FALL2008-Salute

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T H ET H E M AGA Z I N EM AGA Z I N E O FO F T H ET H E A RC H D I O C E S EA RC H D I O C E S E F O RF O R T H ET H E M I L I TA RYM I L I TA RY S E RV I C E SS E RV I C E S , U SAU S A

FALL 2008FALL 2008

First LT. T.J. Hromisin (wounded in Iraq)

receives Communion from Pope Benedict XVI

at Papal Mass, Washington’s Nationals Stadium

[ARTICLE PAGE 15]

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Salute comes to you today in a new, simpler format. The change reflects the new, smaller dimensions of the Archdiocesan staff dictated by a shrinking budget. I thank Jo Ann Redmond

for generously accepting to include editing Salute among her other, numerous responsibilities.Ordinary Time, which began the day after Pentecost last May, runs until the First Sunday

in Advent and includes the summer season. Of course, all time is a gift from God and can hardlybe ordinary. It is actually a rather extraordinary time of grace in which we can apply our talentsand make manifest the presence of Almighty God in our midst. The Pauline Year, openedsolemnly by Pope Benedict last June 28th, is indeed an extraordinary time for all of us.

Even in the midst of difficulties and challenges, there are so many ways in which we candemonstrate God’s goodness. During his first visit to our shores, the Holy Father urged us to becoherent in our daily lives and to be a People of Hope. From concern for the less fortunate to thegift of our precious time to our constant prayer for a lasting and just peace, we draw on the Lord’smercy, which has been showered so abundantly upon us, and we offer hope to others.

Our charity, use of resources, respect for others, and even our prayers for those who hate usare clear signs that we have accepted the challenge and drawn on the abundant grace, whichAlmighty God has lavished upon us. In a time of serious armed conflict, it is important to keepthoughts of peace uppermost in our minds.

Availing myself of the opportunity to visit military installations and to speak with chaplainsand the men and women in uniform and their families has reaffirmed in my mind that deep longing for peace. It is an elusive gift. It requires each person’s contribution. It implies our willingness to listen, understand, and grow in tolerance. It demands a combination of deep respect, abiding hope and abundant love.

On our journey this year, our Holy Father has invited us to celebrate the 2000th anniversaryof the birth of St. Paul and he has given us many reasons to take him as a model in our daily living of the faith. “… what most deeply motivated him was being loved by Jesus Christ and the desireto communicate this love to others. Paul was a man capable of loving and all of his actions and sufferingcan only be explained on the basis of this core sentiment. It is only on this basis that we can understandthe concepts on which his proclamation was founded.” (Pope Benedict XVI at the Inauguration ofthe Pauline Year, 28 June 2008).

The Pauline Year is another of those extraordinary moments of grace. Let us look to theaccomplishments of the Apostle to the Gentiles and be inspired in our response to the opportunitiesthe Lord offers us each day.

Again, thank you for your interest in the activities and ministry of this Archdiocese. Enjoy this issue of Salute.

Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio

Archbishop

Dear Friends of the Archdiocese for the Military Services,


© 2008 - A PUBLICATION OF THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA - SERVING CATHOLICS IN THE ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE, MARINE CORPS, COAST GUARD,VA MEDICAL CENTERS, AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES OVERSEAS.

The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA publishes SALUTE for the nation’s Bishops, active and retired military chaplains, and financial supportersof the Archdiocese.

ADDRESS CHANGES AND NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS:Please send title, name, address, and phone number to: [email protected] call: 202-719-3600 or write: Development Office, Archdiocese for the Military Services, P.O. Box 4469, Washington, D.C. 20017-0469

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Website: www.milarch.org

ON THE COVER: ©Photo: Photographic Service /"L'Osservatore Romano"/www.photo.va

T H ET H E M AGA Z I N EM AGA Z I N E O FO F T H ET H E A RC H D I O C E S EA RC H D I O C E S E F O RF O R T H ET H E M I L I TA RYM I L I TA RY S E RV I C E SS E RV I C E S , U SAU S A

FALL 2008FALL 2008

First LT. T.J. Hromisin (wounded in Iraq)

receives Communion from Pope Benedict XVI

at Papal Mass, Washington’s Nationals Stadium

[ARTICLE PAGE 15]

Table of Contents

Go to www.milarch.org to read more of Archbishop Broglio’s writings:

Archbishop Broglio’s Ash Wednesday homily at Walter Reed

Archbishop Broglio’s talk on Ash Wednesday homily at Walter Reed

Archbishop Broglio’s talk on

“Hope and Love Through the Eyes of Pope Benedict XVI”

Also: Vistit our website for more on Michael Monsoor.

ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO MSGR. JAMES R. DIXON JO ANN REDMOND ERIC NEUNER | RPISTUDIOS

President Editorial Director Editor Design Director

8 Shrine of LourdesArchbishop Broglio shares his visit with Salute readers.

10 A Day in IraqFather Butler helping our military men and women wrestle withthe painful challenges of war.

13 New Vocations DirectorThe Archdiocese for the Military Services welcomes Father John McLaughlin.

14 Medal of Honor, Michael MonsoorNavy SEAL lays down his life for fellow SEALS.

15 Cover Story: First Lt. T.J. HromisinWounded in Iraq shares thoughts of receiving Communionfrom Pope Benedict XVI.

ON T

HE W

EBTHE MAGAZINE OF THE ARCHDIOCESE FOR THE MILITARY SERVICES, USA VOLUME 2. NUMBER 2 FALL 2008


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The bishop’s odyssey began with a brief stopin Dublin, Ireland where he celebrated the 40thanniversary of his priesthood ordination withmembers of his family, high school classmatesand friends from his native Longford. Flying to Paris, the bishop collected a rental car inwhich he “lived” for the next several months.Spending Palm Sunday with the priestless community of Brunssum in the Netherlands,Bishop Higgins traveled to Heidel-berg where he spent Holy Weekdashing back and forth betweenHeidelberg (Holy Thursday andEaster Vigil), Ramstein Air Base(Easter Sunday), Mannheim (GoodFriday) and Landstuhl Army MedicalCenter (Confirmation) celebratingthe liturgies of the season and visit-ing the Catholic communities. Ahighlight of the week was theChrism Mass concelebrated at Heidelberg’sPatrick Henry Village chapel with fifteen Armyand Air Force priests from bases as far away asGarmisch.

Bishop Higgins returned briefly to Washington for Pope Benedict XVI’s historicvisit to the United States. Returning to Europeand resuming the Confirmation circuit hedrove from Frankfurt to Aviano Air Base, Italywhere Father Phil Kaim (Diocese of Rockford),is on his first Air Force assignment. Unique toAviano is the outstanding relationship with thecommunity of Bodaio where Father Adel Sadris the pastor. Father Sadr is the Arabic interpreter

for His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and hoststhe community of Aviano for Confirmation inhis parish church, Sant’ Andrea Apostolo.From Aviano the bishop traveled to Vicenza (Father Jim Sheil), Naples (Father Kevin Deeleyand Father Mike Parisi) and NAS Sigonella,Sicily (Father Ken Rodes).

A pastoral visit to Naval Air Station(NAS) Rota required a three hour flight

from the former Hahn Air Base, Germany to Jerez, Spain on one of Europe’s many budget airlines! The price was right, but pack lightly!Father Jim Joslyn was a most gracious host despite the movers arriving the following week. FatherJoslyn has since settled in Jack-sonville, Florida. Again, a visit to Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, required a long day in the air from Frankfurt

to Adana, via Istanbul. Father Mike Tenorio, an Air Force chaplain and Capuchin monk, onhis 2nd assignment, made sure the bishop hadthe opportunity to visit Saint Paul’s home inTarsus during his brief stay in Turkey.

Traveling to the Azores consumed an entire day. Departing from Munich, BishopHiggins stopped off briefly in Lisbon beforecatching the connecting flight to the islandswhere Father Tom Angelo, USAF is the pastor.The Azores is one of the Air Force’s best-keptsecrets. Lajes Field has a superb school system,base housing overlooks the Atlantic and a contract 747 replenishes the commissary every

Bishop on the Move

“We have someabsolutely

wonderful priestsand people in Europe who

deal with extraordinarychallenges dayafter day...”

Bishop Richard Higgins departed Washington 5 March for the European Confirmation tour; a trip that included pastoral visits to 22 installations, took

87 days, covered 11,000 kilometers and stretched from RAF Menwith Hill in Yorkshire, England to NAS Sigonella, Sicily and from the Azores to Incirlik AirBase, Adana, Turkey.


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AUXILIARY BISHOP RICHARD B. HIGGINS

Wednesday. Don’t tell anyone!Back on mainland Europe, Bishop Higgins

spent a delightful few days on retreat inGamisch with Monsignor Don Rutherford,Deputy Chief of Army Chaplains and the 17Army padres assigned or contracted in Europe.Father James Marchionda O.P. and John Angotti, both accomplished musicians andcomposers provided a refreshing interlude in anotherwise punishing travel schedule.

