Salute - Summer 2014

SUMMER 2014

T H E M AG A Z I N E O F T H E A R C H D I O C E S E F O R T H E M I L I T A R Y S E RV I C E S , U S A

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio baptizing a Marine at Camp Leatherneck Afghanistan, Easter 2014

Dear Friends of the Archdiocese for the Military Services,

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he long winter appears to have ended and many of us are thinking about summertime activities. The promised respite from the normal rhythm of life is the hope held out by vacations, summer recess, or perhaps some travel.

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t is also a good time for us to rest with the Lord. Some of those extra moments of daylight might be profitably dedicated to our prayer life. We can always grow in our relationship with Him.

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une marks some significant ordinations that interest the Archdiocese for the Military Services. Five co-sponsored seminarians will be ordained to the priesthood for service to three dioceses. That is a great reason to rejoice.

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or the military summer is the customary time for PCS or Permanent Change of Station. 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.

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n the archdiocesan pastoral center summer means that planning for the next round of activities takes place. Many of the regular responsibilities continue to be met. The finishing touches on the special retreat for those young people whose families are assigned to Europe are being made. Preparations are well-underway for the annual Labor Day gathering with the co-sponsored seminarians.

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his issue of Salute will offer some of the highlights of the activities surrounding Holy Week and Easter, make mention of an award presented to me, and, as always, continue to tell the story of the chaplains and their activities.

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hile I am never eager to add more travel to my schedule, I do look forward to assisting at the diaconal ordinations of two of the AMS co-sponsored seminarians in Roma and participating in the marriage retreat to be held at Ettal Monastery in Germany next October.

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

Sincerely in Christ,

2 summer 2014 |

Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio Archbishop

THE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA VOLUME 8. NUMBER 2 SUMMER 2014

TA B L E

of

CONTENTS

4 If this is Kabul, it must be Easter!

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio 8 Two Men … Just Two Men Bishop Richard B. Higgins 11 Lourdes 2014: Holy Ground That We Stand Upon Bishop F. Richard Spencer 12 The March of Remembrance Bishop Neal J. Buckon 16 Lord Send Out Your Spirit and Renew the Face of the Earth Bishop Robert J. Coyle 25 VA Chaplain Father Philip Salois Named Veteran of the Year 34 Reflections from Lent: Welcoming Military Families Home 38 A New Vision: MCCW-Worldwide 42 Good Friday Stations of the Cross Spiritual Exercise at VAMC Phoenix, Arizona The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA publishes SALUTE for the nation’s bishops, active and retired military chaplains, and financial supporters of the Archdiocese.

ADDRESS CHANGES AND NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS: Please send title, name, address, and phone number to: support@milarch.org or call: 202.719.3600 or write: Development Office, Archdiocese for

SUMMER 2014

T H E M A G A Z I N E O F T H E A R C H D I O C E S E F O R T H E M I L I T A R Y S E RV I C E S , U S A

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

Feedback, letters to the editor, & advertising inquiries: editor@milarch.org Website: www.milarch.org Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio

CORRECTION TO ANNIVERSARIES from Spring 2014:

30 Years Father Karl A. Lindblad since 30 May 1984 (serving in the Navy and VA) ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO President

MONSIGNOR JOHN J.M. FOSTER Editorial Director

JO ANN REDMOND Editor

baptizing a Marine at Camp Leatherneck Afghanistan, Easter 2014

ERIC NEUNER | RPISTUDIOS Design Director

© 2014 - A PUBLICATION OF THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA - SERVING CATHOLICS IN THE ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, MARINE CORPS, COAST GUARD,VA MEDICAL CENTERS, AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES OVERSEAS.

By: ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO

If this is Kabul, it must be Easter!

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HOLY THURSDAY, ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO WASHES THE FEET OF TWELVE REPRESENTATIVES.

ertainly the highlight of my activities over the past few months was the pastoral visit made during Holy Week to my faithful serving our country in Afghanistan. The warm welcome and the unprecedented opportunity to visit every major installation in that beautiful and stark land made changes in plans, long flights, long hours, and inconveniences insignificant.

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LEFT: EASTER SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT THE ITALIAN HEADQUARTERS ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO (4TH FROM LEFT) WITH GENERAL IANUCCI OF THE PARATROOPERS (3RD FROM LEFT) AND FATHER MORETTI (2ND FROM LEFT). MIDDLE: EASTER SUNDAY EVENING IN THE CHAPEL AT ITALIAN EMBASSY WITH FATHER MORETTI. RIGHT: EASTER SUNDAY MORNING ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO WITH MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY IN THEIR HOME FOR ABANDONED CHILDREN.

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ords of gratitude to Marine Corps General Joseph Dunford who invited me and the priests as well as others who assured the best use of my time will never be sufficient. Special gratitude is due to the two Air Force officers who carefully planned the itinerary, accompanied me, and took many of the photographs which grace this article.

Arrival was in Doha, Qatar where Fathers Thomas Foley of Boston and Emmanuel Okwaraocha (Orlu, Nigeria) welcomed me and made certain that my time at Al Udeid Air Base was well-used. Palm Sunday was solemnly celebrated with two Masses in the morning and evening. The commemoration of the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem was even more noteworthy as the incense set off the fire alarm at the beginning of the second Mass. The faithful were clearly more restrained than the crowds in Jerusalem two thousand years ago.

They orderly filed out and waited for the firefighters to give the all clear.

Airmen and officers were eager to show me what they do as I made visits to various work stations on Monday. The temperatures were in marked contrast to those of Washington, D.C.!

The opportunity to listen and also to bring a word of greeting and support to those deployed was welcome indeed.

The Knights of Columbus made certain that the liturgical celebrations were executed reverently and correctly. They also organized a number of opportunities to meet the Catholic community and let them know of my pastoral concern.

Early Tuesday morning of Holy Week found me boarding a C-20 to Kabul. It was a three and one half hour flight in comfort, but the time zone in Afghanistan is two and a half hours ahead and so it was almost time for Mass at the Joint Forces’ Command installation when I arrived. The topography of the country is quite interesting. There is desert with orange and regular-colored sand. The snow-covered mountains are breathtaking.

Father Daniel Goulet of Baltimore— recently arrived in country—concelebrated with me. A number of faithful also participated in the Mass. Later in the afternoon there was a helicopter ride with Father Paul Hurley of Boston to Camp Phoenix where the Army commanding officer and the Catholic community welcomed me warmly.

Father Sigarara of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart had prepared everything for another Mass at which Major Derek Bothern was installed as a Lector. He is a permanent deacon candidate for the Diocese of Colorado Springs and Bishop Michael Sheridan had asked me to complete this ministry for Derek, because his deployment caused him to miss the opportunity at home.

The Catholic community had an opportunity to gather in a private room just off of the dining facility so that we could talk about their experiences and I could respond to any of their concerns. The interchange was most welcome and the spirits were high. So often I would hear (continued on page 6) summer 2014 |

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ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO WITH CATHOLIC PRIESTS AND CHAPLAINS’ ASSISTANTS OUTSIDE OF ENDURING FAITH CHAPEL ON WEDNESDAY OF HOLY WEEK.

about the hopes for the future of Afghanistan.

These are fueled by many factors, but one of the most significant was the outcome of the recent elections where 47% of those eligible to vote participated. The female participation was extremely high. As you know, a runoff will be necessary, but the will to participate and the relatively orderly fashion in which the vote was accomplished fill observers with hope.

That evening I met my host, General Joseph Dunford. He had organized a small dinner at which Father Hurley and the Very Reverend Giuseppe Moretti were among the guests. Father Moretti has spent many years in the country and as a member of the Italian Embassy staff, is the only priest assigned to Afghanistan. He is the Superior of the Mission Sui Iuris. His Sunday Mass at the embassy attracts a large crowd of foreigners. To the best of our knowledge, there are no Afghani Catholics.

On Wednesday I was on the road again.

A helicopter ride brought us to Bagram Air Base where a number of priests had been gathered. It was very good to see them, discuss the situation in country, enjoy a meal, and – above all— celebrate Mass together.

The priests, Fathers Daniel Lorimer of Wichita, Jason Hesseling of Madison, and Curtis Kondik of Cleveland came from other forward operating bases and joined Fathers

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Christopher Anumata of Aba (Nigeria) and Lukasz Willenberg of Providence who are assigned to Bagram. Father Paul Hurley was also with us for part of the day.

Despite the fact that the Mass was in the late afternoon, it was well-attended. Numerous pictures were taken. One with the priests, the Garrison chaplain, and the Chaplains’ Assistants was later presented to me in a frame.

I see it in my office each day to remind me again of the men and women who are stationed in Afghanistan.

After a meeting and dinner with the Army commanding general at Bagram, I joined Father Willenberg and a group of the faithful for the Rosary. I must confess that I was glad that the visit to Bagram was on Wednesday, because on Good Friday morning at 3 a.m., Father Willenberg had organized the Afghani edition of the Boston Marathon (in which he ran last year, but finished before the bombing). Getting up at 3 a.m. would be no problem, running a marathon is not among my talents!

Another C-20 was set to take us from Bagram to Mazar-e-Sherif, where the Germans have the lead. Marine General Timberlake and Father Oliver Offor of Warri Diocese in Nigeria met me at the airfield and the former gave me a good overview of that area of the country.

