Salute - Summer 2021

SUMMER 2021

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA

GRATEFUL FOR THE HARVEST Could you walk a mile in these boots?

Summer 2021

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Dear Friends,

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here is a bit of uncertainty in the air. Some days usher in extremely high temperatures and others are in the upper 40’s. However, airports are filling up and it would seem that the long shut-down is drawing to a close.

The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, rejoices, because spring and summer occasion the ordination of several priests and transitional deacons.

Those workers for the harvest are urgently sought and fill a tremendous, ever-growing need.

Even as the pandemic winds down in the United States, summer in the military marks the PCS or Permanent change of station season. We might call it the time for transfers and for that reason there are not too many pastoral visits that take place in the month of July or early August. However, the men and women who serve this country continue to be vigilant so as to protect the freedoms we enjoy. Troops are still deploying and families are keeping vigil.

As in most dioceses, summer offers the occasion to evaluate the pastoral year that has just ended, decide how best to continue the most successful programs, and design the order of pastoral visits to be made.

The Young Adult Symposium will offer an opportunity to see how the young people might be served better and offer part of the AMS contribution to the upcoming Synod of Bishops. The new Vicar General, Monsignor Jeffrey Laible has arrived and preparations are underway to welcome the new Vocations Director.

Their arrivals will be quickly followed by the annual Labor Day gathering with the co-sponsored deacons and seminarians.

This issue of Salute will offer some of the highlights of the activities surrounding Holy Week and Easter, tells of the annual Memorial Mass, and, as always, continues to relate the story of the chaplains and their activities. Their ministry continues to buttress the service of the men and women and families who selflessly serve our Nation.

Allow me to confess that the cancellation of two international meetings in Europe did not distress me too much! However, the fall will bring four convocations for the priests in service to the military and one for the priests who so zealously serve in the Department for Veterans’ Affairs.

I hope that you will enjoy this issue. Thanking you for your continued support, I wish you a restful, virus-free, and renewing summer.

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 2 SUMMER 2021

TA B L E o f C O N T E N T S 4 Opening Soon? Always a People of Hope!

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio 12 Chapel Volunteers

Bishop F. Richard Spencer 14 New Springtime in a Young Church Bishop Bill Muhm 18 Travel Starts to Pickup Bishop Joseph Coffey 21 Father S. Matthew Gray Named

Vocations Director Taylor Henry 24 Monsignor Jeffrey G. Laible Named

Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia Taylor Henry 34 The Harvest Continues Meet Seminarian Reverend Mr. Peter J. St. George 36 Archbishop Issues Guidance on

Coronavirus Vaccines 38 The Lay Ministry of Catechist José Amaya 40 Amoris Laetitia Family Year

19 March 2021 – 26 June 2022

Mark Moitoza, TH.D. COVER PHOTO BY USAF AIRMAN 1ST CLASS ZACHARY CACICIA - 23 FEB 2014, CATHOLIC MASS AT DOVER AFB

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.

SUMMER 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

GRATEFUL FOR THE HARVEST

Military Services, P.O. Box 4469, Washington, D.C., USA 20017-0469 Feedback, letters to the editor: editor@milarch.org | Website: www.milarch.org Summer 2021

Could you walk a mile in these boots?

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There is a sense of anticipation in the air.

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radually restrictions are easing, but uncertainty is still very evident. My pastoral planning and activities continue to be determined by what military and the Department of Veterans Affairs’ authorities will permit.

It is important, however, to keep asking the question and to make every attempt to attend to the

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legitimate aspirations of the faithful entrusted to my pastoral care.

My Auxiliary Bishops make the same attempts to offer pastoral care for the people of this global archdiocese.

One innovation has been to celebrate some confirmations for the Washington Military District here at the Edwin Cardinal O’Brien Pastoral Center. It is possible to accommodate smaller groups, ensure social distancing, and provide

Opening soon?

Always a People of Hope!

BY ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO

ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO (CENTER) BLESSING THE HOLY OILS DURING THE CHRISM MASS, 23 MARCH 2021, IN THE CRYPT CHURCH OF THE BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, WASHINGTON, D.C.

a worthy celebration for the gift of the Holy Spirit. However, it has also been possible to visit and celebrate confirmation at Joint Base Myer Henderson Hall, Quantico, and Fort Belvoir. At the last-mentioned installation, social distancing dictated two confirmation Masses in one evening.

The Academies also opened their doors this year. West Point welcomed me for confirmation and a Sunday Mass in February

and Holy Thursday and Good Friday. Annapolis opened its doors for confessions, the Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday Mass, and more confirmations are scheduled in June.

The Coast Guard Academy had me celebrate a Sunday Mass right after Easter, and the Air Force Academy had baptisms and confirmations on the first Sunday of May.

In addition, I made brief visits to Fort Carson, Peterson Air continued on page 6 Summer 2021

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Force Base, and confirmed those of the 10th Air Base Wing (Community Center of the Air Force Academy) at Peterson, as well.

I believed the meteorologists and canceled my brief visit to F.E. Warren Air Force Base. As it turned out, it would have been possible to visit there and arrive at Colorado Springs before the snowfall. Always

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beware of those who predict mounds of snow. It is not an exact science!

It was a pleasure to fill in for Bishop Michael Fisher, who before his transfer to Buffalo was due to ordain eight men to the diaconate in March. The splendid celebration was held in the beautiful chapel of the Dominican House of Studies.

A Dominican whom I had ordained

L-R: ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO, PETER ST. GEORGE AND BISHOP MICHAEL BURBIDGE AFTER THE DIACONAL ORDINATION 10 APRIL 2021

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a priest served as the Master of Ceremonies.

I went from that celebration to the airport in order to fly to Columbia, South Carolina, for a very brief visit to Fort Jackson and the priests who were in Chaplain School there. Fathers John Gabriel and Pawel Zemczak coordinated all of the details, including ordering a take-out dinner because the student priests were not allowed to leave the installation.

It had been some NEWLY ORDAINED FATHERS MICHAEL KAPOLKA (LEFT) AND time since my last visit EDWARD HOFFMANN (RIGHT) WITH ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY BROGLIO (CENTER) IN CINCINNATI, OH, ON 15 MAY 2021. there, and it was a pleasure PHOTO COURTESY OF THE CATHOLIC TELEGRAPH. to celebrate Mass with a group of trainees and then reflection during the holy Season with the regular chapel community.