It was “On the Road Again” for the bishopfollowing the few days in Garmisch. Visiting thecommunities of Bamberg, Hohenfels and Brunssum, Bishop Higgins stopped off at theAmerican College Seminary in Louvain, Belgium (he is member of the Board of Governors)enroute to the United Kingdom and Confirma-tions at RAF Lakenheath, RAF Mildenhall,RAF Molesworth/RAF Alconbury and RAFMenwith Hill. Menwith Hill was the final stopon the tour and while returning to France to dropoff the car and fly back to DC the bishop was“forced” to take a few days break in the South ofEngland by industrial action in the French ports!

Bishop Higgins (who as an Air Force chaplain was stationed in Europe 1980-82 and1995-97) commented about the changes he observed throughout Europe since his last visit

there three years ago. “We have some absolutelywonderful priests and people in Europe whodeal with extraordinary challenges day afterday. We complain about $4.00 a gallon gasoline.The Europeans have been paying $9.00 a gallonfor years! The weak dollar challenges our mili-tary communities. There is little discretionarymoney at the end of the month and ouryounger military members are particularly hardhit. Add in the operations tempo and deploy-ments and the strain on our military membersand their families is immense. The Departmentof Defense Dependent Schools system[DoDDS] just announced the closure of an additional nine schools on top of the nine theyclosed last year! For a variety of reasons, spousesof military members have great difficulty findingwork overseas and in some cases the spouse refuses to accompany the military memberwhen he/she is notified of a pending assign-ment to Europe. Quite frequently when themilitary member deploys the family simplypicks up and returns home to the U.S. Realignment of bases and missions has resultedin the closure of many smaller installations andthe consolidation of others. The impact on thesurrounding communities is significant.

Continued on page 18

BISHOP HIGGINS WITH CONFIRMATION CLASS STUTTGART, GERMANY.


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Wherever I’ve had Confirmation it’s beenmy practice to meet with the Confirmandi for at least an hour to an hour and a half discussing how they view Church and their call to become a more integral part of it. Thesediscussions, especially with those who are inhigh school, are quite enlightening and enriching. I wish that I could play some tapes of them so that you too could feel inspired and enriched by the quality of the young peoplewho are embracing the Church fully throughthis Sacrament. I would like to share with yousome of their insights and expressions of faithwritten in their letters to me. The following arejust from the “top of the pile” of my last visit soyou don’t think I’ve picked only the best ones-they are all quality letters.

1) “I’ve been Catholic since I was Baptizedat the age of eight and am happy that I am still aCatholic because God is the best part of my life. I pray whenever I go to sleep. I also pray when I need to talk to Him or have any problems. I wentto a 30-hour retreat with my Chapel and learnedabout hunger and poorness throughout the world. I know now what it means to find Christ in others.I really want to help people in whatever way I canbecause I know now that God wants me to do thisas Church.”

2) “When we attended the hunger retreat, itwas one of the most depressing moments of my life.To hear about the countless children who sleep onthe streets and about the innocent veterans thathave done nothing but serve their country, makes

me think about how selfish our world is. After fastingfor 30 hours, I felt like passing out. I don’t know howa malnourished child can survive without a home orfood. After spending the night in cardboard boxes,I didn’t sleep a wink just thinking about them. Eversince, I have never been so thankful for my bed andthe warmth of my house. Now I know what I haveto do. Now I know what God wants me to do andwhy I am part of the Church. I know what Jesusmeant when he called us to serve those who are lessfortunate.”

3) “I would like to be Confirmed because I think that receiving the Holy Spirit in this Sacrament will definitely bring me closer to God. I will be an adult in the Church and I will hopefullybe allowed to become more a part of what theChurch does for others. For example, next yearthere will be no CCD for me, but I don’t want tostop going, so I have requested to be an assistantteacher. I am hoping that I will be able to pass oneverything I know and have learned in helping teachthe younger kids. I also think I will learn more byteaching as well. I believe that the more I learn

Bishop on the Move

BISHOP ESTABROOK

Starting in Singapore this past February and for the following fourmonths I’ve been traveling throughout Asia and the Western United

States visiting every installation in the Military and many ships in theNavy and meeting many of our dedicated active duty and their families.They are all quite impressive.


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AUXILIARY BISHOP JOSEPH W. ESTABROOK

about my faith the closer I can become to God.That’s what I want more than anything.”

4) “My relationship with God is unclear;I’m not sure where I do stand right now at this pointin time. But there is one thing I do know, and thatis that I will find God and what my relationshipwith him is all about very soon through the Church.I do want to take a more active role in the Churchand to get closer to God so that I can feel like I’m connecting with Him. I know that after I get Confirmed the Holy Spirit will guide me. I’m goingto move soon but on occasions I will come backhere to this Base and visit this Chapel where I firstfelt God in my life. Bishop Estabrook, I would likeyou to Confirm me. Nothing in the world couldmake me happier!”

