THE CHOSEN: Experiencing the Face of God

BY BISHOP F. RICHARD SPENCER

May you enjoy a very Happy and Blessed Easter experience! Rejoice, for the Lord is risen, and we experience the face of His presence through each one of us and through the diverse ministries that we exercise as His disciples within this global Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA!

Yes, you have been called to manifest your creation in the image and likeness of God. For example, this past October three new Military Section members of the Middle Atlantic Lieutenancy of e Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher of Jerusalem (EOHSJ), were chosen to join this service-oriented Catholic Order of Knighthood under the patronage of the Holy See. Congratulations to Sir Mark Baaden, Sir George Farris, and Sir Robert Feliz! Likewise, ve from our Military Section were chosen to advance in leadership roles: promoted to Knight Commander, Sir Daniel ompson. Promoted to Knight Commander with Star, Sir James Gregory Jolissaint, and Sir Guy Sands-Pingot. Promoted to Dame Commander with Star, Dame

Deborah Ann Jolissaint, and Dame

Anita Marie Raines. (New members and promoted members pictured on page 18). To learn more about EOHSJ, contact the Military Section Leader, Colonel Anita Raines amraines17@ gmail.com

Also recently chosen for special recognition were two of our USAF student priests, Father Aaron Ferris from Hill AFB and Father Tim Mergen. Father Mergen was selected to receive the highly-coveted Commandant’s Award for the best student paper composed during the course of their studies. He re ected on the life of Saint Martin of Tours and how it applied to today’s military chaplaincy. In the picture below, le to right, are Father Reutemann, the Course Manager for the Basic O cer Course of the USAF Chaplain School, Father Mergen, Bishop F. Richard Spencer, Father Aaron Ferris, and Father Paul Amaliri, who is completing his one-year residency coursework, Air Command and Sta College (ACSC). continued on page 20

Another recent “chosen” story happened at Fort Gordon Army Hospital this past February where the full-time hospital contract priest, Father Tommy Raphael, was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, USAR, for the Army Chaplaincy. e faith community for the hospital chapel gathered for the daily hospital Mass (pictured below) and then celebrated with a festive luncheon in the hallways of the hospital, thus allowing many folks to stop by and congratulate Father Raphael on his commissioning as an Army O cer.

Later that same evening while at Fort Gordon I celebrated the sacrament of con rmation for six young adults who were prepared to complete their initiation in the Catholic Church. In this chapel con rmation clergy picture, along with the Con rmandi, are (le to right) Father Okoth, senior priest for Fort Gordon, Father Raphael, the hospital contract chaplain, Bishop Spencer, and Father Simon Obeng, contract chapel priest. V