The AMS was back at the of Lent. The Evangelization Office Basilica of the National Shrine of the prepared two opportunities for the Immaculate Conception for a rather day of recollection, which was liveintimate Chrism Mass in the crypt streamed from the pastoral center. I church. At that point, the mayor was grateful for this chance to reach of Washington only permitted 250 out virtually to a portion of the flock. people in the building at the same It is probably something that can be continued. Even after the pandemic, time!

The pandemic did force the AMS will still be a global reality the Archdiocese to look for a with little opportunity to convoke way to gather our catechists and her faithful. continued on page 8 others for a moment of prayer and Summer 2021

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L-R: MONSIGNOR JOHN R. MCLAUGHLIN, JR., (FORMER VOCATIONS DIRECTOR FOR THE AMS) FATHER STEPHEN B. ROCK, CHC, CAPT, USN (RET.), FATHER DAVID A. CAMPO LTJG, USN, A PROSPECTIVE UNITED STATES NAVY CHAPLAIN, ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO, FATHER WILLIAM D. DEVINE, CHC, CAPT, USN (RET.), AND FATHER STEPHEN J. LINEHAN, CHC, CAPT, USN (RET.), ON 22 MAY 2021, IN BOSTON, MA. PHOTO COURTESY OF GEORGE MARTELL - ARCHDIOCESE OF BOSTON

The MCCW Eastern Region prepared its virtual retreat for the weekend after Easter, but I was invited to celebrate and record the Sunday Mass at the Divine Mercy Shrine in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, on Easter Tuesday (6 April). It was my first visit to the beautiful shrine, and I was very grateful for the opportunity to tour the facility, spend some time with the Provincial Superior of the Marians,

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and with AMS co-sponsored Deacon Brother Matthew Tomeny.

The shrine is not far from Hartford, and so I stayed with my good friend, the Archbishop of Hartford, and enjoyed the scenic drive to and from the shrine. The time in New England provided a few days of respite after the rigors of Holy Week.

International travel returned for me. Given the restrictions

imposed by Germany, where Bishop Muhm has his base of operations, I volunteered to make a brief pastoral visit to two installations in Spain: Rota (Navy) and Morón (Air Force).

Transatlantic air travel is very different and spending hours in a mask gives me new sympathy for doctors, health care professionals, and bandits! However, the voyage was smooth, and the welcome was extraordinarily cordial.

Father Tomek Maka (Detroit) made certain that confirmation

and Sunday Mass went well and the Catholic Women of the Chapel provided an abundance of Spanish goodies. My last visit to Rota was in 2009 at the end of a forty-day trip that began in Kuwait on the vigil of my arrival in Baghdad.

The Spanish contract priest at Morón, Father Pedro Sola, also ensured a memorable visit which included two remarkable luncheons.

Both the Spanish and the US Commanders spent a great deal of continued on page 10

L-R: BISHOP JOE S. VÁSQUEZ, NEWLY ORDAINED PRIESTS FATHER ENRIQUE SADA-COETO AND FATHER CALLAN SWEENEY, 1LT, USA, A PROSPECTIVE UNITED STATES ARMY CHAPLAIN, AND ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO IN AUSTIN, TX, ON 5 JUNE 2021. PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DIOCESE OF AUSTIN.

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opening soon? time with me, and it was a privilege to give one of the latter’s daughters her first Holy Communion.

As usual, spring occasions the renewal of nature and the ordination season for the Church. The Auxiliary Bishops and I share the opportunities to participate in the ordinations of the co-sponsored seminarians.

The diaconate ordinations of Peter St. George (Arlington) and Liam O’Shea Creal (Lincoln) and the priestly ordinations of Fathers Edward Hoffmann, Michael Kapolka (Cincinnati), David Campo (Boston), Callan Sweeney (Austin), and Patrick Costello (Green Bay) fell to me, but fortunately, there are more to come.

It is such a privilege to know these fine young men and to experience the joy of the local Church as new ministers are ordained to serve the people. Even in the midst of the restrictions, cathedrals were as filled as social distancing would allow, and the profound joy could not be missed. These committed men and the enthusiastic response to their affirmative response to the Lord’s call are a great source of hope. The Lord is watching over and providing for His people gathered in the Church.

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On the occasion of a recent pastoral visit to the Marine Installation at Quantico, I was reminded of the intentionality with which the MCCW supports the cosponsored vocations program. The women keep the seminarians in their prayers, keep track of the upcoming ordinations, and even maintain some contact with them. I was touched to receive a poster with pictures of all of those to be ordained to the priesthood and the diaconate this year.

This spring, the Archdiocese of Washington asked me to take a few confirmations for them, and I was happy to do so. Two of them provided me an opportunity to visit a part of the city unknown to me. The welcome from the communities was always very warm.

Needless to add, the work of Catholic Relief Services on whose board I serve and the USCCB of which I am an officer has continued despite the pandemic. We are all getting better at zoom meetings. At least one saves the travel time, but for me, the Bishops’ Conference office building is within walking distance.

At this time, we are engaged in planning for the pastoral year to

begin at the end of August. It is good to consider how we will move forward, but it is important to remain open to the generous initiative of

Almighty God. We may not always know what will be open and running, but we can always be certain that the Lord walks with us. V

MARINES FROM MARINE CORPS EMBASSY SECURITY GROUP (MCESG) MEETING WITH ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO DURING HIS QUANTICO VISIT.

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CHAPEL VOLUNTEERS The definition of volunteer by Merriam-Webster is a person who voluntarily undertakes or expresses a willingness to undertake a service. People volunteer in our military chapels for various reasons.

For some, it offers the chance to give something back to the community or make a difference to the people around them.

For others, it provides an opportunity to develop a deeper faith or build on existing religious experiences and knowledge. What makes a good military chapel volunteer? Volunteering obliges you to be selfless and focus only on how you can create a meaningful impact. Great volunteers understand this and are eager to do everything possible to bring about a positive change.

There are many benefits to volunteering in our military chapels. It can help you build confidence and grow in your faith. It might be the chance to try something new and build a real sense of Church family. Chapel volunteering can help you feel part of something beyond your friends and family.

Volunteers possess some valuable skills: commitment, compassion, leadership, teamwork, time management, communication, and a strong desire to serve others and serve the Lord.

