U.S. Air Force Reserve Chaplain Msgr. Mark Rowan Nominated for Catholic Extension Lumen Christi Award

Online voting now underway on the Catholic Extension Facebook page

Msgr. Col. Mark Rowan
Msgr. Col. Mark Rowan

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Msgr. Colonel Mark Rowan, a United States Air Force Reserve Chaplain endorsed by the Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS), has been nominated for Catholic Extension’s 2013 Lumen Christi Award. Now in its 36th year, the Lumen Christi award is presented to a priest, lay person, woman religious or group whose service builds faith, inspires hope and ignites change. Both the nominating diocese and recipient of the Lumen Christi Award will receive a $25,000 grant, for a total of $50,000 to fund their ministries.

You can help support Msgr. Mark Rowan by voting for him on the Catholic Extension Facebook page. Share this email with others and encourage them to vote for Msgr. Mark Rowan too.

Showing your support is simple:

  • If you haven’t already,“Like” Catholic Extension’s Facebook page to view all nominees.
  • Click on Msgr. Mark Rowan’s name. You’ll be taken to their page where you can cast your vote by clicking on the blue “vote” button.
  • Share your vote on your own Facebook wall and ask those in your network to vote, too.

Catholic Extension received more than 40 nominations for this year’s Award. Each nominee has worked tirelessly in his or her community, spreading the light of Christ while putting faith into action.Your vote for Msgr. Mark Rowan also helps spread the light of Christ by letting Catholics across America know about the good news going on in the AMS.

Msgr. Rowan, a native of Cedarhurst, N.Y., was ordained a priest on May 25, 1991 after completing studies at the Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in Huntington, N.Y. That same year, the AMS granted the young priest endorsement and faculties to serve as a Chaplain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

In 2003, Msgr. Rowan went on active duty. For the next seven years, he did tours at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska; Osan Air Base, South Korea; and as Wing Chaplain at Yokota Air Base, Japan.

In 2009 Msgr. Rowan returned to the Air Force Reserve where he serves as the Individual Mobilization Augmentee to the Deputy Command Chaplain at Headquarters, AFRC, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia.

Over the course of his 22-year military chaplain career, Msgr. Rowan has served on 13 deployments, including two in Iraq, three in Saudi Arabia, three in the United Arab Emirates, two in Qatar, and one in Kyrgyzstan. He is currently on his second deployment to Kuwait, stationed at Ali Al Salem Air Base.

Msgr. Rowan’s career highlights include serving as a Chaplain at the Dover Port Mortuary for six weeks immediately following the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon as well as his role as coordinator of the 2010 and 2011 Christmas visits by His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, to American servicemen and women stationed in the Middle East. In 2010, Msgr. Rowan coordinated Archbishop Broglio’s visits to U.S. military bases in the Persian Gulf nations of Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates and aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. In 2011, Msgr. Rowan coordinated Archbishop Broglio’s visits to bases in Kuwait, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan and the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis.

Last year, the Air Force Reserve promoted Msgr. Rowan from the rank of Lieutenant Colonel to Colonel, and Pope Benedict XVI designated him a “Chaplain of His Holiness,” a papal honor that carries the title of Reverend Monsignor.

Msgr. Rowan has previously served in the diocese of Rockville Centre at St. Aidan’s Williston Park, N.Y. and St. Catherine of Sienna, Franklin Square, N.Y. He was an associate and later pastor at Our Lady of Peace, Lynbrook, N.Y. and a chaplain at Nassau University Medical Center, East Meadow, N.Y.

Please forward this news release to friends and family and encourage everyone to vote now for Msgr. Rowan to win Catholic Extension’s Lumen Christi Award.

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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.

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