The post included a lovely chapel built by the Germans and there were two German

If this is Kabul, it must be Easter!

EASTER SUNDAY AT 11:45 MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR ALLIED FALLEN DURING THE WEEK. ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO AND IMMEDIATELY TO HIS LEFT IS GENERAL JOSEPH DUNFORD.

priests there, as well. One was with the Garrison and the other with German Special Forces. It was not the only time that I would run into three priests on an installation during my visit to Afghanistan. When it occurs, however, they are always there with forces from other countries, as well as, the U.S. The visit concluded with a lunch at which the Catholic community gathered in a reserved section of the mess tent. I was able to greet everyone present, pose for photos, exchange some thoughts. Father Offor made some formal remarks and presented me with a plaque to commemorate the visit.

A plane was standing by for the trip to Shindand Air Base where Father Yuen Caballejo of Atlanta awaited me. On arrival there was a presentation by two Commanding Officers and a good overview of the western area of operations.

A JAG seemed pleased to function as our driver. He was ever present and ever ready to take us where we had to be.

Of course, the main focus of the day was the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. It was celebrated in the very simple surroundings of the tent that serves as an inter-faith chapel. A borrowed chasuble and stole from the Al Udeid Air Base came in handy as I set about to do what the Lord had done. It is still moving to be in a deployed location on my knees to wash the feet of representatives of those I am privileged to serve. It is not so easy to get up and down with no support (I am too vain to let the concelebrating priest give me an arm up), but the gesture always touches my heart.

The Mass ended very simply, because there was no place close by to take the Blessed Sacrament for the reposition. Father Caballejo’s (continued on page 17) summer 2014 |

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By BISHOP RICHARD B. HIGGINS

TWO MEN… JUST TWO MEN bishop on the move

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LEFT INSET: ST. JOHN PAUL II RIGHT INSET: ST. POPE JOHN XXIII ABOVE: ST. PETER’S 2014

t’s Thursday afternoon and I’m sitting in a window seat in the coach section of an A-380 heading for Paris and on to Rome. The young couple next to me have saved for years so they could take a ten-day trip to Italy. They are from Culpeper and they’ve left the kids with their parents. They tell me they are going to Rome, Florence and Venice. They have tickets for the Vatican Museums. They are oblivious of the events unfurling in Rome during their planned visit. Now I wonder if they ever got to the Vatican Museums.

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t’s late on Friday afternoon and I’m leaning on a stone pillar gazing at the tapestries hanging from the facade of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The portraits of Pope John Paul II on the left and Pope John XXIII on the right flutter in the gentle afternoon breeze. The day it was announced that these two men were to be canonized on 27 April I booked a flight.

I was determined to be there. I had connections with these wonderful men, one a humble peasant from Northern Italy, the other a determined anti- Communist from a subjugated Poland.

I stood in roughly the same spot in October 1962 at the opening ceremonies of the Second Vatican Council. I was a young seminarian in my first week at the Irish College and I was clueless, oblivious of the magnitude of what I was observing, of the impact of the deliberations that would follow this procession of bishops. Eight months later I was among the thousands of faithful gathered in the piazza the evening of 3 June when the “shutters to the ‘window of the Angelus’ were opened” signaling to the world that our beloved Pope John XXIII had died.

Any attempt at even mini-biographies of these two holy men is beyond the scope of this article but a few highlights might be appropriate. One of 13 children from a family of peasant farmers, Giuseppe Roncalli was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Bergamo on 10 August 1904. When Italy declared war on May 23, 1915 he responded to a call-up notice and reported as a chaplain in the Medical Corps. He served until February 1919 and the day following his release from the army he burned his military uniform! I’ve kept mine though it would be a tight fit these days!

Serving in the diplomatic corps of the Vatican the future Pope John XXIII is posted to Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey and France where he gains a reputation for kindness and tact. In November 1952 then Archbishop Roncalli is asked to serve as the Patriarch of Venice. He arrives in the ancient see on 15 March 1953. Affectionately known as “the round one” he is beloved by the people of Venice and is often seen traveling the canals of Venice in the “vaporetti” (water taxis). His time in Venice is cut short by the death of Pope Pius XII and on 12 October 1958 Cardinal Roncalli boards a morning train for Rome. On the afternoon of 28 October the beloved Venetian is elected Pope and takes the name John.

Viewed by many as a “stop-gap” pontiff until “we” get the “right one” next time Pope John XXIII shakes the established Church to its roots. In his 2012 book “The Good Pope” Greg Tobin writes “that within five days of his election as pope John XXIII floats the idea of an ecumenical council with Cardinal Ernesto Ruffino.” We seminarians begin to hear a new word “aggiornamento.”

The rest is history!

Back in the spring of 2004 Pope John Paul adjusted my Air Force retirement plans by appointing me a bishop. Later that year at the summer residence in Castel Gandolfo he struggled to look me in the eye as he blessed me and presented me with a pectoral cross. The gift of Pope John Paul II followed the brief pontificate and untimely death of his predecessor Pope John Paul I. The cardinals shocked the world when they elected the first non-Italian in over 400 years and the first Pope from a communist country. The young poet, playwright, athlete, philosopher and theologian captured the (continued on page 33) summer 2014 |

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By BISHOP F. RICHARD SPENCER

LOURDES 2014: HOLY GROUND THAT WE STAND UPON

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summer 2014 |

PHOTO COURTESY OF LACAZE

LEFT: THE BASILICA NOTRE-DAME. ABOVE: BISHOP SPENCER DELIVERS HIS HOMILY AT A MASS ATTENDED BY, AMONG OTHERS, ACTIVE-DUTY MILITARY PERSONNEL, VETERANS AND WOUNDED WARRIORS

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ruly, Holy Ground .... Lourdes! Since I last wrote with you in the Spring Salute 2014 issue, my ministerial travels continued throughout Europe and Asia. Forever I will remember Holy Week and Easter at our Military Chapels in Japan and then the special highlight, which was the humbling ministry in Lourdes, France, May 2014.

Although the attached picture speaks a thousand words, no amount of words can adequately touch the breadth and depth of the spiritual benefits from a pilgrimage to Lourdes.

Through very generous service of our beloved Knights of Columbus, over 90 Wounded Warriors and family members were able to join this international military pilgrimage to our Lady of Lourdes.

Lourdes has been a place of pilgrimage for over a hundred years. So how did the “Pèlerinage Militaire International (PMI)” or “International Military Pilgrimage (IMP) come about? According to the Historical Commission of the PMI, members of the French military started going to Lourdes during WWII (1942-1944) to give thanks to the Blessed Mother for prayers answered and to pray for peace. The actual beginning of the military pilgrimage as it is known today has been attributed to a gathering in Lourdes on December 10, 1944. On this day, French and Russian soldiers (including soldiers wounded during the war), as well as military representatives from the British, Belgian, and U.S. Armies, gathered in Lourdes for a Mass in the Rosary Basilica. The first official PMI took place in 1958, the year of the 100th anniversary of the apparitions. This year, May 2014, over 11,000 military and civilian personnel from 31 countries participated in the pilgrimage. The theme of this 56th anniversary of the PMI was “Servant of Christ, Servant of Peace.” May we all become instruments of God’s peace through our servant actions and from the blessed intercession of our Lady, the Queen of Peace. ✞ summer 2014 |

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By BISHOP NEAL J. BUCKON

THE MARCH OF REMEMBRANCE

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PAUL BUCKON, CMSGT HAROLD BERGBOWER, AND BISHOP BUCKON AT THE FINISH LINE.

he Bataan Memorial Death March is an annual event that takes place at the U.S. Army Garrison, White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), New Mexico. I arrived on Friday, 21 March and met my “battle-buddy” for the weekend, Paul Buckon, my brother. Father Gan Nguyen CSsR, the Catholic contract priest for WSMR, welcomed us and showed us to the accommodations that he had arranged. Paul and I then joined Father Nguyen and the WSMR Catholic community for the Stations of the Cross and a soup supper at the historic Sierra Chapel. Meditating on Jesus’ death march in the devotion we employ on the Fridays of Lent prepared me for the challenging course in the high desert and it caused me to remember and honor the heroic sacrifice of the service members who defended the Philippine Islands at the onset of World War II.

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t took them several days to march 65 miles to the Prisoner of War (POW) camps that awaited them. Thousands died as they succumbed to exhaustion and the tropical heat. Those that survived the march faced the harsh reality of the POW camp and the brutality of their captors.

More were wounded or killed when unmarked enemy ships transporting the prisoners of war to Japan were attacked and sunk by U.S. air and naval forces.

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n Saturday, 22 March, survivors of the Bataan Death March spoke of their horrendous experiences at scheduled sessions throughout WSMR. I had the privilege to meet and listen to two of the survivors: Colonel Ben Skardon (US Army Retired) and CMSgt Harold Bergbower (USAF Retired). Colonel Ben Skardon, age 97, told his story and gave his listeners the three essentials for survival: 1) the will to live; 2) loyalty amongst the POW’s; and 3) FAITH.

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olonel Skardon said that many of the American POW’s simply died because they lost the will to live.