No doubt, our military chapels are dependent upon dedicated volunteers.

One of the many ways that we express our thanks to our volunteers is by public recognition for those who go beyond what might be expected of every confirmed Catholic. Indeed all of the baptized form the Church and are charged to build her into an ever-more vibrant community.

The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, has established a Medal of the Archdiocese which is granted only to five nominees each year. On Sunday, 7 March 2021, along with Father Jerry Sherbourne, senior Priest at Fort Stewart, we had the joy, in representation of Archbishop Broglio, to honor one of these extraordinary volunteers, Mr. Miguel A. Cruz-Lopez.

Mr. Cruz-Lopez has served the Catholic Chapel community of Fort Stewart as a volunteer for the past 31 years. Throughout his time of exceptional

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BY BISHOP F. RICHARD SPENCER

service, he has provided stability, continuity, and support to the many priests who have served this chapel community. In addition to serving the pastoral needs of Soldiers, family members, and retirees of Fort Stewart, Mr. Cruz-Lopez gives active witness by his fidelity to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Therefore, the AMS was pleased to recognize his long service as a chapel volunteer with this extraordinary award.

Also this past spring season of 2021, the Archdiocese was delighted to recognize Mrs. Dorothy Ling, Fort Leavenworth Chapel, with a Certificate of Distinguished Catholic Service for serving 23 years as an Army DRE, Fort Leavenworth. During her years of service, she supervised the religious education of over 9,000 students to include the training and assisting hundreds of catechists and volunteers. Our heartfelt gratitude and sentiments of esteem for her service given to the Catholic community.

To all of our chapel volunteers, we say THANK YOU. You are key to the activities within our military chapels. You fill an important need and we look forward to sharing your commitment to the faith throughout this global Archdiocese for the Military Services. V

L-R: BISHOP F. RICHARD SPENCER, MR. MIGUEL CRUZ-LOPEZ AND FATHER JERRY SHERBOURNE AFTER PRESENTING THE ARCHDIOCESAN MEDAL TO MR. CRUZ-LOPEZ.

FATHER JASON HESSELING, MRS. DOROTHY LING, RECEIVING THE CERTIFICATE OF DISTINGUISHED CATHOLIC SERVICE, FROM BISHOP SPENCER.

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NEW SPRINGTIME IN A YOUNG CHURCH

BY BISHOP BILL MUHM

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his past spring, I visited every military installation in Japan and Korea with a Catholic chapel community. Later in the Spring, I led the Air Force Priests Retreat in Florida and confirmed AMS Catholics in Grafenwöhr, Ramstein, Stuttgart, Ansbach, Hohenfels, Wiesbaden, Germany; Brunssum, Netherlands; SHAPE, Belgium; Vicenza and Aviano, Italy; and Lakenheath, Alconbury, and Croughton, England.

Most AMS Catholic communities are anchored by a core group of loyal military retirees who provide long-term stability, memory, and generous offering fund donations. I found one notable exception to this general rule. At Naval Air Facility Atsugi, a small base about one hour SW of Tokyo, the chapel occupies the oldest and most culturally significant building on base. This former martial arts dojo predates World War II. Legend says that when General MacArthur first arrived in Japan in 1945 to establish U.S. occupation, he landed at Atsugi Air Field before embarking on a windshield tour of

the base. According to legend, he saw the martial arts dojo, pointed to it, and said, “That’s going to be the chapel.”

The chapel is historic, and believers have worshiped there for many years.

However, most military retirees have joined other nearby military Catholic chapels. The remnant is a small but vibrant congregation of single Catholic service members and young active-duty families. The Coordinator of Religious Education at Atsugi is Stephanie Fries, wife of Geoff, a Navy helicopter pilot. The volunteer President of the Catholic continued on page 16

PHOTO PAGE 14: SLIPS OF PAPER WITH CHILDREN’S SINS WRITTEN ON THEM ARE BURNED AT A FIRST PENANCE LITURGY AT NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATSUGI, JAPAN IN MARCH 2021. CATHOLIC CRE STEPHANIE FRIES IS AT LEFT. FRANKIE ATKINSON, A NAVY HELICOPTER PILOT, STANDS IN THE DOORWAY. CONTRACT PRIEST FATHER KIZITO MAWAYIRA IS AT RIGHT. PHOTO BY JOHANNA MIYOSHI.

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NEW SPRINGTIME...

Advisory Council is Rae Atkinson, wife of Frankie, another Navy helicopter pilot. Along with several other young active-duty families, they have generously organized and led the community, supported by Father Kizito Mawayira, a part-time contract priest from Uganda who is assigned full-time to a nearby offbase Catholic parish. Father Kizito is very grateful for the faithful lay leadership.

Young Catholics bring energy and creative new ideas. One example is the First Reconciliation service that took place in early March 2021.

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Stephanie suggested to Father Kizito that the children write their sins on small slips of paper, which were then burned in a “sin burning” ceremony on the front porch of the historic chapel.

As Pope John Paul II said, “The Church at the dawn of the Third Millennium is young; this is a new Springtime for the Church.”

As the Church goes out to the farthest byroads of the modern world to preach the Gospel, young AMS lay Catholics are at the forefront. Thank you for your prayers and support for all of us at AMS. V

PHOTO PAGE 16: BISHOP MUHM, FATHER KIZITO MAWAYIRA, AND MEMBERS OF THE CATHOLIC COMMUNITY AT HISTORIC CHAPEL OF NAVAL AIR FACILITY ATUSGI JAPAN ON 14 MARCH 2021.

PHOTO BY MCSN RAFAEL AVELAR, USN.

PHOTO BELOW: BISHOP MUHM (LEFT) TALKS WITH GYSGT JORGE A. MARTINEZ, JR., USMC, INSTALLATION LOGISTICS CHIEF AT CAMP FUJI, JAPAN ON 15 MARCH 2021.

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Travel Starts to Pickup

BY BISHOP JOSEPH COFFEY

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s the Vicar for Veterans Affairs for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, it is a great honor and joy to travel to our Nation’s 153 Medical Centers of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VAMC). Representing Archbishop Broglio, I make pastoral visits to our priests who serve with great dedication as Catholic priest-chaplains. Many bring years of pastoral experience in civilian parishes with them to this vital ministry. The majority have served as military chaplains in one of the five branches of the military. We are still waiting for our first VA chaplain from the Space Force. Whether from the United States or another Country, all bring a missionary spirit of service.

