The work of chaplains is not confined to the chapel. They go wherever their people are—in a tent in the desert, on the deck of an aircraft carrier, in the barracks on base, in a combat zone, in the halls of the military or VA hospitals. Similarly, Archbishop Broglio and his four auxiliaries each average more than 200 travel days per year of the AMS make themselves available to the faithful of this global archdiocese.
This episode of the Catholic Military Life Podcast reveals why this ministry is so important. While recovering from prostate cancer surgery at Carl Darnall Medical Center at Fort Hood, TX on Ash Wednesday, Sgt. Jaramillo and his wife received a pleasant surprise. Prior to surgery, Sgt. Jaramillo and his wife ran into Father Biju Chitteth Cleatus while waiting for the elevator. After hearing about Sgt. Jaramillo’s upcoming surgery, Father Biju asked for the room number so he could visit him after the procedure.
Following a successful surgery, Father Biju arrived to Sgt. Jaramillo’s room. Along with him was Auxiliary Bishop Neal Buckon, who was visiting Fort Hood, and had recently finished saying Mass in the chapel.
“The Bishop blessed Stevie with the ashes, he anointed him and blessed him with the holy water…it was just special,” Linda Jaramillo recalled. “It brought back this memory of when Stevie was wounded in Desert Storm…here’s these military priests AGAIN at his side. Twenty-seven, twenty-eight years later, still there. It’s beautiful.”
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