He, himself, was on the verge of dying from beriberi, dysentery, and malaria, but his will to live, the care from his friends Henry

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“A voice would call out in the dark, ‘Chaplain give us a prayer!’ and the chaplain would pray”

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ervice Members of the United States Armed Forces and Filipino soldiers were valiant in the defense of the Islands. They fought in a malaria-infested region with half rations and meager medical support. Their equipment was outdated and resupply was impossible. On 9 April 1942, tens of thousands of Americans (soldiers, airmen of the Army Air Corps, sailors, and marines) and Filipino soldiers were surrendered to Japanese forces.

Leitner and Otis Morgan, and the food purchased from a Japanese guard with his Clemson class ring saved his life. The loyalty of Henry and Otis was key and essential to his survival. Colonel Skardon said that his friends did not survive captivity and that there is not a single day that goes by in which he does not think of them.

Finally, the Colonel, who is the son of an Episcopalian priest, said his faith helped him to get through the ordeal. He spoke of the long days that the POW’s were in the obscure, miserable hold of the ship transporting them to Japan. He said, “A voice would call out in the dark, ‘Chaplain give us a prayer!’ and the chaplain would pray.” Colonel Skardon said, “Those were the best prayers that I have ever heard.”

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olonel Skardon also told a story of an anonymous Catholic priest. One day in the POW camp the Japanese conducted a roll-call of the prisoners. An officer was too sick to stand up when his name was called, and the Japanese guards came over to beat him. As the guards neared the officer sitting on the ground, the priest stepped forward and offered to take the officer’s punishment. The guards were dumbfounded by this courageous gesture and simply let the matter go. The story of a brave (continued on page 14) summer 2014 |

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THE MARCH OF REMEMBRANCE

(continued from page 13)

FATHER NGUYEN, BISHOP BUCKON, AND PAUL BUCKON AT THE STARTING LINE.

unknown Catholic chaplain inspired me to go to the computer after the Saturday Vigil Mass and identify the Catholic priests of the Bataan Death March.

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ather William Cummings was one such chaplain who ministered to the victims of the attack on the Philippines. Eventually captured, Father Cummings would be one of the five priests who participated in the infamous Bataan Death March. Father Cummings would continue to minister to troops in the Prisoner

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of War (POW) camp and become known as the man “who never said no to anyone.”

Father Cummings would go to his eternal reward eight months before the war’s end dying on a Japanese POW ship.

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lso on the Death March, the Japanese brutally murdered Father Juan Gaerlan, SJ who was a chaplain to the Filipino soldiers. Father escaped with other Filipino soldiers and was later recaptured. In retaliation all were fastened with baling wire and bayoneted to death.

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...three essentials for survival: 1)the will to live; 2) loyalty amongst the POW’s; and 3) FAITH.

aving been left for dead after Japanese guards bayoneted him three times, Father John E. Duffy survived the Death March. Rescued by Filipino guerillas he was later recaptured and sent to Japanese POW camps where he ministered to the prisoners. During his imprisonment Father Duffy was tortured, beaten with a baseball bat and subjected to high water pressure, all of which failed to get the priest to collaborate with the enemy in any way. This information in greater detail is available in a great work on Father Duffy; But Deliver Us from Evil: Father Duffy and the Men of Bataan by Dan Murr in 2008.

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ather Matthias Zerfas also survived the Death March. While a prisoner he celebrated Mass and cared for the sick even though he was weak and himself literally starving to death. Father Zerfas even conducted convert classes and led night prayers and a daily rosary. Father Zerfas eventually died after being given Last Rites

by Father Duffy when their POW ship moving them was mistakenly attacked by U.S. warplanes.

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inally, Father Carl Hausmann also ministered to POWs after surviving the Death March. Father Hausmann suffered a ten minute rifle butt beating by a Japanese guard for refusing to halt the consecration during Mass when an air raid began. Father Hausmann survived the beating and still completed the Holy Mass after the guard left. Father Hausmann died

as a POW partly because he gave his daily two spoonfuls of rice to other prisoners.

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G Gwen Bingham, the Commanding General of WSMR, welcomed the Survivors, the Wounded Warriors, and over 6,200 participants in the 25th Bataan Memorial Death March at zero-dark-thirty on Sunday, 23 March. The colors were posted, speeches were given, the cannon was fired and the march began promptly at 0700 hours. Some marched as individuals, and others as teams; the stout-hearted carried a 35lb backpack, but most traveled light; many opted for the 26.2 mile course, but Paul and I walked the honorary 14 mile loop. Along the way volunteers provided food, beverage, and encouragement. The Chapel staff and volunteers tended the water point at mile number 8, and we enjoyed a leisurely break here savoring the “Gatorade”, oranges, and fellowship.

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uring the march we remembered the sacrifice that took place in 1942.

Americans and Filipinos together sacrificed their freedom, their health, and in many cases their very lives.

I also remembered the intrepid Catholic priests who while serving as chaplains walked the Via Dolorosa in Bataan: Fathers Cummings, Gaerlan, Duffy, Zerfas, Hausmann. From all accounts they walked in the person of Christ, “in persona Christi.”

Paul and I marched on in remembrance of our priests. ✞ summer 2014 |

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By BISHOP ROBERT J. COYLE

send out your Spirit and “Lord renew the face of the earth.”

BISHOP ROBERT COYLE WITH CONFIRMATION CLASS 2014, FORT STEWART, GEORGIA.

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hese beautiful words ring out each time I have the honor of visiting a military installation and administer the Sacrament of Confirmation. I am very impressed by the efforts and dedication of the military community. As I travel about the Eastern Vicariate I experience vital and lively faith communities. Some are large in size and others are smaller in numbers. All are central to the life of the Church and the vast reach of the Archdiocese for the Military Services.

Every part of the Archdiocese offers an opportunity for the people of God to grow in the faith. The religious instruction that is offered each week and the wonderful support of the leadership in the home office provides outstanding resources for the ongoing faith formation of our young people and people of all ages.

When I preside at Mass I convey the central call we all have to holiness and to grow in the faith. We are also called to spread the faith by our lives of service to our brothers and sisters. I encourage everyone to consider how they can support the ongoing faith formation of the military family. Your prayers, your support, and if possible, your participation in the faith formation programs will strengthen the spiritual lives of God’s people.

On one pastoral visit I was blessed to spend time with the Catholic Community at Fort Stewart, Georgia. Father Edward Martin, Father Tyson Wood, Father Uzoma Uwakwe (Hunter Army Airfield), and the dedicated staff and volunteers there are representative of the gifted and professional members of the Military Archdiocese.

May the Lord bless you and your family. May the Lord bless the catechists and volunteers and religious education coordinators who share their faith and do all with the help of the Lord to renew the face of the earth. ✞

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If this is Kabul, it must be Easter! office became the repository that night.

Good Friday was unique. As always, I awakened early, but could not shower until someone gave me the combination to open the door to the showers across the courtyard.

Good news came early, because the new Italian Military Ordinary was at Herat and arrangements were made to take me by helicopter to meet him.

It was a delightful meeting, watered by an excellent espresso.

Archbishop Sandro Marcianò is young and full of ideas for this ministry. The poor Italian General, who was our host, could barely get a word in edgewise, but he did not seem to mind.

We flew back in time to conduct the Liturgical Service and then to leave the area. There was a challenge with the scheduled plane, but the Air Force Lead Action Officer managed to arrange another flight on a C-130. I could get used to sitting in the cockpit!

The delay meant that the Liturgical Service of the Passion in Kandahar was pushed back an hour. However, the chapel was still standingroom only. Fathers Vincent Manuel of Neyyattinkara (India) and Sean Magnuson of St. Paul were there to assist.

The next morning was filled with meetings with the commanding Generals, a visit to the fine hospital (complete with an armed Easter Bunny), and time with the priests and the Catholic community. A Slovak priest also joined us for breakfast. Needless to write, he spoke more English than any of us spoke Slovak!

A quick C-20 flight brought my prudent companion and me to Camp Leatherneck.

Marine General Yoo, Fathers Frank Foley of Philadelphia (U.S. Navy) and Brian Ray of the

(continued from page 7)

EASTER VIGIL WITH CATECHUMENS AND CONFIRMANDI.

Chair of St. Peter (Florida National Guard) and a monsignor from the British Forces, welcomed me very cordially.

There was an opportunity to meet with the General, take pictures, spend time with the priests and those who would be baptized, admitted to full communion, or confirmed that night. The Vigil was beautiful and Father Ray worked very diligently to make certain that it was well-celebrated, despite the limitations of a deployed location. The only drawback was an early departure time imposed by flight rest needs of the C-20 crew. I think that I made them a bit late, but the Vigil was worth it!

As the reader can imagine, the bed in Kabul that night looked very good!

Easter Sunday dawned with many special treats. The first was a visit to a home that the Missionaries of Charity run for abandoned children in Kabul. The Sisters make the charism of Blessed Mother Teresa come alive as they care for these exceptional children. Eleven children live there and five religious women meet their needs and also feed the poor every ten days or so.

The soldiers who accompanied me on this visit were deeply moved by the experience and wanted to see how they could help the Sisters in the future. (continued on page 33) summer 2014 |

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By FATHER CAIAZZO

All it takes is a Little Prayer and

PHOTO COURTESY OF STACY RAUSCH | CATHOLIC HERALD

REACHING OUT

FATHER JAMES HINKLE (LEFT), FATHER CHRISTOPHER CHRISTENSEN (CENTER), AND FATHER STEVEN WALKER (RIGHT) WITH ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO FOLLOWING THEIR ORDINATION MASS ON JUNE 7, 2014, IN ARLINGTON, VA.