On a recent trip to Chicago I visited the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Center near the Navy Training Center, Great Lakes, Illinois. All our Navy enlisted sailors do their basic training (boot camp) at Great Lakes. The health center is a unique facility which just marked its 10th birthday. Military active-duty personnel and civilian employees staff this combination of the Departments of Defense and of Veterans Affairs. I celebrated Mass with the two full-time Catholic chaplains: Father Anthony Rajayan, originally from India, and Father Alexander Inke, originally from Uganda. Father Inke hosted me in his home with wonderful meals and hospitality. It was a welcome change from hotels, and I always try to be a good steward of the gifts given so generously by our benefactors to cover our travel expenses.

Then I made a pastoral visit to the Chicago Hines VAMC and visited Father Christopher P. Meyers. Father Meyer’s dad had been in the Air Force as a pilot and told his son years after he retired that he had also flown missions for the CIA. The other Chicago VAMC is named for Jesse Brown, a Marine Corps Veteran and the Secretary of Veterans Affairs from 1993 to 1997.

This large facility serves many Catholic Veterans in the greater Chicago area. It has two part-time priest- chaplains: Father Robert Borre and Father Ed McKenzie, and two full-time priests: Father Hippolytus Njoku and Father Randall Roberts, OFM. Father Roberts served as a full-time Air

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Force Chaplain for 17 years and the last 13 years at the VA in Chicago as the Chief Chaplain. He will retire from the VA on 28 May of this year. He told me with understandable pride that he will have served for 30 years, two months, and two days. Well done, Bravo Zulu, Father Roberts!

It was Nurses’ Appreciation Week while I was in Chicago. I had the great honor of blessing the nurses on the various floors at the Jesse Brown VAMC. One of the great volunteers, Ms. Catherine A Phillips Ph.D., a retired researcher and clinician at the VA, as well as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion, was my tour guide. She is well known and loved on all the floors by the veterans and the staff. She even prays with the nurses on her Tuesday visits. I was grateful to be able to thank them all for taking such great care of our Veterans. continued on page 20

BISHOP COFFEY BLESSING THE NURSES FOR NURSE’S WEEK AT THE VAMC JESSE BROWN IN CHICAGO.

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Travel Starts to Pickup CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

As many readers of Salute magazine know, we have almost 50 cosponsored seminarians. One of the great joys for Archbishop Broglio, Bishop Spencer, Bishop Buckon, Bishop Muhm, and me is to concelebrate the Ordination Masses of our transitional deacons and priests. After they serve for a few years as a priest in their home dioceses, they will serve the AMS as an Army, Navy or Air Force Chaplain on active-duty. On Saturday 8 May, in Philadelphia at the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul, where I was ordained a priest 25 years ago, I concelebrated Mass with the Archbishop of Philadelphia, The Most Reverend Nelson Perez, for the Diaconal Ordination of Andrew Lane. It is was a great joy for me because I first met Andrew when he served the Nuptial Mass that I celebrate for the marriage of Lt. Maria McCrory and Lt. John Hayashi. She was stationed on the USS Antietam CG 54 when I was the Command Chaplain stationed in Yokosuka, Japan. Her future husband, a submariner was on the Admiral’s staff. In addition to witnessing their matrimony, I also baptized their first daughter, Janet. It was just one of the many joys of being a priest, military chaplain, and now Auxiliary Bishop. Thank you to all of our benefactors for your prayers and vital financial support for our ministry. God bless you. V BISHOP COFFEY WITH CATHERINE A PHILLIPS, PH.D.

RETIRED

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RESEARCHER,

CLINICIAN,

TIRELESS PRAYER WARRIOR AND VOLUNTEER EXTRAORDINAIRE!

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Father S. Matthew Gray Named Vocations Director

BY TAYLOR HENRY

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n 11 February, Archbishop Timothy Broglio announced the appointment of a new Vocations Director of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS). He is Father S. Matthew Gray, Ch, Capt, USAF, a priest of the Diocese of Charleston, SC. Father Gray replaces Father Aidan Logan, O.C.S.O., who has moved to the Archdiocese of Detroit where he now provides pastoral assistance at Assumption Grotto Church following a productive seven-year-run as AMS Vocations Director.

Father Gray, 41, is well suited for the position with experience as both a vocations director and a military chaplain. He served as Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Charleston while also serving as Air Force staff chaplain to the 169th Fighter Wing at McEntire Joint National Guard Base in Richland County, SC. He has also served both as a chaplain at The Citadel Military College and Charleston’s Diocesan Scout Chaplain.

Most recently, Father Gray was on deployment with his unit in the Middle East, where he commented on his new appointment: “Being in a deployed location, the last thing I ever expected was to get a phone call from Archbishop Broglio asking continued on page 22 Summer 2021

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Father S. Matthew Gray...

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me to be his Director of Vocations! My jaw literally dropped. Combining the ministries of military service to country and vocation discernment is an absolute perfect fit for me! I am very much looking forward to helping young men discern a double calling to both military service as officers and chaplains but also as Catholic priests.”

Father Gray will officially begin his new role by the end of the summer.

Archbishop Broglio said: “It is a great joy to welcome Father Gray to the Archdiocese. I am grateful for his affirmative response to my invitation and also very appreciative of the generous sacrifice made by Bishop Guglielmone and the Diocese of Charleston. In addition to his priestly experience, Father Gray brings with him years of vocation work and his ministry as a chaplain of the Air National Guard. In fact he is deployed at the present time and we all pray for his ministry and his safe return. I also renew the expression of my gratitude to Father Aidan Logan for his many years of service—first as a chaplain in the U.S. Navy, a contract-priest at Ramstein Air Base for three years, and then as the AMS Vocations Director. May he thrive in his current endeavors.”

Before his 2011 priestly ordination, Father Gray earned a Bachelor of Arts in French from the University of South Carolina (2005); a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, Ohio (2007); and a Master of Divinity and a Master of Systematic Theology from Mount St. Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD (2011).

Over the past six years he has acquired numerous military credentials, including a secret security clearance, completion of basic chaplain training, training and certification in sexual assault prevention, domestic violence, youth protection, suicide intervention, conflict transformation and de-escalation, and counseling.

