifice of the Korean martyrs put into perspective the small sacrifices required of me to visit our Catholic communities in Korea. After late Advent pastoral visits to Ramstein and Ansbach, I celebrated the wonderful Christmas season liturgies at Vilseck, Grafenwöhr, Hohenfels, NATO Geilenkirchen, and Stuttgart. I celebrated Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday on a Sunday visit to Wiesbaden, and I confirmed young Catholics at Naples and Sigonella. In early February I left on another Asian odyssey,
BISHOP MUHM LOOKS UPON A JUNIPER TREE AT HAEMI FORTRESS. KOREAN MARTYRS WERE CHAINED TO THE TREE AND BEATEN TO DEATH IN THE 1800S. TODAY THE TREE STILL BEARS SCARS FROM THE CHAINS.
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Sacrifices
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this time to confirm and make pastoral visits in Japan and Korea, and to celebrate the Easter Triduum in Korea. Thank you for your prayers as I make these small sacrifices to follow in the footsteps of the heroic Japanese and Korean martyrs who made the ultimate sacrifice. Thank you for your prayers and support for all of us at AMS. V BISHOP MUHM (LEFT) AND GARY GNIDZIEJKO (RIGHT) PRAY OVER A STONE SLAB UPON WHICH KOREAN MARTYRS DIED AT HAEMI. KOREA IN THE 1800S.
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WALKING WITH THE LIVING GOD CONTINUED FROM PAGE 23 sanctify certain places, to make public pilgrimage to sacred shrines, or to offer supplication to God for good weather or help in times of trial such as the current pandemic. One of the most famous and memorable liturgical processions for the Archdiocese for the Military Services’ community takes place during the annual pilgrimage to the Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, France. In the attached picture, our Shepherd, Archbishop Broglio is leading one of those treasured experiences in procession. As we approach Holy Week and several opportunities for liturgical processions within our military chapels, go forth giving God the glory and enjoy the blessings that flow from your witness of faith! Happy and a Blessed Easter season to all of you! V
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Archbishop Broglio Calls Attention to USCCB President’s Message on the Inauguration of President Biden BY TAYLOR HENRY
Upon the inauguration of President Joseph R. Biden, Jr., on 20 January 2021, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio issued a statement calling the attention of the faithful to a message from the President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB): Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Below is the link to the excellent message which the Most Reverend José H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, addressed to President Joseph Biden on the occasion of his inauguration as the 46th President of the USA. As a good pastor, he touches upon the aspirations which Catholics expect from the new administration and raises the appropriate concerns about problematic moral issues. His balanced and measured text merits our attention and should motivate our prayers. I am grateful to Archbishop Gomez for his leadership and stand with him. The full text of Archbishop Gomez’s message can be accessed at: http://bit.ly/usccb-statement. The following are excerpts: My prayers are with our new President and his family today…. …. [President Biden] is our first president in 60 years to profess the Catholic faith. In a time of growing and aggressive secularism in American culture, when religious believers face many challenges, it will be refreshing to engage with a President who clearly understands, in a deep and personal way, the importance of religious faith and institutions. Mr. Biden’s piety and personal story, his moving witness to how his faith has brought him solace in times of darkness and tragedy, his longstanding commitment to the Gospel’s priority for the poor — all of this I find hopeful and inspiring.
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At the same time, as pastors, the nation’s bishops are given the duty of proclaiming the Gospel in all its truth and power, in season and out of season, even when that teaching is inconvenient or when the Gospel’s truths run contrary to the directions of the wider society and culture. So, I must point out that our new President has pledged to pursue certain policies that would advance moral evils and threaten human life and dignity, most seriously in the areas of abortion, contraception, marriage, and gender. Of deep concern is the liberty of the Church and the freedom of believers to live according to their consciences. Our commitments on issues of human sexuality and the family, as with our commitments in every other area — such as abolishing the death penalty or seeking a health care system and economy that truly serves the human person — are guided by Christ’s great commandment to love and to stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters, especially the most vulnerable.
ARCHBISHOP JOSÉ H. GOMEZ, PRESIDENT OF THE U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS PHOTO COURTESY OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF LOS ANGELES.
For the nation’s bishops, the continued injustice of abortion remains the “preeminent priority.” Preeminent does not mean “only.” We have deep concerns about many threats to human life and dignity in our society. But as Pope Francis teaches, we cannot stay silent when nearly a million unborn lives are being cast aside in our country year after year through abortion….