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or many of us who have served our military personnel, either on active duty, in the reserves, or in the Department of Veterans Affairs, we have always seen our call to ministry as a “Vocation within a Vocation.”

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lthough Military Ministry bears a resemblance to other types of service to God’s people, it is at the same time very different. Our chaplains have a unique experience of being with our men and women in far off places in all corners of the world as well as confronting combat situations that test a person’s strengths and challenge them to respond like no other. We learn firsthand the power of prayer, how important the ordering of our lives has to be toward God, the value of good spiritual guidance, the wealth of the great saints of the church who continually have things to say to the contemporary society, the importance of good healthy relationships in life and finally and certainly most importantly the need to listen to God. These make us better chaplains and priests. We see the power of the sacraments in crisis situations and the healing and strength that they can provide.

We would love to have enough priests to be at every place on the globe, with every unit, on every ship, in every VA Medical Center but that is not possible. For many reasons, not everyone can serve on active duty, in the reserves or the VA. We are fortunate however that a number of priests serve either in full time positions or as part time priests to fill in the gaps and provide the needed support to our people as either contract or Civil Service. They are a continual blessing to the extension of our ministry. Personally, this has allowed my ministry to go beyond my thirty years of active duty. Some priests have even come with no military experience at all and have learned and provided incredible care to our military.

Last year, here in northern California

we invited the priests of the local Solano Deanery to Travis Air Force Base to see military ministry first hand. For many, it was the first time they had ever been on a military base. It was an eye opening experience to see not only what our dedicated Airmen do to defend our country each day but it also gave these priests a sense of what it was like to be with Airmen. I don’t think that any of them had thought of being a priest in the military until that day.

A number of years ago, there was a very popular vocation program that asked members of the congregation to contact young men and women in their parishes who they felt had the seeds of a vocation to the priesthood or religious life. I know of one man who is a priest today who was contacted by a fellow parishioner who saw in him some unique gift that could be a call to priesthood. He was surprised by this contact and thought and prayed to see if this was what God was calling him to. He credits this parishioner, as well as, the parish for their support and prayers for his vocation to the priesthood. There is no reason that we should limit this contact or invitation. I am sure that there are many priests in our civilian parishes who have never considered serving our military members. Perhaps contact by someone like “You” might be the beginning. If you are in the military, former military, or retired, and in a civilian parish or know of a parish priest who you believe from your experience in the military would make a great chaplain or contract priest for this and future generations of Catholic service members and their families, talk to them, pray for them and encourage them to consider this “Vocation within a Vocation”. ✞ summer 2014 |

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By FATHER AIDAN LOGAN

Vocations Update

FRONT ROW (L TO R): FATHER AIDAN, PHILIP O’NEILL, JONATHAN NORTON (ORDAINED A DEACON 24 MAY 2014), THOMAS GALLAGHER (ORDAINED A DEACON 31 MAY 2014), RENE PELLESSIER, JAY HORNING. BACK ROW (L TO R): SEAN KOEHR, JOHN FRANKMAN, JACOB VALLE (ORDAINED A DEACON ON 17 MAY 2014)

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hese past six months have been full of activity at the office of the Director of Vocations. Each day brings new inquires, calls, emails from our co-sponsored seminarians, and discussions with diocesan vocation directors and seminary rectors.

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n March our Spring Discernment Retreat brought together 24 men at St. Patrick’s Seminary, Menlo Park, California: active duty, civilians, seminarians as well as cadets and midshipmen from the service academies.

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FATHER AIDAN LOGAN

or three days our retreatants experienced seminary life and learned about both the priesthood and the special calling of a military chaplain. Archbishop Broglio and priest chaplains from the Army, Navy and Air Force were on hand to answer questions and witness to the grace of God at work among our armed forces. Each chaplain gave a presentation on the unique character of ministry in the three branches of the military. The Archbishop spoke of the unique nature of the Archdiocese for the Military Services and the daunting task of sustaining the faith of the 1.8 million Catholics entrusted to our care.

The calling of a military chaplain is unique and demanding and it was inspiring to see these men respond with such open enthusiasm. Not all of them are ready or able to make the next step and apply to a diocese

or religious order. For some the discernment is just beginning. Others, already in the seminary and approaching ordination, came to learn specifically about the vocation of a chaplain and our Co-Sponsored Seminarian Program. For all, priests, seminarians and inquirers, it was a moment of special grace.

The Menlo Park Discernment Retreat would not have been possible without the unstinting support of our good friends, the Serra Club of Menlo Park. Together with the Knights of Malta and the Knights of Columbus, they provided both financial and logistical support.

What next? June found us in Florida for the Step Closer Retreat. These days brought together men who have already made one of our discernment retreats and allowed them to focus more precisely on the priestly vocation. How does a man know if he is called to the priesthood? What concrete steps should he take to answer that call? Why does it take so long to become a priest? What does it mean to live a celibate life? Why is the priesthood so essential to the very existence of the Church? What exactly is the “spiritual” life? These were among the questions explored.

This year six of our Co-Sponsored Seminarians will be ordained deacons and five will be ordained priests. This is certainly good news! But it also means that our work of recruitment, discernment and formation must continue. Please keep us in your prayers. ✞ summer 2014 |

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The Harvest Jay Paul Horning DIOCESE: Fort Wayne-South Bend, Indiana RANK / BRANCH OF SERVICE: TBD HIGH SCHOOL ATTENDED: Clay High School, Indiana COLLEGE ATTENDED: University of Saint Francis, Indiana; Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary, Maryland HOBBIES: Photography, Training people on computers, Reading, Running, Biking, Making Rosaries, Ultimate Frisbee, Football, Soccer, Baseball, and Volleyball WHEN WAS THE FIRST TIME YOU THOUGHT YOU MIGHT HAVE A VOCATION TO THE PRIESTHOOD? I am a recent convert to Catholicism (April 2010), growing up with no prior faith background. It was a year and a half after being baptized, September 2011 that I first felt a call to the priesthood.

WHO OR WHAT EVENTS INFLUENCED OR INSPIRED YOU IN YOUR DISCERNMENT JOURNEY? My experiences at the University of Saint Francis is when I became open to the idea of Catholicism and through retreat experiences that my heart and mind opened to Christianity as a whole. After my Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion, my priest further inspired me to contemplate the call to the priesthood.

WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO KNOW ABOUT YOU? I entered seminary to discern a call to the priesthood after being Catholic for only two years. I have no prior military experience.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SCRIPTURE PASSAGE, WHY? Psalm 37: 23-24:

“Those whose steps are guided by the Lord, whose way God approves, may stumble, but they will never fall, for the Lord holds their hand” (NAB).

As long as I keep my focus on the Lord, trust in Him, and believe that He guides my steps, then I need not worry about myself. I may fall; I will undoubtedly fail at times, however God will be continually holding my hand. That is an encouragement to rise again, to carry on, and to strive for what God is asking of me.

22 summer 2014 |

Continues...

HOW DID YOU COME TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST PERSONALLY? Through a retreat in college called Koinonia, which is a Greek word that means community, I had my first experience with Adoration. After a moment in which I refused to believe that the Blessed Sacrament was truly Jesus Christ’s body, I put myself before the Lord. After hours of being there I felt a hand on my shoulder, believing it to be someone else I turned around to find out who the person was, only to realize that no one was there. That was when I first truly believed and acknowledged that God existed.

WHAT WERE SOME OF THE SPIRITUAL EVENTS OR ACTIVITIES THAT HELPED YOU DEVELOP AND SHARE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST AND HIS CHURCH? One of these experiences is my experience in Adoration. Throughout the rest of college, I was involved with our Campus Ministry; and through programs such as eXalts, Logos, sidewalk chalk passages. I began to develop my love for Christ and His Church. During my senior year, I went through RCIA at a local parish, and soon before being baptized, I was hired as the Youth Director for its High School Ministry program. That also helped me to further develop my relationship with Christ. An unexpected trip to World Youth Day in 2011 was the capstone to my discernment process.

WHAT WAS YOUR PROFESSIONAL AND/OR ACADEMIC AND/OR MILITARY BACKGROUND BEFORE APPLYING TO BE A SEMINARIAN APPLICANT? My professional background was that of a High School Youth Director. My military background is non-existent.

WHO ARE YOUR HEROES OR PEOPLE YOU SIGNIFICANTLY ADMIRE? I admire my mother for what she has gone through, becoming a widow at the age of 44. My parish priest Father James Shafer, with whom I have developed a very good friendship. Martyrs of the faith are also heroes and people that I admire.

HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE YOUR PRAYER LIFE? WHAT COMPRISES YOUR DAILY PRAYER? DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN THE LITURGICAL LIFE OF THE CHURCH? WHEN, WHERE, HOW? My prayer life is very strong and consistent. That has been a goal I worked on from last year to this year. My daily prayer includes liturgy of the hours, Mass, holy hour, and meditation. I also practice different devotions, primarily “Our Lady of Perpetual Help”. This year I will plan to participate more in the liturgical life of the church.

