Celebrates Christmas with servicemen and women stationed in Far East
WASHINGTON, D.C.—His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, made a Christmas pastoral visitation to that portion of his worldwide flock currently stationed in the Republic of Korea. During his Dec. 20-31 visit, Archbishop Broglio officially numbered Roy Mellon and Joseph Pak as Candidates for the permanent diaconate. Both men have been preparing for ordination for several years and are key members of the Catholic Community at the Yongsan Army Garrison in Seoul.
The Archbishop celebrated Christmas Masses at Osan Air Base, and at the Yongsan and Humphreys installations. He also visited Camps Red Cloud and Casey, Kunsan Air Base, and installations in the Daegu metropolitan area. While in Daegu he blessed the volunteers at the local St. Joseph soup kitchen, administered the sacrament of confirmation and witnessed the marriage of a military couple. Unfortunately, an unexpected snowfall in Daegu made a planned visit to the naval station at Chinhae impossible.
Archbishop Broglio participated in the Fourth Degree Exemplification of the Knights of Columbus and paid courtesy visits to General James D. Thurman, UNC, CFC, and USFK Commanding General, the Most Reverend Andrew Yeom Soo-Jung, Archbishop of Seoul, and the Most Reverend Francis Xavier Yo Soo-il, O.F.M., the Korean Military Bishop. Archbishop Broglio also visited other ranking officers at the various installations on his itinerary.
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The AMS was created as an independent archdiocese by Pope John Paul II in 1985 as the only Catholic jurisdiction responsible for endorsing and granting faculties for priests to serve as chaplains in the U.S. military and VA Medical Centers.
AMS-endorsed priests serve at more than 220 U.S. military installations in 29 countries, making the AMS the nation’s only global archdiocese. AMS-endorsed chaplains also serve at 153 VA Medical Centers throughout the U.S.
The AMS service population also includes American Catholic civilians working for the federal government in 134 countries, but currently, due to limited resources, the AMS cannot adequately serve this population.
Worldwide, an estimated 1.8 million Catholics depend on the AMS to meet their spiritual and sacramental needs.
For more information on the Archdiocese for the Military Services, visit www.milarch.org, the only official Web site for Catholics in the military and for the Cause of Father Vincent Capodanno, M.M.