…. Rather than impose further expansions of abortion and contraception, as he has promised, I am hopeful that the new President and his administration will work with the Church and others of good will. My hope is that we can begin a dialogue to address the complicated cultural and economic factors that are driving abortion and discouraging families. My hope, too, is that we can work together to finally put in place a coherent family policy in this country, one that acknowledges the crucial importance of strong marriages and parenting to the well-being of children and the stability of communities. If the President, with full respect for the Church’s religious freedom, were to engage in this conversation, it would go a long way toward restoring the civil balance and healing our country’s needs. V Spring 2021
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MA Grad Reflects on Growth in
Knowledge and Faith BY UTE EBLE
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n 2017, the Army sent my husband Joe, me, and our four children to Hawaii. I began thinking about job options for when my youngest would start Kindergarten. Ever since I started learning about my faith on an adult level during pre-cana instructions I have loved growing in knowledge and being challenged to grow in faith. In what I can only describe as a “Holy Spirit moment,” I realized with great clarity that I should switch from my background in business administration to working in Religious Education. This would build on my previous experience as a corporate trainer and volunteer at several military chapels where I had been a Catechist and active in the CWOC program. I felt, and still do, that Religious Education is the perfect sweet spot where I can use my skills and talents for something that brings me joy, helps others, and serves God. I started working as the Religious Education Coordinator (CREC) for our Chapel and decided to pursue a graduate certificate in catechesis to fulfill the AMS educational requirements for CRECs I chose to enroll in the Catholic Distance University (CDU) over other universities. CDU’s program was designed to be completed exclusively online; the existing partnership with the AMS, and interesting course descriptions made it a perfect fit. After completing my first course, “The Catholic Theological Tradition,” I realized that I had found a “home,” and switched to the MA in Theology and Educational Ministry degree program. Several of my classmates were connected to the military, including some on active-duty joining from downrange. I felt understood when I shared about my work. In military chapels, different Christian denominations and even other religions share buildings and resources. My studies helped me understand the different religious viewpoints and defend the Catholic
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position firmly but charitably. Soldiers and their families come from all corners of our diverse Catholic faith. Frequent moves, the stress of training, and deployments make it harder to build community and form a team of well-trained catechists. I firmly believe that what helped me be successful in the program was the emphasis on kerygmatic catechesis and the conversion of the baptized that was covered in my studies. Now that my husband has retired from the military and we moved back to his hometown, I work at the civilian parish of Immaculate Heart of Mary in Indianapolis, IN, as the Director of Religious Education. I love integrating faith formation with elementary education at the associated school providing life-long faith formation for all members of the parish. Thankfully, I can continue to support catechists in the AMS as a facilitator of the VLCFF certification courses. CDU has undoubtedly provided me with the necessary theological knowledge and practical skills for my job, but what I appreciated the most is that the school and faculty went beyond that and helped me grow in my faith. I am a better disciple now than before I attended CDU.
—Ute Eble, MA in Theology and Educational Ministry (2020) Spring 2021
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donor recognition
New Donor Recognition Society: St. John Vianney Circle BY MARY LAVIN
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he Saint John Vianney Circle was established to honor in a unique way those for whom an AMS named and endowed co-sponsored seminarian scholarship has or will be named, and the benefactors who establish them. Saint John Vianney is the patron saint of parish priests. The AMS Co-Sponsored Seminarian Program remains the only U.S. vocations program that provides priests to serve both as military chaplains, and in parishes and dioceses across the country struggling with their own critical shortage of ministers. More than 60 priests have been ordained as a part of the program since 2008. The Co-Sponsored Seminarian Program was established more than 30 years ago. Currently, the AMS partners with 33 U.S. dioceses and one religious order, and has 43 seminarians studying in 18 seminaries. Once a co-sponsored priest is ordained, he first serves three years in his home diocese or religious community before being released for full-time military service for at least five years. When the priest separates from the military, he returns to his diocese or community and brings with him the richness of his military experience. In many cases, he will serve longer in his home diocese or community than in the military. In 2021, there will be as many as 10 ordinations to the priesthood and 10 ordinations to the transitional diaconate. In 2020, two co-sponsored priests began active-duty service after having completed the required three years of parish ministry in their home diocese; three more are expected to do so in 2021, and as many as five in 2022.