“Those whose steps are guided by the Lord, whose way God approves, may stumble, but they will never fall, for the Lord holds their hand.” summer 2014 |

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By TAYLOR HENRY

Archbishop Broglio Consecrates Chrism at Annual Mass

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ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO CONSECRATING THE OILS DURING THE CHRISM MASS 8 APRIL 2014 AT THE BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, WASHINGTON, D.C.

acred oils for sacramental and ecclesiastical use over the coming year on U.S. military sites the world over—and in the Nation’s VA Medical Centers—were blessed and consecrated 8 April at the annual Chrism Mass of the Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS).

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, vested in white, raised hands over the silver urns at the foot of the altar in the Crypt Church of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. He blessed the Oil of the Catachumens and the Oil of the Sick; and he mixed balsam with oil forming the “chrism” to be used at baptism, breathing over the mixture as part of the consecration rite.

More than two dozen priests joined Auxiliary Bishops Richard B. Higgins, F. Richard Spencer, Neal J. Buckon, and Robert J. Coyle in concelebrating and Deacon Michael Yakir, AMS Chancellor, assisted before a congregation of 200.

Midshipmen from the U.S. Naval Academy drove down from Annapolis to attend, and cadets all the way from the Military Academy at West Point sang along with the Basilica Choir.

Archbishop Broglio offered intentions for his far-and-wide flock: “We embrace those who are deployed and beg safety for them. We think of those deprived from the companionship of their families. Can we fail to remember those for whom the Easter sacraments remain a challenge or perhaps only a dream or earnest hope? We ask the Lord to send His Spirit upon them. Allow them to be renewed, as well!” ✞

24 summer 2014 |

By TAYLOR HENRY

VA Chaplain Father Philip Salois

Named Veteran of the Year

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ather Philip G. Salois, Chief of Chaplain Service at the VA Boston Healthcare System, has been named 2014 Veteran of the Year by the United Veterans Council of Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

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ABOVE: PFC PHILIP SALOIS IN VIETNAM BELOW: FATHER PHILIP SALOIS 2014

native of Woonsocket, Father Salois, 65, discovered his vocation on a Vietnam battfield nearly 45 years ago.

Drafted in 1969 at the age of 20, he was sent to the war on search-and-destroy patrols with the U.S. Army.

The day that changed his life forever is March 1, 1970.

It fell that year on the third Sunday of Lent. Private First Class Salois was patrolling the jungle with his 27-man platoon when the crackle of gunfire pierced their ears like a punch in the stomach. They knew instantly they had stumbled into an ambush by North Vietnamese regulars.

In the ensuing firefight, six of Private Salois’s brothers-inarms were cut off from the rest of the platoon. Salois resolved to go to their aid, but he first said a prayer: “Lord, get me out of this safe and without a scratch and I will do anything you want.”

Against the advice of fellow soldiers, Salois and a cohort, Herb Klug of Dayton, Ohio, set out to rescue the stranded.

Together, they made their way to high ground and launched a diversionary counterattack on the enemy. Five of the six isolated soldiers eventually made it to safety.

Of the 27 ambushed that day, two—including Klug—were killed. All but seven of the others were wounded. Somehow, Salois escaped unscathed, earning the Army’s Silver Star for valor and a Meritorious Service Award, among other decorations. (continued on page 44) summer 2014 |

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By TAYLOR HENRY

Archbishop Timothy Broglio

Receives Lifetime Achievement Award

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ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO (R) WITH MONSIGNOR WALTER R. ROSSI, WHO PRESENTED THE AWARD

is Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, was among three distinguished honorees to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Board of Trustees of the National Museum of Catholic Art and Library (NMCAL).

26 summer 2014 |

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MCAL bestowed the awards in an evening gala on 2 April at the Italian Embassy in Washington. More than 100 museum supporters, diplomats, and Catholic clergy turned out for the black-tie affair. The Reverend Monsignor Walter R. Rossi, Rector of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, formally presented the engraved, acrylic trophy to Archbishop Broglio, who appeared in house cassock to accept the award. Also receiving Lifetime Achievement Awards were Mr. Raymond Flynn, former U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See and former Mayor of Boston; and Mr. William H. Swanson, board chairman of the Raytheon Corporation. The three-hour ceremony, called “La Primavera” (Italian for “The Spring”), was hosted by Italian Ambassador and Mrs. Claudio Bisogniero under the patronage of Prince Lorenzo Maria Raimondo de Medici from Rome and Florence.

Since its 1995 founding by Ms. Christina Cox, the fledgling library museum has demonstrated remarkable resiliency while leading, out of necessity, something of a nomadic existence, moving between locations in New York City and Washington, D.C. in search of a permanent home for its growing collection. That collection includes, according to NMCAL, bronzes, paintings and other original works by the likes of Andy Warhol, Robert Raunchberg, and Guido Reni. The NMCAL library claims more than 5,000 volumes, including Bibles, Catholic encyclopedias, and books on the saints.

From 2002 to 2009, the museum occupied a renovated Catholic school in East Harlem, operating on millions in public grants and support from high-profile benefactors such as developers Donald Trump and Jerry Speyer, television celebrity Regis Philbin, and former President Bill Clinton. East Harlem, however, turned out to be too far out of the way for the culture world to take much notice, and the location proved unviable.

ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO (CENTER) WITH AMBASSADOR JAMES NICHOLSON (LEFT) AND RAYMOND FLYNN (RIGHT).

After several unsuccessful attempts to plant roots in New York, Ms. Cox, NMCAL’s Executive Director, is now working with Chairman Tim Barton to raise money for permanent exhibition space in the nation’s capital. A 501(c)(3) charity has been set up for tax-deductible donations.

In his acceptance remarks, Archbishop Broglio lauded the ongoing effort as something worthwhile. “As the Lord tell us,” he said, “‘man does not live by bread alone.’

We also know how we are uplifted by culture, by art, by music, by so many of those other expressions. And so it is very fitting this evening that we pause and we think about assuring that there is a proper museum for Catholic art and a library here in the nation’s capital as a reminder of that other aspect of the human person.”

The NMCAL is currently headquartered in leased offices on Massachusetts Avenue. Its collection packed away, Ms. Cox and Mr. Barton go about their fundraising even as they look for a building to house the museum exhibits and library. They say they’ve narrowed the search down to a couple of locations in downtown Washington. They hope to announce a site before Christmas. ✞ summer 2014 |

27

By JOSÉ M. AMAYA

Faith Formation Accomplishments

ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO (CENTER) WITH YOUTH AND YOUNG ADULTS FROM VARIOUS MILITARY INSTALLATIONS AT THE AMS APPRECIATION DINNER IN LOS ANGELES RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CONGRESS (JOSÉ AMAYA, LEFT FRONT AND DR. MARK MOITOZA, RIGHT FRONT).

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s religious education programs break for the summer, I invite you to pause for a moment to sit with your calendars and reflect in the presence of the Holy Trinity on your accomplishments of this academic year. You will be surprised at what you see and exclaim “did I do all this?”

28 summer 2014 |

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would like to, first, extend a word of gratitude to the clergy, lay catechetical leaders, and catechists for the hard work you have done to begin implementing Forming Disciples for the New Evangelization: Archdiocesan Religion Curriculum Guide. I hope and pray you are beginning to see the benefits of having consistent Archdiocesan faith formation curriculum standards and indicators. Implementing the curriculum is a process that will take several years to master and reap its fruits.

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s I sit with my calendar, I notice some major accomplishments and future projects developing in the past four months since January 2014.

We not only have the curriculum and its accompanying resources available for catechetical leaders, catechists and parents on the AMS website and the Digital Media Center but we have been training leaders and catechists both digitally and faceto-face.

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he number of catechists and catechetical leaders taking online courses through Catholic Distance University (CDU) and Virtual Learning Community for Faith Formation (VLCFF) is impressive. Delving into the richness of our Catholic faith makes us better disciples of Jesus Christ and strengthens our skills to teach the Catholic faith to all. I rejoiced to learn at the VLCFF Annual Convocation that the AMS online learning participation outnumbered all other partnering dioceses in 2013.

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rchbishop Timothy P. Broglio was delighted to dine with, and present to, forty catechists and catechetical leaders at the Mid-Atlantic Congress and eighty at the Los Angeles Religious Education Congress. Some traveled from across the country and overseas to participate. I look forward to seeing you in 2015.

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am very happy to report that the AMS has signed an agreement with Catholic.

Quiz.com to develop a family focused Curriculum Assessment tool to support families in their call to be primary educators in the faith of their children. The tool will be ready by fall 2014. I have been working intently on the Spanish translation of the curriculum to support Hispanic families in the military in this role. The different textbook publishers have been working on correlations to the curriculum. Visit the AMS website: Offices > Evangelization and Catechesis > Faith Formation > Curriculum Correlations to view textbook correlations.

In addition to the online catechist training, I was invited by installations such as Redstone Arsenal, Joint Base AnacostiaBolling, Fort Gordon, NAB Coronado, and Aberdeen Proving Ground to train catechists on the curriculum. ✞ Call me 202.719.3623 or email me jamaya@milarch.org to talk about your questions, concerns or to share your experience with the curriculum implementation.

summer 2014 |

29

By MARY LAVIN

Impact Through Advocacy

TEAM AMS MARINE CORPS MARATHON 2013 BACK ROW L-R: ERNIE MARTINEZ, MATT LOCKWOOD, FATHER THOMAS HOAR, FATHER JAMES MICHAEL TAYLOR, ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO, RUTH BETIT, MEG BETIT, DEBORAH RODRIGUEZ, CHRISTINA ZVIR, LAUREN JANNIELLO FRONT ROW L-R: FATHER (CH-MAJ), KENNETH M. BOLIN, USA, MATT SMITH, TJ DYGERT, JR., LTCOL MICHAEL C. GRIFFIN, USMCR, BOB COSTELLO, CAPT JAMES HICKMAN, USA

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here are many ways to support the AMS – prayer, financial donations and by serving as an advocate for the mission and ministry of the AMS. In the next few months, you are invited to participate in three unique opportunities to help increase awareness and fund-and friend-raise for the AMS.

