Free exercise of Catholic faith in the U.S. Military

Prospective Catholic U.S. Army Chaplain Ordained a Priest in Richmond, VA

RICHMOND, VA – Father Armando Herrera (1LT), USAR, was ordained a Catholic priest on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2022, in Richmond, VA, thus reaching a crucial milestone in a formational journey he hopes will lead to full-time service as a U.S. Army chaplain with requisite endorsement and faculties from the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS). Father Herrera, who already serves in the U.S. Army Reserve, wants to accede to active duty following a three-year period of civilian assignments in his home Diocese of Richmond under a co-sponsorship agreement with the AMS. The civilian service is meant for the Richmond Diocese to reap early fruits of labor from a new priest while giving Father Herrera opportunities to develop practical, ministerial experience before embarking on the vocation within a vocation, serving those who serve as an active-duty Army chaplain. Under the co-sponsorship agreement, Father Herrera will return to Richmond as a diocesan priest upon completion of his military service.

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Archbishop Timothy Broglio to Celebrate Veterans Day Mass in Downtown Washington, DC, at Saint Dominic Church

WASHINGTON, D.C. – His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, will celebrate a 7:00 p.m. (EST) Veterans Day Mass on Friday, Nov. 11, at Saint Dominic Church, 501 6th St. SW, Washington, DC, 20024-2716. Directions are available on the church website. All veterans, active-duty, reserve, discharged, or retired, are welcome to come and participate, and bring their families. The Mass is open to the public.

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This Weekend: Support Free Exercise of Catholic Faith in the U.S. Military

WASHINGTON, D.C. – American Catholics nationwide will have an opportunity this weekend to offer charitable support for pastoral care to the faithful in the United States Military, the nation’s Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Centers, and those working in a civilian capacity for the U.S. government in other countries. Most U.S. parishes will take up the National Collection for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS) at Sunday Masses the weekend of Nov. 5-6, 2022. (Some dioceses have already taken up the collection and others will do so as late as early in 2023.) AMS faithful will also have an opportunity to participate with a suggested designated offering to be taken the same weekend, or by making an individual donation.

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Father Capodanno Activity Patch Now Available for Scouts and Others—Children, Pre-Teens, Teens, and Adults

WASHINGTON, DC — Scouts and other children, pre-teens, teens, and even adults now have the opportunity to earn a Father Capodanno Activity Patch. The round patch, bearing the name and image of Vietnam War hero and Servant of God Father Vincent R. Capodanno, MM, CHC, LT, USN (1929-1967), has been authorized by His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA. The Coat of Arms of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), appears on the patch alongside Father Capodanno’s image.

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Twenty-Six Men Explore Possible Vocations as U.S. Military Chaplains in Discernment Retreat

BALTIMORE — Twenty-six men discerning possible vocations as Catholic priests and U.S. Military chaplains came together in Baltimore over the weekend of Sept. 29-Oct. 2 for a discernment retreat aimed at helping them hear God’s call. The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), held the four-day retreat at St. Mary’s Seminary under the direction of the Vocations Office. Among the retreatants were three cadets from the U.S. Military Academy West Point and one from the Army’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) , a Marine,  six sailors, five midshipmen, two airmen and eight civilians. AMS Vocations Director Father S. Matthew Gray directed the retreat. His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D.,  Archbishop for the Military Services, participated and celebrated Holy Mass twice for those gathered.

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His Eminence Edwin Cardinal O’Brien to Celebrate Mass at Pilgrimage for the Sea Services on Sunday, Oct. 2, in Emmitsburg, MD

EMMITSBURG, MD – His Eminence, Edwin Cardinal O’Brien, Grand Master Emeritus of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and former Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, will be the main celebrant and homilist at the annual Pilgrimage for the Sea Services Mass on Sunday, Oct. 2, at 3:30 p.m. EDT, at the National Shrine of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, 339 South Seton Avenue, Emmitsburg, MD, 21727-9297. His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, will concelebrate the mid-afternoon Mass.

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Catholic U.S. Army Chaplain Candidate Ordained a Transitional Deacon in San Antonio

SAN ANTONIO, TX – The Reverend Mr. David B. Chacko, (1LT), USAR, a candidate for the Catholic priesthood and United States Military chaplaincy, was ordained a transitional deacon on Saturday, Sept. 10, in his home Archdiocese of San Antonio. The new deacon, an alumnus of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, is on track to be ordained a priest next year and hopes eventually to serve as an active-duty Catholic chaplain in the U.S. Army, and provide pastoral care to Catholic soldiers and their families with endorsement and faculties from the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS).

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Archbishop Broglio Celebrates Annual Mass for the Repose of Father Vincent R. Capodanno on 55th Anniversary of Death

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Slain Vietnam War hero and Servant of God Father Vincent R. Capodanno, MM, CHC, LT, USN (1929-1967), gave witness to what Christ taught: that “the grain of wheat that falls to the earth and dies teaches us to die to ourselves and helps us to understand the very mystery of death,” which is “the only threshold that opens into eternal life. It is a necessary passage.” That message was delivered Tuesday evening by His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA.

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Memorial Mass Scheduled SEPT. 6, 2022 for Vietnam War Hero Father Vincent R. Capodanno, MM

The annual Memorial Mass for Father Vincent R. Capodanno, MM, United States Navy chaplain and Vietnam War hero, will be celebrated on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022 in observance of the 55th anniversary of his death on a Vietnam battlefield. His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the United States Military Services, will be the main celebrant and homilist.

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Vocations Director S. Matthew Gray to Lead Eucharistic Revival Novena to Saint John Vianney for Vocations

WASHINGTON, DC — As the United States Military energetically seeks more Catholic priests to serve as active-duty chaplains in all branches, the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), has chosen a more powerful approach by invoking divine intervention through prayer. Beginning Wednesday, July 27, and continuing through Thursday, Aug. 4, Vocations Director Father S. Matthew Gray will lead the faithful in an online novena. The term “novena” comes from the Latin word for “nine”—“novem.” A novena is series of prayers for special petitions, said for nine consecutive days. While novenas may be offered to any one of a number of saints, this one will implore the intercession of Saint John Vianney (1786-1859), the patron saint of parish priests. The timing coincides with the three-year Eucharistic Revival, an initiative approved by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) last November to rekindle awareness of the Real Presence of Christ in the Holy Eucharist. The Eucharistic Revival, which began on June 19, the Feast of Corpus Christi, will culminate in 2024 with a National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis, IN. 

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Catholic U.S. Military Couples Gather in Germany for Marriage Enrichment Retreat

WALDFISCHBACH-BURGALBEN, GERMANY – Six Catholic couples based at U.S. Military installations throughout Europe spent the weekend in southwest Germany on a Marriage Enrichment Retreat sponsored by the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS). The July 8-10 retreat took place at the Maria Rosenberg Retreat Center in Waldfischbach-Burgalben, about a 25-minute drive from Ramstein Air Base. The time of reflection was facilitated by Mark Moitoza, Th.D., D. Min., AMS Vice-Chancellor for Evangelization. His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, was on hand and celebrated Holy Mass with the couples.

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