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Formation expenses are shared between the AMS and a seminarian’s home diocese or religious community, with the AMS average cost per seminarian now $20,000; $100,000 over five years of formation. With just the current number of seminarians, the AMS cost for the 2020-2021 academic year is estimated to be $860,000; the total cost is expected to exceed $4,300,000 over the next five years alone. In addition to one-time, monthly or annual gifts received in support of the Vocations and Co-Sponsored Seminarian Programs, the combined interest earned from the 19 scholarships established since first introduced in 2014 provides an additional source of revenue as the Co-Sponsored Seminarian Program continues to thrive, and expenses increase. Named and endowed scholarships assist with current costs while helping to build a long-term sustainable source of revenue as prayers for vocations to the priesthood and military chaplaincy continue to be answered. The name, photo, diocese or religious order of most of the 43 co-sponsored seminarians, and the co-sponsored priests ordained 2018-2020, may be found on page 26-27 of the Christmas 2020 issue of Salute. Please keep them in your prayers, and if in a position to do so, please consider a donation. V For information about establishing a scholarship, email mlavin@milarch.org or call (440) 223-6482.
THE ST. JOHN VIANNEY CIRCLE PLAQUE WAS INSTALLED NEXT TO THE ST. GEORGE’S CIRCLE PLAQUE ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE EDWIN CARDINAL O’BRIEN PASTORAL CENTER. THE ST. GEORGE’S CIRCLE FOR RETIRED Spring 2021 CHAPLAINS WAS THE FIRST AMS DONOR RECOGNITION SOCIETY.
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THE HARVEST CONTINUES...
NAME: Rev. Mr. Jason Allan (ARCH)DIOCESE / RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY: Fort Worth, TX ARMED FORCES BRANCH: Navy RANK: COLLEGE(S) / UNIVERSITY(IES) / SEMINARY(IES) ATTENDED (DEGREES AWARDED): Holy Trinity Seminary/University of Dallas, Saint Joseph Seminary College, Theological College/ Catholic University of America. HIGH SCHOOL(S) ATTENDED: Keller High School HOBBIES: Reading, Pool, Darts, Ping Pong, and Woodworking. TEAM SPORTS: Soccer
WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE A VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD? I first began discerning the priesthood while attending a retreat my junior year of high school. WHO OR WHAT EVENTS INFLUENCED YOUR DISCERNMENT JOURNEY? Father Kyle Walterscheid, Vocation Director for Fort Worth at the time, and my parish priests, Monsignor James Hart and Father Dennis Smith, were very influential. My youth minister and confirmation sponsor were also important. WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? People are often surprised when I say I enjoy reading fiction, particularly plays and poetry.
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WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SCRIPTURE PASSAGE, WHY? “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it” (Jn 1:5). Its imagery, and that of the whole Prologue, is very beautiful and inspires perseverance and trust in God. HOW DID YOU COME TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST PERSONALLY? My relationship with Jesus developed greatly when I began altar serving in middle school. WHAT SPIRITUAL EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES HELPED YOU DEVELOP AND SHARE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH? During confirmation preparation, as a sophomore in high school, I came to know more about Christ and love Him more. The retreat my junior year, when I began discerning, was also important. WHAT SAINTS OR CHURCH LEADERS INSPIRED YOUR DISCERNMENT JOURNEY? Saint Thomas Aquinas has been a major figure in my spiritual life. His love of Christ and devotion, both spiritually and intellectually, are very influential for me. WHAT WAS THE BACKGROUND BEFORE APPLYING TO BE A SEMINARIAN? I entered seminary directly after graduating high school. WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING? I am currently reading the Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens and Faith Formation in a Secular Age by Andrew Root. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPIRITUAL BOOK? My favorites are anything by Fulton Sheen or Benedict XVI. If I had to pick one, I would probably say Benedict’s Jesus of Nazareth. WHO ARE YOUR HEROES OR PEOPLE YOU SIGNIFICANTLY ADMIRE? In particular, I admire Thomas Aquinas. I began to take my faith seriously and entered seminary during Benedict XVI’s papacy. His writings and talks were very influential. J. R. R. Tolkien has become more and more prominent in my life as well. HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE YOUR PRAYER LIFE? My prayer life is primarily rooted in the breviary and a daily holy hour. As I progress further in seminary, I have found great peace and surety. V Spring 2021
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World War II Chaplain Hero Father Thomas Conway Posthumously Awarded Navy Cross BY TAYLOR HENRY
midnight in the Philippine Sea, tossing hundreds who survived the initial explosion overboard.