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Father Gray has served in a variety of diocesan ministries, including Parochial Vicar at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Columbia, SC, where he later served as Pastoral Administrator, and St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church in Bluffton, SC. He also served as chaplain at John Paul II Catholic Middle and High School in Ridgeland, SC, and Cardinal Newman Catholic Middle and High School in Columbia, SC. His achievements in both civilian and military service have not gone unrecognized. The National Catholic Committee on Scouting has presented him with its St. George Award (2012), Bronze Pelican Award (2013) and Jerusalem Cross (2014). He earned the National Defense Service Medal and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal in 2015, and the U.S. Air Force Achievement Medal in 2019.

As AMS Vocations Director, Father Gray will be in charge of shepherding young men interested in the priesthood and military chaplaincy. He has his work cut out for him. The U.S. Military continues to suffer a chronic shortage of Catholic chaplains as aging priests reach retirement faster than they can be replaced. Over the past 20 years, the number of active-duty Catholic chaplains has declined by more than half, from over 400 at the time of 9/11 to 196 today, serving an active-duty Catholic population of 325,000 based worldwide, not counting their families. While 25 percent of the military is Catholic, Catholic priests make up less than eight percent of chaplains.

Father Gray asked the faithful for their prayers. “Please continue to pray for bold and courageous men to answer the call to the military chaplaincy as Catholic Priests,” he said, “and to encourage those whose whom you feel God might be calling.” V

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Monsignor Jeffrey G. Laible Named Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia

BY TAYLOR HENRY

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he Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), has a new Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia. Monsignor Jeffrey G. Laible, Ch, Col, USAF, (pronounced “LYE’-uh-blee”) a chaplain in the Illinois Air National Guard, assumed the new position in July. He succeeds Monsignor John J.M. Foster, J.C.D., who has returned to his home Diocese of Stockton, CA, where he has assumed the role of Pastor at the Cathedral of the Annunciation, following eight years of fruitful service to the AMS. Reporting directly to Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, the Vicar General is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the Archdiocese in its service to 1.8 million Catholics worldwide. A long and productive track record of service to God and country distinguishes Monsignor Laible for the position.

For more than 30 years Monsignor Laible has ministered as a priest and pastor in parishes and Catholic schools throughout the Diocese of Peoria, IL, where his last assignment was as pastor of the Logan County Catholic Community. Monsignor Laible is also the Spiritual Director for the Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage, jointly sponsored by the AMS and the Knights of Columbus.

Archbishop Broglio said, “I am deeply grateful to Monsignor Laible for his willingness to accept a new ministry. He will bring with him years of experience in the Air National Guard and as the Spiritual Director for the annual U.S. participation in the International Military Pilgrimage to Lourdes. At the same time Bishop Daniel Jenky and his Coadjutor, Bishop Louis Tylka, are recognized for their generous release of Monsignor Laible for the important ministry of Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.”

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Archbishop Broglio announced Monsignor Laible’s appointment on 17 April, one day after the Solemnity. The timing was not lost on the new Vicar General. “In the Gospel of Mark for the Feast of the Ascension,” Monsignor Laible remarked, “Jesus said to his disciples: ‘Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature…’ I am grateful to Archbishop Broglio for his invitation to serve as Vicar General, and I pray for the grace to proclaim the gospel faithfully in the Archdiocese. Be assured of my prayers for each of you, especially through the intercession of Our Lady of Lourdes and Blessed Father Michael J. McGivney.”

Monsignor Foster commented, “I am delighted that Monsignor Laible has accepted Archbishop Broglio’s invitation to serve as his next Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia. My work with Monsignor Laible these past years on the Warriors to Lourdes Pilgrimage confirms for me that he possesses the administrative skills and pastor’s heart to serve effectively the Christian faithful in the Archdiocese for the Military Services.”

MONSIGNOR JEFFREY G. LAIBLE

Monsignor Laible, son of the late Elwood “Bud” G. Laible and Virginia Marie (Tiezzi) Laible, was born on 30 January 1961, in Peoria, IL. He attended Immaculate Heart of Mary Seminary, St. Mary’s University, Winona, MN, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Human Services in 1983. He continued his studies for the priesthood at Kenrick-Glennon continued on page 26 Summer 2021

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Monsignor Jeffrey G. Laible...

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Seminary, Archdiocese of St. Louis, MO, where he earned a Masters of Divinity in 1988. Monsignor Laible was ordained on 28 May 1988, at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception of St. Mary, Peoria, IL. In 1985, Monsignor Laible entered the U.S. Air Force Chaplain Candidate Program. After ordination to the priesthood, he joined the Air Force Reserve in August of 1990; he was assigned as a chaplain at Scott Air Force Base, IL, and Little Rock Air Force Base, AR. From 1996 to 1999, he served as the Assistant Course Director for the USAF Chaplain Candidate Program.

Joining the Illinois Air National Guard (ANG), 183rd Wing, Springfield, IL, in 1999, Monsignor Laible served in various assignments, including as Wing Chaplain and on the Illinois National Guard Joint Task Force. He was selected as the Air National Guard Assistant to the Command Chaplain, NORAD, and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Air Force Base, CO, on 1 September 2018, and holds the rank of colonel.

Chaplain Laible deployed to Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, in 2004. He was assigned to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, Germany, on five separate tours from 2005 to 2011, providing the sacraments to the wounded, ill, and injured service members.

Monsignor Laible’s military awards include Meritorious Service Medal with one device, Air Force Commendation Medal with three devices, Air Force Achievement Medal with two devices, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, National Defense Service Medial with one device, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with Gold Border, Air Force Expeditionary Service Ribbon with one device, Air Force Longevity Service with eight devices, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with 2 ‘M’ Devices, Air Force Training Ribbon, Illinois Military Long and Honorable Service Medal with three devices, and the Illinois Military Attendance Medal with nine devices. V

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General Edward C. Meyer Completes his Earthly Pilgrimage

The Nation mourns the death of four-star General Edward C. “Shy” Meyer, the 29th U.S. Army Chief of Staff who played a key role in revitalizing an Army left “hollow” by the Vietnam War and related political fallout. General Meyer died of complications from pneumonia at his Arlington, VA home on 13 October 2020. He was 91.

As Army Chief of Staff from 1979 to 1983, General Meyer was not only an energetic reformer at the Pentagon but also a longtime supporter of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, the former Carol McCunniff of Arlington, five children, seven grandchildren and a great-grandson.

