MENLO PARK, CA – A record-high thirty-seven prospective Catholic U.S. Military chaplains gathered at St. Patrick’s Seminary this past weekend for the annual spring discernment retreat for young men discerning a possible “vocation within a vocation” as both Catholic priests and military chaplain officers on active duty. The Vocations Office of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), holds two of these retreats each year—one in the spring on the West Coast and another in the fall on the East Coast—as part of its ongoing strategy to relieve a shortage of Catholic priests on active duty.
This year’s spring retreat, held April 3-6, was the first to be organized and directed by the new AMS Director of Vocations, Father Paul-Anthony Halladay, CH (MAJ), USA (Ret.), himself a retired veteran U.S. Army chaplain. Father Halladay was appointed to the position earlier this year by His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, who took part in the four days of prayer, reflection, and dialogue, and celebrated Holy Mass for those gathered.
Father Halladay said the strong turnout filled to capacity available housing at the seminary, and participants were no less inspired. “By all reports from our participants it was indeed a success,” he said. “I have had conversations with some of those participants who have left the retreat even more certain of their calling to priesthood and chaplaincy. You could not ask for better results. The Holy Spirit was engaged, active and in all ways operative in the hearts, minds, and souls of all those who attended.”
The prospective chaplain candidates included 16 cadets from the U.S. Army and Air Force service academies and the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at Texas A&M University, 14 others currently serving on active duty or in the reserves, and seven civilians. Of those from the academies or Texas A&M University, thirteen came from the U.S. Air Force Academy, two from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and one from Texas A&M. Of those currently serving elsewhere in the military, six came from the Army, four from the Air Force, and four from the Navy.
The candidates converged on Menlo Park from archdioceses and dioceses nationwide, including Washington, DC; Tulsa, OK; Lansing, MI; Santa Fe, NM; Paterson, NJ; Richmond, VA; Albany, NY; Baltimore, MD; Los Angeles, CA; Monterey, CA; San Diego, CA; Charleston, SC; Cleveland, OH; Dubuque, IA; El Paso, TX; Galveston-Houston, TX; Lubbock, TX; San Antonio, TX; San Angelo, TX; Green Bay, WI; La Crosse, WI; Sioux Falls, SD; Springfield, MA; and Yakima, WA. One candidate is a Marian Brother.
More than a half-dozen priests, seminarians, and the U.S. Defense Department’s Catholic chaplain recruiters reached into the hearts and minds of the prospective chaplains with insightful and challenging talks and presentations. Father Andrew Laguna, S.J. spoke on “Discernment and How to Do It.” Father Mark Doherty offered counsel on “How to Pray.” Father Gary Thomas reflected on “The Spiritual Fatherhood of Saint Joseph.” Father David Hammond, CHC, LCDR, USN, the U.S. Navy’s chaplain recruiter, explored “Priesthood and Spiritual Fatherhood in Military Chaplaincy” and the life example of Vietnam War hero Father Vincent R. Capodanno. Father Matthew Pawlikowski, CH (COL), USA (Ret.) shared the remarkable story of Korean War hero Father Emil J. Kapaun.
The AMS will hold this year’s Fall Discernment Retreat from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2, 2025, at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, MD. Young men interested in participating may contact Father Halladay at vocations@milarch.org or (202) 719-3600.