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ather Thomas Conway, CHC, LT, USN, a diocesan priest of Buffalo, NY, was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross on 8 January 2021 in his hometown of Waterbury, CT. The Navy Cross is the second-highest military decoration in both the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps. The medal is awarded to Sailors or Marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. Father Conway received the award for his bravery following the 30 July 1945 sinking of the USS Indianapolis (CA-35) on which he served as a Catholic chaplain. A Japanese submarine torpedoed the Portland class heavy cruiser shortly after
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For three days in shark-infested waters without food, drink, or shade, Father Conway, 37, heroically swam back and forth between groups of survivors, offering comfort, prayers, baptism, last rites, and encouragement to keep the faith and not lose hope of eventual rescue. Help did finally come, but by then, the priest hero was lost. According to detailed accounts, at least 67 Sailors among those rescued survived thanks to Chaplain Conway’s support, assistance, encouragement, and grace under brutal circumstances. During the 2:00 p.m. award ceremony at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Waterbury, Monsignor John Blevins, a retired Navy chaplain and former pastor at the Basilica, received the medal on behalf
of Father Conway, who was baptized there and graduated from the Basilica’s grammar school. Navy Secretary Kenneth J. Braithwaite said, “Father Conway wasn’t a young man, but he gave his all in his duty as he swam from group to group. Three and a half days in the water. Nothing to drink. Nothing to eat. And yet he went on.” Father Conway stands among an elite group of Catholic priests who have received some of the U.S. Military’s highest decorations for their bravery in action. Since the Civil War, all five U.S. Military Chaplains who have received the nation’s top military honor, the Medal of Honor, were Catholic priests: Fathers Joseph O’Callahan, Emil Kapaun, Vincent Capodanno, Charles Watters, and Charles Liteky. For many years the Navy held off awarding Father Conway the Navy Cross because none of the priesthero’s senior officers were still living to endorse the award, as required by Navy Rules. In 2014, though, U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (DCT), joined by Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), introduced a Senate resolution presenting new evidence and documentation about
Father Conway’s service record in the Navy. Those efforts led eventually to the presentation on Friday. His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, commented on the presentation of the Navy Cross to Father Conway: “This exemplary Navy Chaplain demonstrates on a grand scale what chaplains do every day. They put service and the needs of others before self. I am grateful for this belated recognition for Father Conway, and chaplains everywhere can find encouragement in his heroism.” V
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF BUFFALO.
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Archbishop Broglio Affirms Dignity of Every Person from Conception to Natural Death BY TAYLOR HENRY
“Tonight, Sisters and Brothers, we gather in prayer for the respect of life, the healing of those in error, and for a renewal of our ability to be effective witnesses of His truth which leads to everlasting life.” So spoke Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio on the evening of 28 January 2021 during a reflection on Christ’s call to follow Him in the first Holy Hour of a nationally-televised virtual Vigil for Life at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. The annual Vigil for Life, marking the anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Roe v. Wade recognizing a “constitutional right” to abortion, normally draws thousands to the Basilica in Northeast Washington, DC, but this year, on the 48th anniversary, it was held with the participation of 250 persons permitted by the District of Columbia in response to the pandemic, but also with the virtual participation of many through the live transmission by EWTN and several other Catholic networks, including CatholicTV, New Evangelization Television, the Catholic Faith Network, and We Are One Body Radio.