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CAPTION PHOTO 1: OF THE NATIONAL S

CAPTION PHOTO 2: GLEN BOND, JOANN

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7TH ANNUAL MEMORIAL MASS HELD AT THE BASILICA RINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.

27th Annual

MR. WILLIAM BOND, U.S. MARINE LANCE CORPORAL BOND AND MRS. RONDA BOND.

MEMORIAL MASS

BY TAYLOR HENRY

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n Sunday, 16 May, in a sign of progress against COVID-19, Archbishop Timothy Broglio celebrated the annual Memorial Mass for the first time in two years at its usual location: the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Preaching from the ambo of the Great Upper Church, Archbishop Broglio reflected on the Solemnity of the Ascension, urging believers to accept Christ’s call “to go forth, be and experience the signs of the power of God, and offer hope.”

Archbishop Broglio usually celebrates the Memorial Mass each May around Memorial Day to honor all who have served the nation in uniform, living and deceased. The Mass typically draws two thousand or more Catholics to the Basilica. Last year, though, in compliance with the District of Columbia’s mandated COVID-19 shutdown, His Excellency moved the Mass to the small, main chapel of AMS headquarters, in the Edwin Cardinal O’Brien Pastoral Center. It was combined with the annual late-summer Mass for Vietnam War hero Father Vincent R. Capodanno, M.M., Servant of God, in a single September liturgy attended by only a few seminarians and AMS staffers and benefactors. continued on next page Summer 2021

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MEMORIAL MASS

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

With eased social distance guidelines still in place this year, the congregation comprised about 400 mask-wearing Catholic patriots, including more than 20 midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy. Among the congregation was the family of U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Glen Bond, fresh from basic training at Parris Island, SC, who was preparing to deploy to Africa. His parents and sister brought the Lance Corporal to the Memorial Mass as a way to send him forth with blessings. They found Archbishop Broglio’s homily especially meaningful.

“Certainly, the key verb of the Ascension is go forth,” Archbishop Broglio preached. “We love to come to this magnificent shrine and contemplate the beauty of the Trinity Dome. It raises our eyes and our spirits, but only as an incentive to be welcomed into our true home and to bring others with us. The journey of life is ultimately about that moment of meeting the Lord Jesus face to face and hearing the words, ‘come, blessed of my Father, and enter the Kingdom prepared for you….’

“You know, in Africa the ‘black stone’ is so well known as the antidote to poisonous snake bites. It can be a remedy for even the deadliest venom. We seem to be less protected in the ‘civilized world’ to the venom of gossip, gross generalizations, labels, and attacks on the internet. It is almost as if those poisons are more dangerous and harder to cure. We attempt to recycle in love those disagreeable realities. Love is indeed a miraculous black stone able to neutralize some wagging tongues. (Cf. Pronzato, Il Vangelo in Casa, ciclo B, p. 146.)….” To read the full text of Archbishop Broglio’s homily, visit milarch.org/archbishop-homilies/.

“It was wonderful and beautiful and it touched my heart,” said Ms. Ronda Bond, mother of the soon-to-deploy Marine, standing outside the Basilica with her husband Bill and their two grown children after the Mass.

Commenting on his upcoming deployment to Africa, Lance Corporal Bond said, “I feel just at ease about the whole matter after attending the Mass. It was very inspiring.” V

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MR. WILLIAM BOND, U.S. MARINE LANCE CORPORAL GLEN BOND, JOANNE BOND AND MRS. RONDA BOND.

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Planned Giving: Looking to the Future

planned giving

BY MARY LAVIN

P

lanned giving is often thought to be only for those with large estates or extreme wealth. But that is not the case.

Planned gifts include outright gifts of appreciated assets (i.e., shares of stock, or a Qualified Charitable Distribution from an IRA), gifts that provide income (i.e., Charitable Gift Annuity), or gifts payable upon a donor’s death (i.e., Charitable Bequest), to name but a few.

Considering that the stock market is trending high, a donation of stock and the tax deduction to be taken will be greater than selling the shares and donating the cash proceeds. You can also avoid paying capital gains tax. A gift by Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) is a direct transfer of funds from an IRA to a qualified charity. A QCD allows for a gift of pre-tax assets and is not counted as taxable income. The gift satisfies the annual Required Minimum Distribution (RMD), the minimum amount that must withdraw from an account each year. Withdrawals are generally required when you reach age 72 (70 ½ if you reached 70 ½ before January 1, 2020). The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act suspended RMDs in 2020, but not in 2021.

If interested in making a planned gift while receiving a guaranteed source of income for life, a Charitable Gift Annuity (CGA) is a consideration. The AMS partners with the National Catholic Community Foundation to issue and administer CGAs with additional information available at: milarch.org/charitable-gift-annuity/.

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The AMS also partners with the Knights of Columbus Charitable Fund to provide its private-label Donor Advised Fund (DAF). Similar to a DAF held with Fidelity, Vanguard, Schwab, Morgan Stanley, or a local community foundation, a DAF provides an immediate tax benefit while providing the opportunity to recommend grants to charities of your choice over time. For more information about the AMS DAF, visit: milarch.org/ways-to-support/ams-donor-advised-fund/.

Finally, a Charitable Bequest - leaving money to the AMS or another favorite non-profit organization in a will - is the most common form of planned gift and can be a specific dollar amount, or a percentage of funds in an account or of an estate. The gift can be unrestricted or designated to a specific program or initiative. For members of the military and civilian government employees, the AMS or another favorite non-profit organization can be named beneficiary of a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). Naming a charitable organization as the beneficiary of a will, life insurance policy, retirement policy, or donor-advised fund can allow for a sizeable donation and offer potential tax advantages. Consulting with a qualified attorney or tax consultant is advised when evaluating which type of planned gift would provide the most tax benefits and meet individual needs.

For more information about making a planned gift to the AMS, visit: milarch.org/planned-giving/, or contact Mary Lavin, Executive Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at mlavin@milarch.org or (440) 223-6482. V

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 Summer 2021 CHAPLAINS WAS THE FIRST AMS DONOR RECOGNITION SOCIETY.

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THE HARVEST CONTINUES...