30 summer 2014 |

39TH MARINE CORPS MARATHON (SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2014) The Marine Corps Marathon is the third largest marathon in the United States and the largest in the world that does not offer prize money. For the first time last year, the AMS was one of the Marine Corps Marathon charities and was represented by Team AMS - 26 runners from 14 states who helped raise more than $27,000. Known as “The People’s Marathon,” The Marine Corps Marathon began in 1976 with 1,175 participants and in 2013, the marathon had a record breaking 23,480 official finishers.

On Saturday, October 26, 2014, the AMS will again be represented, this time by 50 runners for the marathon and approximately 20 runners for the 10K. If you are interested in running in the 10K, there are still several registrations available. The 2014 Team AMS includes Co-Sponsored Seminarians, military personnel, AMS staff, family, and friends. The overall fundraising goal is $50,000.

For more information about the Marine Corps Marathon, go to www.marinemarathon.com.

To support Team AMS, go to www.milarch.org/development or email Team AMS Coordinator and Development Associate, Carol Nettina cnettina@milarch.org.

6TH ANNUAL AMS BENEFIT (THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2014) The AMS will hold its annual benefit reception at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, November 13 at The Saint John Paul II National Shrine (3900 Harewood Road NE, Washington, D.C.). The annual event offers AMS benefactors and new friends an excellent opportunity to gather and show support for the Archdiocese in its mission to meet the spiritual and sacramental needs of our men and women in uniform, both at home and abroad. Last year, the AMS Benefit raised more than $250,000 critical dollars to support vocations, youth, and young adult ministries, and the annual visits to the 220 military installations, and 153 VA Medical Centers,

by Archbishop Broglio and Auxiliary Bishops Higgins, Spencer, Buckon and Coyle.

This year, participants will have the opportunity to tour the newly renamed and renovated Saint John Paul II National Shrine (www.jp2shrine.org). Individual tickets will be available for $250 and the following sponsorships are also available: Pastoral Sponsor $50,000 (*20 tickets, pre-event VIP reception)

National Sponsor $25,000 (*10 tickets, pre-event VIP reception)

Vocations Sponsor $5,000 (*4 tickets)

Corporate Sponsor $35,000 (*15 tickets, pre-event VIP reception)

Leadership Sponsor $10,000 (*5 tickets, pre-event VIP reception)

Patriot $2,500 (*3 tickets) Trustee $1,000 (*2 tickets)

For more information about the 6th Annual Benefit, go to www.milarch.org/events.

For sponsorship related questions, please contact Mary Lavin, Director of Major Gifts at mlavin@milarch.org or 440.223.6482. (continued on page 32) summer 2014 |

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Impact Through Advocacy

(continued from page 29)

ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO ADDRESSING THE ATTENDEES AT LAST YEAR’S ANNUAL EVENT HELD AT THE ARMY NAVY CLUB IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA.

SEMINARIAN ENDOWMENT CHALLENGE The AMS is one of only nine dioceses selected for The Catholic Extension Society’s 2014 Seminarian Endowment Challenge. For every qualifying $2 the AMS raises toward its seminarian endowment before December 31, 2014, Catholic Extension will match $1, up to $50,000. To date, the AMS has raised approximately $40,000 of the minimum $100,000 needed in qualifying matching gifts.

Qualifying donations must be new or increased gifts of $1,000 or more, or funds raised through special events designated for the program. In order to qualify for the challenge, all funds must be received in cash or readily marketable securities before December 31, 2014. No pledges will be accepted. For more information, contact Mary Lavin, Director of Major Gifts at mlavin@milarch.org or 440.223.6482.

Thank you for your prayers for the AMS military and VA Medical Center chaplains and for the men and women with whom they serve. Thank you for your continued financial support. Thank you for being an advocate for the mission and ministry of the AMS by sharing the opportunities described above with friends, family, neighbors and colleagues.

Thank you. ✞

32 summer 2014 |

TWO MEN…JUST TWO MEN imagination. His ability to inspire, challenge and move young people with the Gospel of Jesus is the stuff of legend. A passionate, dedicated and fearless anti-communist, Pope John Paul II was a major contributor to the collapse of totalitarianism throughout Eastern Europe. The extraordinary accomplishments of Saint John Paul II are too numerous to attempt a summary. Historians and scholars will write about and debate them for decades. Suffice it to say that we who lived through the pontificate of John Paul were a privileged lot.

Two men…just two men! Each given an invitation to “come, follow me.” As I head back through the crowds I reflect on a recent Confirmation homily I preached at a parish in Arlington, Virginia….”The days preceding and immediately following Pope John Paul’s death on 2 April 2005 were astonishing. Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims descended on Rome…I thought I’d never see that again…but I was mistaken

as were you because in May 2011 a million and a half people returned to Rome for the Beatification of John Paul II. Once again, I thought I would never witness such an event…and again I was mistaken as just a few weeks ago 900,000 pilgrims journeyed to Rome for his canonization! We must ask why? Why would so many from so many walks of life come to Rome, not just once, or twice, but three times in less than 10 years to celebrate the life of one man? I believe the answer is quite simple…this man always said YES to the Holy Spirit…and look what happened!” The “round one” also said YES and look what happened!

So I wonder if our young people “get it,” if they understand what can be accomplished by cooperating with the Holy Spirit, that their YES to that Spirit builds the Kingdom of God. I wonder if their parents “get it.” The Holy Spirit is REAL and He is in our lives! ✞

If this is Kabul, it must be Easter!

The two Masses that day were quite different from each other. Before the noon Mass on base I attended the very simple weekly ceremony with General Dunford where those who have died during the week are remembered.

There were no allied casualties, but over one hundred Afghani deaths.

The noon Mass was filled to overflowing and I preached in both English and Italian. The Italian contingent had invited me to lunch afterwards and they really put on quite a meal.

I enjoyed being in that ambient again.

Late that afternoon I paid a visit to Father Moretti and then celebrated Mass in the chapel

(continued from page 9)

(continued from page 17)

at the Italian Embassy. French, Spanish, and Italian were also used in the celebration, which was largely in English. There was a good community there, but they were all ex-patriots.

That evening a lovely dinner was organized with the Catholic community on base.

It was relaxing and many photographs were taken. It was a good prelude to a long, long voyage back to Washington from Kabul to Doha to Dubai to Washington. I can only give thanks to everyone who made a reality this visitation to the faithful entrusted to my care.

It was a most memorable Holy Week and Easter—well worth the fatigue! ✞ summer 2014 |

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By MARK MOITOZA

Reflections from Lent: Welcoming Military Families Home

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WELCOME HOME TROOPS!

hile the Easter season will have passed by the time this article is read, there were several occasions during the Lenten season that reflected upon the sacrifices of men, women, and families in the military.

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uring the month of March, Archbishop Broglio was invited to Saint Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Gaithersburg, Maryland (the author’s home parish). The gathering was part of a Lenten series centered upon corporal and spiritual Works of Mercy. Those Sunday evening reflections, designed to shed light upon the pastoral needs of others, encouraged compassion and proposed simple methods of reaching out to embody mercy.

During one of the many snowy evenings in the Washington, D.C. area this past winter, Archbishop Broglio was greeted by parishioners of the host parish and four area parishes as well. The Archbishop presented an overview of the Archdiocese, explained the daily demands placed upon those serving on active duty, and personalized his discourse with encounters from his many pastoral visits. Those gathered made inquiries about effective ways to welcome military families returning home and finding their way back to parish life again.

Through these discussions participants remarked that parishes often pray for those serving and especially those deployed. Some parishes even have photographs of the men and women in uniform posted in the entryway of the Church. What was often missing, however, was authentic hospitality and awareness to welcome back men, women, and families that have returned to the parish and/or neighborhood. The discussion also highlighted the importance to remember the sacrifices and needs of those serving in the Reserves and National Guard who have often been called upon to serve multiple deployments and then reintegrated back into daily life at home.

After more than a decade of war, the toll placed on those that have deployed, and those that supported them from local military installations, will most certainly impact people in our parishes and neighborhoods in the

coming decade. Statistics indicate that one in every four Americans knows someone in the military. While a majority return home from deployment without major complications about 20% are dealing with issues that will have long term effects. The need for awareness, hospitality, and accompaniment surfaced as simple methods of reaching out to embody mercy that evening.

The AMS Office of Evangelization also participated in two local Theology on Tap sessions with the theme of ‘Welcoming Wounded Warriors Home.’ These gatherings of Catholic young adults, one hosted near Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland in the Archdiocese of Washington and the other hosted at Fells Point in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, recognized the call to duty that many of their peers and family members had responded to, either presently or in the past.