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Archbishop Broglio affirmed “the dignity of every human person from conception to natural death.” He called Roe an “error” that failed to recognize that dignity, and he invited the faithful to pursue forms of political action to bring about the “change and conversion” of a sinful people. “We make mistakes,” the Archbishop said. “Roe v. Wade cost 65 million lives. We mourn that loss and the grief of millions of mothers and fathers wounded by their decision.” “You and I strive to correct that error in many ways. Tonight we reaffirm our willingness to treat every other person with his or her dignity as one created in the image and likeness of Almighty God. We can disagree on issues, but we never descend to name-calling, abrasiveness, or a lack of respect.” The Archbishop invited the faithful to pray for “the conversion of all of those who profit from the killing of unborn children, the continuation of structures that promote poverty, or the failure of offering pregnant women the ability to choose life. May the Lord and our good witness open their hearts to the truth. The Lord Jesus told us that His word is truth!” “...following Christ means knowing God forgives the sorrowful. “A theme which unites us this evening is divine mercy,” Archbishop Broglio said. “As we announce the truth about human life we never forget that we are also promotors of the mercy illustrated so dramatically from the Cross when the Lord Jesus prayed: ‘Father, forgive them they know not what they do.’ (Lk. 23:34). The hand of our divine Father is never too short to forgive every sin, even those that are most grave. All that is necessary is a repentant heart. You and I never miss an opportunity to announce that loving forgiveness held out to every person in his or her need.” V
To read the full text of Archbishop Broglio’s reflection, visit: milarch.org/archbishop-homilies. To watch the video, visit: https://youtu.be/BXciMljWVHs Spring 2021
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VIRTUAL CATHOLIC CONFERENCE SUPPORTS MILITARY YOUNG ADULTS
BY CASSANDRA “CASEY” LEE
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very year, the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS) participates in the Fellowship of Catholic University Student’s (FOCUS) annual Catholic conference. This year’s conference, SEEK21, was unique in that it followed suit with many other national gatherings and took place virtually 4-7 February 2021. What remained the same was the Archdiocese’s commitment to partake in the event and support military young adult participants. The AMS served as a SEEK21 sponsor, which included the Office of Evangelization and the Office of Vocations working together to host
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a virtual booth where conference participants learned about the Archdiocese’s mission and the need for vocations to the military chaplaincy. In the booth, several videos shared information about discernment retreats, the life of a chaplain, and young adult ministry in the military. Throughout the conference, the AMS staff and AMS Co-sponsored Seminarians were available to meet with SEEK21 participants for question and answer sessions virtually. Archbishop Broglio hosted a Holy Hour for Vocations in conjunction with SEEK21 on Saturday, 6
February at 7 PM Eastern time. The holy hour was live-streamed on the AMS Facebook page. All SEEK21 participants who visited the AMS sponsor booth and military young adults registered for the conference were invited to unite in prayer to increase vocations to the priesthood and religious life. The Archdiocese supported this effort by inviting military young adults to gather for a small in-person group or a small digital group. 134 military young adults participated in SEEK21 from several various military installations to include: Norfolk Station, VA; Kings Bay, GA; Camp Arifjan, Kuwait; Yokota AB,
Japan; Camp Humphreys, South Korea; Laughlin AFB, TX; Luke AFB, AZ; Wiesbaden, Germany; Fort Polk, LA; NAF Atsugi, Japan; Fort Drum, NY; Fort Hood, TX; Camp Foster, Japan; and West Point, NY. Of the small in-person groups, the experience varied with location and availability of chapel support. Seymour-Johnson AFB had a small group that was only able to participate virtually due to social interaction restrictions; however, the chapel hosted an Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament for SEEK21 participants. The small group at continued on page 42
ADORATION OF THE BLESSED SACRAMENT HELD IN THE SEYMOUR JOHNSON CHAPEL.
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VIRTUAL CATHOLIC CONFERENCE... CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41
SSGT. RYAN CAREL AND MRS. DARBY CAREL LEADERS OF THE SEYMOUR JOHNSON SMALL GROUP.
Camp Arifjan viewed some of the keynote sessions live when the timing matched off-hours from individual work schedules. Norfolk Station’s small group facilitated the SEEK21 experience in the small group leader’s home, and they had the support of one of the priest chaplains with a holy hour and Mass. Yokota AB planned and organized their SEEK21 experience for two weeks after the scheduled conference due to the time difference, which would not have allowed them to live-
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stream the keynote sessions. This allowed the young adult group to put a safety plan together to utilize the virtual conference’s chapel facilities. Father Mark Bristol, U.S. Navy chaplain, facilitated a SEEK21 experience on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, currently deployed at sea. Although internet connectivity was intermittent, he hosted a holy hour in conjunction with the International Prayer Vigil. Six Sailors participated in the holy hour, and for many of them, it was their first experience of adoration in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Father Bristol shared that in the experience, “the Holy Spirit reminded us that we, even though we were in the middle of the ocean, we’re not alone.” Military young adults who individually registered were invited and participated in a digital small group that the Office of Evangelization facilitated on a video teleconference application. Each day, the small digital group met online to pray and reflect on the keynote and impact sessions.
The FOCUS conferences always provide an opportunity for the faithful to encounter and grow deeper in their relationship with Jesus Christ and his Church. SEEK21 was no exception to this, and the change to a virtual conference facilitated a small community experience that has impacted the lives intimately of many military young adults. V CAMP ARIF-JAN SMALL GROUP WATCHING A KEYNOTE SESSION. SEEK21 SMALL GROUP AT CAMP FOSTER WITH FATHER JACK FITZPATRICK, LTJG, CHAPLAIN CORPS, U.S. NAVY.