NAME: Reverend Mr. Peter J. St. George (ARCH)DIOCESE / RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY: Diocese of Arlington ARMED FORCES BRANCH: Navy RANK: LTJG COLLEGE(S) / UNIVERSITY(IES) / SEMINARY(IES) ATTENDED (DEGREES AWARDED): University of Notre Dame, B.S. in Biological Sciences Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, M.A.P.S. (MA in Philosophical Sciences) HIGH SCHOOL(S) ATTENDED: Bishop Denis J. O’Connell, Arlington, VA HOBBIES: Rock Climbing, Road Cycling, and Mountain Biking TEAM SPORTS: Soccer

WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE A VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD? I first wanted to be a priest when I was about four years old.

WHO OR WHAT EVENTS INFLUENCED YOUR DISCERNMENT JOURNEY? Saint Louis Marie de Montfort’s True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin and the form of Total Consecration to Mary that he describes there brought me so much closer to Jesus and Mary. They were the context in which I received my priestly calling.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SCRIPTURE PASSAGE, WHY? I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me (Gal 2:20). In this sentence, St. Paul captures the whole Christian life. He describes the transforming power of the cross, the newness of life in Christ, and the overwhelming love of Jesus at the heart of this change.

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HOW DID YOU COME TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST PERSONALLY? I grew up in a very faithful Catholic home and learned the faith from a young age.

During the summer between sophomore and junior year of college, I experienced great growth in my Catholic faith and relationship with Jesus.

WHAT SPIRITUAL EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES HELPED YOU DEVELOP AND SHARE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH? Through Total Consecration to Mary, I drew close to Jesus. It was in this budding prayer life that I experienced the call to the priesthood.

WHAT SAINTS OR CHURCH LEADERS INSPIRED YOUR DISCERNMENT JOURNEY? Saint John Paul II is my confirmation patron, and I have always greatly admired him. He incorporates a deep attentiveness to the human person, a rich prayer life, careful study, athleticism, an appreciation for the arts, and extraordinary courage into his priestly life. I hope to do the same.

WHAT WAS THE BACKGROUND BEFORE APPLYING TO BE A SEMINARIAN? I did Naval ROTC at the University of Notre Dame. I studied biology in hopes of becoming a Navy doctor before I discerned a vocation to the priesthood and Navy chaplaincy.

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY READING? I just finished reading Dante’s Divine Comedy, which was an extraordinary experience. It is a must-read for sure. I am about to start The Lion of Munster: the Bishop Who Roared Against the Nazis, which is the story of Bishop von Galen.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SPIRITUAL BOOK? I love the True Devotion to the Blessed Virgin by St. Louis Marie de Montfort and St. Francis by G. K. Chesterton.

WHO ARE YOUR HEROES OR PEOPLE YOU SIGNIFICANTLY ADMIRE? I greatly admire my dad, Chris St. George, and a Marine Corps pilot for 22 years. A priest is a spiritual father, and I am grateful to my dad for showing me what this means.

HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE YOUR PRAYER LIFE? Scripture and the Rosary are the foundations of my prayer. Most recently, I have been deeply blessed to recognize and experience the extraordinary grace of baptism more deeply, which makes me an adopted son of the Father in Jesus. This is the foundation of my diaconal ministry and God-willing my future priestly ministry. V Summer 2021

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Archbishop Issues Guidance on Coronavirus Vaccines AGANA HEIGHTS, GUAM (4 JAN. 2021) – HOSPITAL CORPSMAN 2ND CLASS MARK FORREY, ASSIGNED TO U.S. NAVAL HOSPITAL GUAM (USNH GUAM), ADMINISTERS A COVID-19 VACCINE TO LT. CMDR. ALLISON WESSNER, A PEDIATRICIAN, ASSIGNED TO USNH GUAM. U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST 2ND CLASS MACADAM KANE WEISSMAN.

O

n 14 March 2021, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, Archbishop for the Military Services, USA (AMS), issued the following guidance on Coronavirus vaccines:

“Over the centuries, the Catholic Church has responded to concrete situations with very clear direction.

In the case of vaccines to protect against the Coronavirus pandemic, the highest doctrinal authority of the Church, speaking on behalf of the Bishop of Rome, has made its clear position on the vaccines available. The USCCB has also issued two clarifications, which are linked to the AMS website.

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“The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, clearly endorses and encourages the faithful entrusted to her care to follow that guidance.

“The vaccines produced by Pfizer and Moderna are preferred to the others because of their very remote link to human cells derived from abortion.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is more problematic. However, if that is the only vaccine available, Catholic men and women in uniform and their families should avail themselves of this preventative measure as an act of charity. Charity is a hallmark of the Lenten Season. Being vaccinated is also an act of charity to our sisters and brothers.” V

The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA

Pathway of Honor Show your support for service members, veterans, chaplains, military families, and all who have served or continue to serve by reserving a commemorative brick today. Your brick will join hundreds of others lining the pathways of the Edwin Cardinal O’Brien Pastoral Center in Washington, D.C. A suggested donation of $150 will ensure that the brick you order, in memory of your loved one, will be placed in the “Pathway of Honor”.

To order a brick, visit

https://www.milarch.org/bricks/

You can donate online or print a donation form.

If you have any questions, please contact the Advancement Office at: (202) 719-3622 or support@milarch.org

(continued on page 36) Summer 2021

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The Lay Ministry of Catechist

BY JOSÉ AMAYA, DIRECTOR OF FAITH FORMATION

Pope Francis “established the lay ministry of Catechist” on 10 May 2021 (Apostolic Letter “Motu Proprio,” Antiquum Ministerium, Instituting the Ministry of Catechist, 8). Through the centuries the Church recognizes the essential service of the catechist in the mission to proclaim and teach the person of Jesus Christ to adults, youth, and children. Together with the new Directory for Catechesis, this apostolic letter recognizes the importance of inviting, inspiring, and training catechists who respond to a call.

By virtue of their baptism and confirmation, and imbued with an apostolic spirit, catechists are called to serve as teachers of the Catholic faith in the process of evangelization. It is necessary to encourage fully initiated and practicing adult Catholics to embrace the ministry of Catechist. Having a vision and a plan to help prospective catechists grow and deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ in the Church is vital. A volunteer will quit, but a catechist is invited by the Lord Jesus Christ and moved by the Holy Spirit to share the gift of faith and to give an account for the gift of faith received.