These young adults were interested in learning about available resources, prayers, and the need to engage in familiar religious ritual to shed light upon darkness and confusion encountered while deployed. Discussions about moral injury (feeling responsible for the loss of a battle buddy due to a split second decision replayed over and over again in the mind) highlighted the need to allow such stories to be spoken aloud in a safe environment. This release, through telling the story slowly, can help to begin the reflection process to come to terms with the idea that nothing more could have been done in the chaos of the situation.

All gathered realized that those who served and their families need welcoming, safe, and nonjudgmental places to just be.

They need places to share their stories – when they are ready – to people who will authentically listen. They need help finding jobs.

They may need help finding a spiritual director or an opportunity for a retreat for (continued on page 44) summer 2014 |

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By TAYLOR HENRY

Father Daniel Mode Named Finalist for Lumen Christi Award

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FATHER DANIEL MODE CONDUCTING EVENING PRAYER ABOARD THE USS GEORGE WASHINGTON

ather Daniel L. Mode (CDR, CHC, USN) has advanced to the final round of consideration for Catholic Extension’s 2014 Lumen Christi Award.

On 29 April, Catholic Extension named Father Mode one of nine finalists selected from a field of 38 nominees.

The winner will be chosen around late summer or early fall, based in part on public voting on the Catholic Extension Facebook page, which closed on 19 May.

36 summer 2014 |

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ow in its 37th year, the Lumen Christi – Latin for “Light of Christ” — is presented annually to a priest, lay person, woman religious, or group whose service builds faith, inspires hope, and ignites change. In keeping with Catholic Extension’s goal of supporting poor mission dioceses throughout the United States, each finalist will receive $10,000 to support the recipient’s pastoral work and ministry.

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ather Mode, who currently serves as a chaplain aboard the aircraft carrier USS GEORGE WASHINGTON (CVN-73), is author of The Grunt Padre, (CMJ Marian Publishers, Oak Lawn, IL, 2000), the biography of Vietnam War hero and Servant of God Father Vincent R. Capodanno, MM. In a letter nominating Father Mode for the Lumen Christi, Archbishop Timothy Broglio wrote: “This book has been a key resource toward the promotion of the Cause of Father Capodanno for Sainthood.”

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ather Mode, a priest of the Arlington Diocese, underwent his priestly formation at Mount Saint Mary’s Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md. He joined the United States Navy Reserve in 2005 and was assigned to active duty in 2007. As a Navy Chaplain, Father Mode has brought Christ to Catholic sailors in all kinds of circumstances and settings. He served on the aircraft carrier USS HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN-75).

He has been deployed to the Persian Gulf, Afghanistan, and other trouble spots.

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ather Mode actively supports lay ministry in naval church communities through direct supervision of, and communication with, lay leaders, providing information and encouragement to meet challenges. In the recommendation letter, Archbishop Broglio described Father Mode as a “pastoral asset” to the United States Navy.

The Archbishop wrote, “Father Mode has served the particular needs of Catholics on aircraft carriers, in multiple deployed settings, as the Chaplain of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and most recently while accompanying troops to assist with relief efforts to support people dealing with the disaster of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines.”

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uring those relief efforts, Father brought altar wine, hosts, rosaries, and liturgical books to the devastated Philippine city of Guiuan, where a church and rectory had been reduced to rubble, leaving the faithful nowhere to celebrate Mass but outdoors. f Father Mode wins the Lumen Christi, he and the Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS) will split a $50,000 grant, each receiving $25,000, to enhance a specific area of ministry. Before awarding the grant, Catholic Extension will discuss and agree upon use of the grant with both the recipient and the recipient’s diocese. ✞ summer 2014 |

37

By JOSEPH DEICHERT, CH, LT COL, USAF

A New Vision: MCCW-Worldwide

L-R: MS. APRIL GOLDEN - 1ST VP MCCW WW, MS. ELIZABETH TOMLIN - PRESIDENT MCCW WW, MS. ERIN LUNDAY- 2ND VP MCCW WW

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he Archdiocese for Military Services (AMS) launched the inaugural AMS Military Council of Catholic Women Worldwide (MCCW) Conference in Chattanooga, Tenn. 23 – 27 April 2014. The newly formed MCCW stemmed from a program that was, until the summer of 2013, deeply embedded in the US Army Chaplain Corps infrastructure. When significant reorganization within that Chaplain Corps left the MCCW floundering, Archbishop Broglio seized upon the opportunity to not only refuge the MCCW under the wings of the AMS, but also to expand the mission of the MCCW to reach out to all the women and families of each military sister service in the global archdiocese. http://tinyurl.com/pk8aya8

38 summer 2014 |

L-R: MS. DOLLIA LEMUS, CENTRAL REGIONAL COORDINATOR; MS. JOAN LAPORE, NORTHEAST REGIONAL COORDINATOR; MS. CARI TEDESCO, MCCW WW SECRETARY; MS. APRIL GOLDEN, MCCW WW 1ST VP/CONFERENCE DIRECTOR; MS. ELIZABETH TOMLIN, MCCW WW PRESIDENT; MS. ASHLI DUNPHY, MCCW WW FINANCIAL MANAGER; MS. MICHELLE NASH, PACIFIC REGIONAL COORDINATOR; MS. JANE GOTTARDI, EUROPEAN REGIONAL COORDINATOR; BRENDA WILE, WESTERN REGIONAL COORDINATOR

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ith beginnings understandably arduous, the AMS partnered with the Executive MCCW Board to establish a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, the MCCW-Worldwide, the foundation upon which to build and prosper Catholic women’s ministry across the Archdiocese.

Concurrently, in order to preserve the already extant, well-formed network of Catholic women and families within the Armed Forces, the AMS and MCCW convened a “conference” to discern, plan, and resource a new vision with age-old faith foundations.

In Chattanooga, the AMS and MCCW walked their new vision forward in concert with the newly installed MCCW board leadership. Archbishop Broglio transferred the mantle of responsibility, from the Erin Raymond and leadership team to Elizabeth Tomlin and new team, during the Easter Liturgy of Divine Mercy Sunday. In addition, at a closing banquet that followed, Archbishop Broglio engraved his impassioned support as he encouraged the ladies, “I will do EVERY-

THING I CAN to insure the MCCW thrives …you can count on that”. He urged the women to dedicate themselves to formation of women on the journey of faith, to reach out to all the women of the AMS, to cultivate meaningful fellowship and networks of women ministry resources, and continue to support the Seminarian Co-Sponsorship Program in effort to educate, train, and ordain priests to serve tomorrow’s military. (The conference women already raised over $5K—Wow)!

For her part, Mrs. Tomlin quickly assumed the leadership, emphasizing the way ahead as “driven by purpose, requiring ‘grit’ during adversity, and necessitating faithfulness” in response to the call of the risen Christ—how appropriate as the Easter Season moves minds and hearts from the reality of the empty tomb to the Apostolic mission of Christ.

Finally, in summary, Bishop Neal J. Buckon, the Episcopal Moderator of the MCCW-Worldwide reinforced Archbishop Broglio’s message. He stated that with all services (continued on page 45) summer 2014 |

39

By FR. BILL MUHM, CDR, CHC, USN

KOREAN FERRY DISASTER

LEFT FLIGHT DECK PHOTO: U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY MASS COMMUNICATION SPECIALIST 2ND CLASS ADAM D. WAINWRIGHT, USN RIGHT SHIP’S CHAPEL PHOTO: CPL. HENRY ANTENOR, USMC, ABOARD USS BONHOMME RICHARD AT SEA.

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n 16 April 2014, USS BONHOMME RICHARD (LHD-6) was on a routine patrol in the Yellow Sea west of South Korea, when an urgent call came in announcing that the passenger ferry Sewol, carrying over 400 passengers—including over 300 high school students—capsized and sank 11 miles off the country’s southwestern coast. BONHOMME RICHARD was asked by the Republic of Korea navy to support search and rescue operations in support of the sunken ferry.

BONHOMME RICHARD went to flank speed to reach the site as soon as possible. Two hours later, we arrived at the site and began to launch helos to assist in the search and rescue operation.

All Sailors and Marines on board BONHOMME RICHARD hoped that we might help save lives.

Unfortunately, in spite of our many air search and rescue missions, no one on board the ship or any of our helicopters saw or recovered any victims during our time on station from 16-22 April.

Everyone was disappointed that we could not do more to help. I, as BONHOMME RICHARD’s Command Chaplain, shared in the disappointment. However, the silver lining to the incident was that our time on station coincided with the Easter Triduum.

At the Easter Vigil Mass on board ship, I proclaimed the Gospel from Matthew 28, the visit of the two Marys to the tomb of Christ as the first day of the week was dawning. I preached that the two Marys did not visit the tomb because they expected to do something for Jesus…they visited because they loved him and wanted to honor him. In the same way, we on board BONHOMME RICHARD knew by 19 April that we could no longer expect to find any survivors… however, we remained on station because we were honoring our Korean sisters and brothers, and because we loved them. I offered Mass for the repose of their souls. I encouraged the people to be confident that, just as the resurrected Christ presented himself to the two Marys who honored and loved him, so the resurrected Christ would present himself to us who were engaged in our mission of honor and love. The Resurrected Christ certainly did make Himself present to us in the worshipping community, in the Liturgy of the Word, and in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.

