Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Chaplain Testimonies

Camp Leatherneck Easter

Saturday, 06 April 2013 10:11 Written by Sgt Ned Johnson

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan— A new chaplain had just been assigned to a Marine infantry unit in Vietnam in 1967 when his unit was ambushed. At one point, a young Marine fell mortally wounded. The chaplain ran to his side to offer the man last rites. As the chaplain said his prayers, the man looked up at him and said, “Thank you, Father. I was an altar boy.” The Marine died less than ten minutes later.

This is the story Capt. Francis Foley, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing chaplain, heard from the Naval Academy chaplain when he visited the school as a young parish priest in 1983. From that point forward, Foley knew he wanted to be a Navy chaplain so he, too, could have the opportunity to provide services to personnel on the front lines of combat.

Holy Week in Afghanistan

Thursday, 04 April 2013 20:08 Last Updated on Thursday, 04 April 2013 20:40 Written by Sgt. Ashley Bell

KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - Hundreds of service members and civilians celebrated Easter with a holy week of services here.

There were several services scheduled throughout the week into Easter Sunday, March 31.

“Holy Week is the culmination of the liturgical season of Lent, which begins on Ash Wednesday,” said Maj. Tyson Wood, a family life/behavioral health chaplain in Regional Command - South. “Holy Week begins with Palm Sunday and reaches its apex in the Sacred Triduum, which are beautiful and yet very complex liturgies. These liturgies require a lot of support and thank God for all the parishioners who give their time generously to make it all come together.”

Leaks, Squeaks Fixed At Camp Lejeune Chapel

Wednesday, 13 March 2013 11:34 Written by LCpl. Jackeline Perez Rivera

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - The historic St. Francis Xavier Catholic Chapel aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune has stood through more than 60 years of conflicts, wars, storms, hurricanes and blizzards. Throughout the last few years the church has undergone renovations to fix decades of wear and tear, and soon the construction efforts will be complete.

McDonnel AFB Welcomes Wichita Bishop

Wednesday, 13 March 2013 11:09 Last Updated on Wednesday, 13 March 2013 11:16 Written by SA Katrina Brisbin

WASHINGTON - "It says something about us as a people for 61 years now that this great prayerful tradition has endured," said President Barack Obama at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Feb. 7, 2013.

Approximately 1,200 miles away, more than 300 Team McConnell members gathered in the Robert J. Dole Community Center Ballroom March 7, for the 2013 McConnell National Prayer Breakfast.

Religion: A Helping Hand in a Hard Place

Tuesday, 12 February 2013 14:20 Last Updated on Saturday, 06 April 2013 12:04 Written by Cpl. Michael Lockett

USS KEARSARGE - Religion is something fashionable to question or even avoid in youth, something to cling to in times of need, and something that permeates every aspect of culture, in its own way. It's a polarizing topic in any conversation. One of those things you may not want to bring up at dinner, as it takes people in any number of different ways, usually with amplified enthusiasm.

The Marines of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit belong to one of the three Marine expeditionary units stationed on the East Coast. Purpose built to be a rapid crisis response force, MEUs are designed to operate in harm's way – in any situation that presents itself. Uncertainty, even from day to day, is a fact of life for the Marines and sailors of the MEU and Amphibious Squadron 4.

Faith or religion by any name is a source of solace for many.

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To Live in Battle

If it be awful that death be so deadly in the very house of youth, it is still in a sense, beautiful that youth should be so young in the house of death.... If our soldiers seem too young to die in battle, at least they are young enough to live in battle; and death does not find them dead.

--G. K. Chesterton, 24Nov1917