Pope Francis clearly states that “Today, too, the Spirit is calling men and women to set out and encounter all those who are waiting to discover the beauty, goodness, and truth of the Christian faith

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(Antiquum Misterium, 5).” Pulpit and bulletin announcements cast the net, but presence and one-on-one invitations make the difference. These actions model the necessity of encounter and accompaniment. Inviting catechists requires prayer, time for discernment, and collaboration between the lay catechetical leaders and the priest (Mt 7:7-8).

Pope Francis writes, “Catechists are called first to be expert in the pastoral service of transmitting the faith … and then to the ongoing formation … every catechist must be a witness to the faith, a teacher and mystagogue, a companion and pedagogue, who teaches for the Church (Antiquum Misterium 6.)” Those who embrace the ministry of Catechist need to be accompanied and mentored, not just given a textbook and roster of students. “Only through prayer, study, and direct participation in the life of the community can they grow in this identity and responsibility that it entails (Directory for Catechesis, 113).”

In paragraph 8 of Antiquum Misterium, Pope Francis writes, “It is fitting that those called to the instituted ministry of Catechist be men and women of deep faith and human maturity, active participants in the life of the Christian community, capable of welcoming others, being generous and living a life of fraternal communion. They should also receive suitable biblical, theological, pastoral, and pedagogical formation to be competent communicators of the truth of the faith.

As well as have some prior experience of catechesis (cf., Decree on the Pastoral Office of Bishops in the Church Christus Dominus, 14; CIC can. 231 §1; CCEO can. 409 §1).”

Catechesis is a moment in the process of evangelization. Is Jesus calling you to be a catechist? Talk with the priest or coordinator of religious education to discover ways to serve the Body of Christ and inquire about the training opportunities available to you in the AMS. V Summer 2021

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Amoris Laetitia Family Year 19 MARCH 2021 -26 JUNE 2022

BY MARK MOITOZA, TH.D.

S

pending so much time with family throughout the pandemic has reminded me of growing up in the military. Being in lock-down this past year had similar qualities of moving to a new installation and marking time in the TLF (Temporary Lodging Facility). I recall awaiting housing options to open up as both the best and worst of family surfaced repeatedly. While most homes are more significant than the typical TLF configuration, two rooms joined together by a shared bathroom, the daily endurance of Covid-19 protocols often resulted in the feeling that the walls were closing in.

This past year there were also moments around our dinner table when my three teenage children spoke to one another in such a way that my wife and I could glimpse what future Thanksgiving celebrations might be like. The conversations expressed genuine interest. Follow-up questions exhibited a sense of respect and authentic listening among siblings that surprised us.

To be honest, these moments did not last long. Right about the time of being amazed at the interaction, a complaint would burst out, and the whole situation would devolve into a familiar sense of antagonistic annoyance.

The best and the worst of family life lived together closely.

There have been many challenges during this extended period of togetherness. Families have spent more time with each other than previous schedules permitted. Navigating boundaries, anxiety, and boredom have been compounded with grief resulting from the absence of extended family and friends. The pandemic experience highlighted the central role of the family as the domestic Church and the importance of community ties between families. Such ties make the Church an authentic “family of families” (AL 87). The family deserves a year of celebrations so that it may be placed at the center of commitment and care from every pastoral and ecclesial reality.

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To help families celebrate, the Church announced the Amoris Laetitia Family Year. From 19 March 2021 through 26 June 2022, several initiatives will contribute toward these celebrations. A forum will take place in Rome this coming June to implement strategies in light of the fifth anniversary of the apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia. A series of ten videos will highlight family witnesses sharing different aspects of their lives. The #IamChurch series of videos will celebrate the faith and ecclesial involvement of persons with disabilities. Twelve concrete pastoral proposals for journeying with families will be shared through a resource called “Walking with Families.”

The year concludes with the X World Meeting of Families in Rome 2022. Additionally, the Holy Father announced the annual celebration of Grandparents and the Elderly Day to take place annually on the fourth Sunday of July. V

Resources for all of these initiatives are available through links on the AMS website - https://www.milarch.org/resource/amoris-laetitia-family-year/. A good place to start is by becoming familiar with the content of Amoris Laetitia.

With this renewed focus, the Church helps families walk together through the best and worst of family life that we are all familiar with.

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Save the Dates All events are subject to change based on governmental mandates.

85th Annual Convention of the Catholic War Veterans & Auxiliary of the United States 2-8 August 2021 New York, NY

Labor Day Gathering for Co-Sponsored Seminarians 3-5 September 2021 Washington, DC Archbishop Broglio will participate

Memorial Mass for Father Vincent R. Capodanno, MM, Servant of God 7 September 2021 - 6:30 p.m.

Crypt Church Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Washington, D.C. 20017 Archbishop Broglio will be the principal celebrant and homilist

Marriage Enrichment Retreat 1-3 October 2021 Ignatius House Jesuit Retreat Center Atlanta, GA

Annual Pilgrimage for the Sea Services

3 October 2021 Basilica at the National Shrine of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton 339 South Seton Avenue Emmitsburg, MD 21727

Army Ten-Miler

10 October 2021 Washington, D.C. 20017 Register to Run on Team AMS. Interested priests may register on the AMS website

13th Annual Benefit for the AMS

20 November 2021 - 5 p.m.

Saint John Paul II National Shrine 3900 Harewood Road NE • Washington, DC 20017 Archbishop Broglio will be on hand to celebrate Mass and greet AMS supporters

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Disheartened with the direction of today’s society?

Feel like more can be done for our military, our veterans, and their families?

The Catholic War Veterans of the USA and Auxiliary advocate for and support all veterans, their families, and our communities through fellowship, charitable activities, and veteran services.

Come experience the Catholic War Veterans & Auxiliary – help us to make a difference NOW!

Membership is open to all US Active Duty, veterans and their family members.

For information on joining or starting a Post in your Parish or at your duty station: Web – cwv.org Email – admin@cwv.org Call – 703-549-3622

Published twice monthly at

milarch.org/podcast/

Sponsorships Available Soon Summer 2021

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44 NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID SOMD PERMIT #1169

“The men and women who serve this country continue to be vigilant so as to protect the freedoms we enjoy. Thank you for your continued support, I wish you a restful, virus-free, and renewing summer.” – Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio

“Serving Those Who Serve”

P.O. Box 4469 Washington, D.C. 20017-0469

Archdiocese For The Military Services, USA