Deep in the Heart of Texas

DEEP IN THE HEART OF

BY BISHOP NEAL J. BUCKON

It is an honor and a privilege for me to visit the Department of Defense Installations in the Lone Star State every year. The pastoral visitations to our Catholic communities are in ten chapels and three hospitals. Having already visited Fort Bliss and its Medical center right after Thanksgiving, my first stop was Sheppard AFB, which sits on Wichita Falls’ outskirts. It is the most important, largest, and most diversified site for Air Education and Training Command. Father Basil Eruo, the active-duty Catholic chaplain ministers to thousands of initial-entry Airmen as they attend various technical schools in preparation for their follow-on assignments. It is always a graced moment when the Airmen are also able to receive sacraments of initiation. I sealed three such Airmen with the gifts of the Holy Spirit at the rite of confirmation.

BISHOP BUCKON AND FATHER ERUO AND THE SHEPPARD AFB CONFIRMATION CLASS WITH SPONSORS

My next stop was the Naval Air Station and Joint Reserve Base at Fort Worth (NAS JRB Fort Worth). Father Richard Flores is the contract priest. The size of his congregation is determined by the number and size of the Reserve Units drilling on a particular weekend. The reservists do not have the time to search for a Catholic church in Fort Worth. Instead, they fulfill their Sunday obligation at the base chapel and quickly return to their unit after grabbing a cup of coffee and a donut provided by the retirees that have made this chapel their spiritual home.

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BISHOP BUCKON PREACHING ON ASH WEDNESDAY AT FORT HOOD.

I always enjoy visiting “The Great Place” on Fat Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. Father (Captain) Alec Scott met me when I arrived at Fort Hood. He arranged for my transportation to Darnall Army Medical Center, where I celebrated Mass with Father Biju Cleatus, the contract priest. There was standing room only in the chapel, and many remained after Mass to request personal prayers and blessings. I was humbled by their piety.

That evening we celebrated confirmation at the Spirit of Fort Hood Chapel, where the St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic community worships. The confirmation class was enthusiastic and well prepared, and they and their families had a wonderful experience of our Church in the celebration of a sacrament. Afterward, I enjoyed dinner with Father Scott, Father (Major) Matthew Whitehead, and the Pastoral Advisory Council (PAC). We spoke about the upcoming Eucharistic Revival. The two Ash Wednesday Masses were packed with masked soldiers and family members.

Father (Major) Nicholas Reid received me at Joint Base San Antonio. We celebrated Mass at the Brooke Army Medical Center on Friday. On Saturday, Father Reid arranged for me to meet with Father Phil Mahalic, the GS priest for Randolph AFB; Father Joseph Udeze, the GS priest for Fort

Sam Houston; and himself, an active-duty Catholic chaplain, assigned to Lackland AFB. We exchanged information and then celebrated Saturday’s Mass of anticipation and confirmation. Covid 19 reduced the number of candidates for confirmation and permitted us to fit comfortably into the historic Gift Chapel of Fort Sam Houston. I celebrated Mass for the First Sunday of Lent with the future medics and corpsmen for the Army, Navy, and Air Force.

After Mass, Private Carmen Payne, an Army medic-in-training, approached me and reminded me that I had baptized her at Fort Stewart, GA, about 22 years ago. Her mother, Kate, was the volunteer who prepared our Sunday

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BISHOP BUCKON AND PRIVATE CARMEN PAYNE AT FORT SAM HOUSTON.

bulletin. So, I did remember Carmen! The final Mass took place in the Freedom Chapel at Lackland AFB after which the JBSA priests treated me to a fraternal dinner.

The road trip continued westward to Laughlin AFB. Father (Captain) George Patau’ave hosted my visit. He arranged for me to receive training in a T-6 simulator. I simulated flying over San Antonio and onward to Corpus Christi. I also prayed at the Single Laughlin Airmen Dinner (SLAM) when several scores of airmen came to the chapel for a steak dinner. It was a great way of meeting the airmen that support the mission of training the future pilots of the USAF. Clergy from the three Catholic churches in Del Rio joined us to celebrate the Confirmation Mass and the reception that followed. It was a wonderful experience of solidarity!

BISHOP BUCKON AND INSTRUCTORS IN THE T-6 SIMULATOR AT LAUGHLIN AFB. L-R: CAPTAIN JOHN CHAMPAGNE, BISHOP BUCKON, AND CAPTAIN BENJAMIN WILD.

Father (Captain) Guy Kagere met me at Goodfellow AFB on the outskirts of San Angelo. We took lunch in the dining facility with young service members of the Air Force, Space Force, Army, Coast Guard, Navy, and Marine Corps. They are present for cryptologic and intelligence training. Two candidates were presented for the sacrament of confirmation.

The final stop was Dyess AFB on the outskirts of Abilene. Father Bhaskar Morugudi, a contract priest, will probably tell you that I saved the best for last. The base chapel recently reopened after a lengthy renovation, and the community of believers is elated to have returned to God’s house of prayer. Although it was the Second Sunday of Lent, the chapel was meticulously and beautifully decorated as two were confirmed and four received their First Holy Communion.

Deep in the heart of Texas, you will find patriotic Americans that love God, love their country, and love their chapels. It is a blessing for me to visit them once a year and be a part of their lives. In addition, I thoroughly enjoy meeting with our priests and discussing how we can improve upon Serving Those Who Serve. Every road trip in Texas always turns out really well, and I can only conclude that it is because of Divine Providence! V