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The Year of Saint Joseph BY MARK MOITOZA, TH.D.
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THE ADORATION OF THE CHRIST CHILD, ALESSANDRO BOTTICELLI (CA 1500)
ope Francis declared a special Year of Saint Joseph, from 8 December 2020 until 8 December 2021. This celebration marks the 150th anniversary of the declaration of Saint Joseph as Patron of the Universal Church. The Holy Father’s Apostolic Letter, Patris Corde (“With a Father’s Heart,”) describes the often overlooked courageous and tender presence of a father. Reflecting upon the gifts of fatherhood throughout the year will help each of us recognize our need for conversion, so that like Joseph, we may place all our trust in God the Father.
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One of the few statues brought out for every Catholic Mass celebrated in military chapels is Saint Joseph. These statues at different installations typically have some symbol attributed to his work as a carpenter. Growing up in a military family, I recall that even though these statues looked different they all conveyed a reassuring presence. Many years later, I encountered a fresco of the death of Saint Joseph. It was situated among many images of Mary’s life that hung above the main aisle of the cathedral in Speyer, Germany. I realized then that I did not know that much about the earthly father of Jesus. In fact, scripture reveals little about Saint Joseph. We do, however, learn that he was a man of faith who responded to dreams. God communicated to Joseph through the angels to guide his path. Joseph’s response overcame any fears that may have been weighing him down. We also learn that Joseph protected his family and moved his family to safety, even though it meant being far from the familiar. We can surmise that through his trade as a carpenter Joseph provided for the earthly needs of his family while also sharing his woodworking skills with Jesus. Through these few references, we recognize that Joseph was a just man, he was humble, he protected and provided for his family. He also shared love, mercy, and tenderness. Joseph modeled obedience, practiced acceptance, and exhibited creative courage while continually serving as a father in the shadows. All of these attributes are detailed in the Holy Father’s apostolic letter mentioned above. This year, spending time reflecting on these positive attributes of fatherhood helps us recognize God’s presence in both the light and the shadows. In his letter, Pope Francis writes, “How many people daily exercise patience and offer hope, taking care to spread not panic, but shared responsibility. How many fathers, mothers, grandparents and teachers show our children, in small everyday ways, how to accept and deal with a crisis by adjusting their routines, looking ahead and encouraging the practice of prayer. How many are praying, making sacrifices, and interceding for the good of all.” continued on page 46 Spring 2021
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Year of Saint Joseph With the backdrop of the enduring pandemic, Pope Francis encourages the faithful to rediscover Saint Joseph, “the man who goes unnoticed, a daily, discreet and hidden presence,” as an intercessor and source of support and guidance. Learn how you can celebrate the Year of Saint Joseph, seek a plenary indulgence, and read the Holy Father’s apostolic letter on the AMS website, https://www.milarch.org/year-of-saint-joseph/. V
Pope Francis Prayer to Saint Joseph Hail, Guardian of the Redeemer, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary. To you God entrusted his only Son; in you Mary placed her trust; with you Christ became man. Blessed Joseph, to us too, show yourself a father and guide us in the path of life. Obtain for us grace, mercy, and courage, and defend us from every evil. Amen.
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Save the Dates All events are subject to change based on governmental mandates.
27th Annual Memorial Mass
16 May 2021 - 4:30 p.m. Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception 400 Michigan Avenue N.E., Washington, D.C. 20017 Archbishop Broglio will be the principal celebrant and homilist.
For God and Country Discernment Retreat for priests discerning military chaplaincy
28 June - 2 July 2021 Washington, D.C. 20017 Archbishop Broglio will participate. Interested priests may register on the AMS website or contact AMS Chancellor Father Robert Cannon at chancellor@milarch.org
85th Annual Convention of the Catholic War Veterans & Auxiliary of the United States 2-8 August 2021 New York, NY
The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA Co-Sponsored Seminarians CORRECTION: Three seminarians were inadvertantly left out of the centerfold composite in our Christmas 2020 issue.
Liam O’Shea-Creal Diocese of Lincoln Navy
Conrad Jaconette Diocese of Owensboro Air Force
Peter Ludwig Diocese of Lansing Navy Spring 2021
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– Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio
“Hallelujah, He is Risen!”
“Serving Those Who Serve”
P.O. Box 4469 Washington, D.C. 20017-0469
Archdiocese For The Military Services, USA NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID SOMD PERMIT #1169