Our Easter celebration gave us all confidence that death and sorrow will not have the last word in the sinking of the Sewol. Christ is risen, and He calls His people to follow Him through death into eternal life. ✞

40 summer 2014 |

By FATHER KENNETH NIELSON

U.S. Military Academy Catholic Cadets Pilgrimage to Italy and Germany during 2014 Spring Break

ABOVE: “THE PILGRIMS AWAITING ARRIVAL OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS. LEFT: FOR THE GENERAL PAPAL AUDIENCE, IN THE PIAZZA SAN PIETRO, VATICAN CITY. PHOTOS CREDIT: BROTHER CARLOS HERNANDEZ.

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uring the 2014 U.S. Military Academy’s Spring break Chaplain (MAJ) Kenneth Nielson, pastor of Most Holy Trinity Catholic Chapel, and Capuchin Friar Brother Carlos Hernandez, OFM, led a group of eight cadets on a pilgrimage to Catholic historical sites in Italy and Germany. The pilgrimage had a dual purpose: 1) for the cadets to be able to see, visit, and experience the churches, history, art, and culture of certain cities in the two countries, and 2) to aid the cadets in their discernment of the priesthood and the military chaplaincy. The pilgrimage included Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, a visit to the historic town of Assisi, a private meeting with the former Archbishop for the Military Services, His Eminence Edwin Cardinal O'Brien, and an audience with the Bishop of Rome, His Holiness Pope Francis. Writing of the experience, CDT SGT David B. Chacko stated: “We cadets grew in our love for God, for the Church, and in our desire to know God’s will in the vocation He chooses for us.” ✞ summer 2014 |

41

By FATHER HANNIGAN

GOOD FRIDAY

Stations of the Cross Spiritual Exercise at VAMC Phoenix, Arizona

A

PARTICIPANTS IN THE 2ND ANNUAL GOOD FRIDAY RUN/WALK.

t first glance, the mass of people looked like an early-morning troop formation.

Hard-charging veterans kept in step while running/walking to a cadence. But a closer look revealed the distinct difference of this particular physical training session: it was religious in nature, offering meditation on Christ’s way to Calvary.

42 summer 2014 |

REENACTMENT OF THE STATIONS OF THE CROSS.

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ore than 60 Veterans and family members at VAMC Phoenix, Arizona participated in the 2nd Annual Good Friday Run/Walk in Steele Indian School Park outside the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Arizona State Veteran Home in Phoenix on 18 April 2014. The participants, using the Cross as a guidon, ran, walked, or rode in wheelchairs, covering 2.5 miles around the park.

For those who could, they participated in different physical exercises during this 90 minute spiritual exercise session.

This was done as an effort to meditate on Christ’s Way of the Cross to Calvary — a way of experiencing some of the pain and joy Christ felt during that time, according to Father John Hannigan, VAMC Phoenix chaplain, Iraq Navy Veteran, and organizer of this exercise.

“As Christians, we believe Christ went through much pain and physical strain when He showed His great love for us on the cross,” this Archdiocese of Chicago, Ill. native and diocesan priest said. “This Good Friday Run gives us a glimpse of that strain and is a way for us to show our love for Him. It helps discipline our flesh to be in accord with God’s spirit! What better way is there to get veterans together than through a spiritual exercise that also calls to mind physical exercises which they went through when they were in the military! At each base I was at while on active duty with the Marine Corps, I led this

spiritual exercise, and it was always met with a favorable response!”

The motivators purposely disciplined themselves with this workout, stopping at 14 stations along the way. At each station, the participants performed some physical exercises and then as some of these participants froze into position acting like statues depicting the various aspects of Christ’s walk to Calvary, they all meditated and prayed as they called to mind the different ways in which Christ showed His love for us and how we can strive to persevere in standing up and sacrificing for what is right, attaching ourselves to heavenly causes over earthly causes, being always ready and willing to give our all, and recommitting ourselves to living lives of honor, courage and commitment in our “veteran” years.

“The PT session was demanding and invigorating,” said Joe Shaughnessy, a volunteer at the Arizona State Veteran Home and the main organizer for helping veterans in wheelchairs get to Mass each Sunday at this VA chapel. “I did it to show my love for Christ and that made it easy.”

This Good Friday Run was a voluntary event open to all veterans and civilians here.

“It gave believers a chance to show their love for Christ and also enjoy a common thread,” according to Megan Kenney, wife of a retired Iraq Navy Veteran. “The physical strain I felt was just a fraction of what Christ endured for us”.

(continued on page 45)

summer 2014 |

43

VA Chaplain Father Philip Salois

Named Veteran of the Year (continued from page 25)

He entered seminary in 1972, eventually graduating from the Weston School of Theology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

While furthering his education in the field of counseling, Father Salois came to realize he had his own emotional and spiritual battle scars.

“I went through a lot of my own personal struggles with post-traumatic stress,” he says; “I prayed a lot, and I did a lot of healing.”

Father Salois says his personal experience gave him a sense of direction as a VA chaplain.

He became a certified post-traumatic stress counselor, working with victims throughout the United States and beyond, through international veterans organizations such as the International Conference of War Veteran Ministers, which he himself helped found.

As Chief Chaplain at the VA in Boston, Father Salois supervises more than a dozen Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, and Orthodox chaplains scattered across the system’s three

campuses — Brockton, West Roxbury and Jamaica Plain; but he still finds time to spend with the patients. “I always wear my service ribbons with my Roman collar,” he says. “It lets the guys know you’re one of them, that you can relate to what they’re going through on a deeply personal level.” Father Salois says that kind of understanding is important in his pastoral work, because “veterans are more open to chaplains who have served in the field.”

Now looking toward retirement in December, Father Salois has advice for young priests who would follow in his footsteps as a VA chaplain: “Just know that when veterans come home from battle, they’re going to have problems, problems that are hard to talk about. Don’t wait for them to approach you. Be proactive.

Initiate contact. Show them you understand, because they need someone they can trust.”

Sage advice from a seasoned priest who is also his hometown’s Veteran of the Year. ✞

Reflections from Lent

Welcoming Military Families Home (continued from page 35)

wounded warriors. They need encouragement to find a place to share their gifts in the parish.

As the Church moves through the Season of Ordinary Time it is good for parishes to reflect upon ways to welcome military families back home. Visit the AMS web site, www.milarch.org, click the Resources tab and scroll down to Welcoming Veterans Home.

Follow the links posted there to consider some of the ways that the VA Medical Centers, the Archdiocese of Washington, the Archdiocese of Chicago, and the Diocese of Metuchen, among others, have begun to reach out and extend mercy too. ✞

44 summer 2014 |

A New Vision: MCCW-Worldwide (continued from page 39)

bemoaning the tragedies of suicides, sexual assault, and fragmented families—with senior leaders searching for the means for resiliency, “Women of faith, women of grace, and the disciples of Jesus Christ have so much to offer our society, the military community, our neighborhoods, families, and friends.” He encouraged the Conference attendees to return to their bases with the “Light of Christ”, and contribute to the faith, hope, and love which is found in every Catholic program in military chapels around the world. Bishop Buckon

provided the exhortation, “Return home to your families, friends, and chapel communities of faith with a spirit invigorated by God’s Easter blessings and graces. Please share your conference experiences and new ideas with the women of your chapel in order to foster their spiritual growth and develop their leadership potential for the good of the Church.” Visit the MCCW and contact your Regional Directors of MCCW-Worldwide on the AMS web page www.mccw.org. ✞

GOOD FRIDAY:

Stations of the Cross Spiritual Exercise at VAMC Phoenix, Arizona (continued from page 42)

“I was very excited to be part of a group of people sharing our same love for Christ,” said Chris Wacknov, wife of a Vietnam-era Army Veteran who served in the Army Medical Corps, “It was a motivating way of coming together and praying, I always loved the Stations of the Cross.

And this made me feel like I was right there as Christ walked that Via Dolorosa.”

“Many veterans and civilians like working out,” said Mick Olson, a Navy Veteran and Chicago native who volunteers playing music here for Mass at the VA chapel and Arizona State Veteran Home “This way, they can exercise both their bodies and their souls!”

“This Good Friday PT is a way of including spiritual exercise with something many veterans enjoy” stated Alfred Garcia, Engineer at the VAMC. “The Stations of the Cross Run not only strengthens them physically, but also spiritually,” said this Arizona native. “The most energizing aspect of this entire run for me was the fact that there were eleven more people than last year that voluntarily showed up for this exercise,” said this Vietnam Army Veteran.

“The way it was all played out – spiritual exercises with good ol’ military PT was a pretty good mix!” ✞

Corrections to Anniversaries from Spring 2014

30 YEARS VA and Navy

Father Karl A. Lindblad

30-May-84

summer 2014 |

45

Save the Dates

Father Vincent R. Capodanno Memorial Mass 4 SEPTEMBER 2014

at 6:30 pm Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Washington, D.C.

—————————————————————————————

Marine Corp Marathon 26 OCTOBER 2014

at 7:55 am The starting line, Route 110 between the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery.

Arlington, VA

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Annual Benefit 13 NOVEMBER 2014

at 7:00 pm The Saint John Paul II National Shrine Washington, D.C.

—————————————————————————————

21st Annual Memorial Mass 17 MAY 2015

at 4:30 pm Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception Washington, D.C.

46 summer 2014 |

— Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio

“I wish you a restful and renewing summer.”

“Serving Those Who Serve”

P.O. Box 4469 Washington, DC 20017-0469

Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA CPS

PAID

Nonprofit Org. US POSTAGE