5) “I want to be Confirmed because I feelthat there is still a gap between me and God andthat Confirmation will help shorten that gap. I wantto help my community in any way that I can so thatwhen I die, I can say truthfully that my life was notmeaningless. I feel God can help me make the right decisions if only I let him.”

6) “Being so young and not having muchknowledge of my religion, I didn’t truly grasp whatbeing a Catholic meant until taking these classes.At first I was very confused and complacent. It wasa big step for me to process everything I was beingtaught and reason it out. For a while I doubtedGod. I couldn’t understand nor believe what I waslearning. To me, the facts just didn’t add up. Butthen I realized where I was mistaken. At somepoint, things in general for me started to go down-hill. I was very depressed one day and a song cameon in my itunes. It’s a beautiful song called “DearGod” by the Jonas Brothers. I started crying onceI began to listen to the lyrics. I felt God’s presence;

it was an incredible and indescribable moment in my life. The phenomenon altogether made me realize how chaotic and dreadful my life had becomewhen I strayed away from my faith. Since then,I’ve been working on building my relationship withGod through the Church. Following this important internal confrontation, I attending my first HungerRetreat with my class. This experience has changedmy life and the way I see the world around me andhow I fit into it. I now recognize just how blessed I really am to have the support of the people wholove me and help me with the obstacles I go throughin life. Since then,I pray more often, take time to bealone so I can just talk with God. A lot of the timeHe is the only person I really can talk to. I know He listens and little by little, and if I’m paying attention- see how He answers my prayers.”

7) “I have been Catholic since I was an infant. I am happy that my parents decided to haveme Baptized because God is an important part ofmy life. I pray before meals and before going tosleep. I ask God to watch over all my family andfriends and to help my Grandfather who is sickand has already had three surgeries. I attended a30-hour Retreat and learned about poverty andhunger around the world. I’ve discovered howblessed I am to have God in my life.”

These letters show how inspiring ouryoung people are and how blessed we are as aChurch to have them as part of Christ’s body.These young people show me that no matterhow many problems we have as a Church, as asociety, as a world, God keeps sending us thevery best He has because there’s nothing wecan ever do to make Him stop believing in us.If only we kept our Faith in Him as much as Hekeeps His Faith in us.�


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Many have called the Shrine of Lourdesthe “heart” of the Church. The “head”

is Rome where the two princes of the Apostlesshed their blood in a lasting testimony of theirfaith in the Savior of the universe, Jesus Christ.Lourdes is one of those special places whereOur Mother the Blessed Virgin Mary revealedin a concrete way the gentle maternal aspect of Almighty God’s loving care for His sons and daughters.

For the last fifty years military personneland veterans have been making a

pilgrimage to the Shrine at Lourdes. It beganas an attempt to reconcile German andFrench soldiers after the horrors of WorldWar II. A mother always seems to have thekey to facilitating reconciliation between herchildren. The Blessed Virgin certainly achievedthat goal and we pray that she continues toinspire thoughts of peace and coexistenceamong her sons and daughters everywhere.

The pilgrimage events were impressive. The Eucharistic and Rosary processions

brought multitudes to the open spaces in frontof the old Basilica. The impressive Baptism and Confirmation liturgy held in the vastunder-ground Basilica inspired all who resistedto the end. Cardinal Schönborn, Archbishopof Vienna, touched each heart with his brief,

but thought provoking message, delivered in four languages during the rainy final Mass out-of-doors on the fields just across the Gave River from the grotto where Our Lady appeared to Saint Bernadette.

The approximately 400 pilgrims from the United States, led by Brigadier

General Russell Frutiger, gathered for Mass on Thursday and Friday. A number of chaplains concelebrated with me on bothdays. Everyone was so considerate andfriendly. Deacon David Cardona and theubiquitous and most efficient Marlys Deworfacilitated every event.

Those are the details of the time at theshrine, but they do not really capture what

happens at Lourdes. They say nothing of thelines of invalids and others who wait – with expressions of hope on their faces – for theiropportunity to bathe in the healing waters of the spring. They are children, young menand women, and the old. They are victims of infirmity, wounds from wars, defects, andpsychological problems. They come with thedesire to be healed. They long for a sign of divine favor. They pray as they wait theirturn to be dipped in pools filled with the waterwhich the Blessed Virgin Mary commandedyoung Bernadette to drink.

Shrine of LourdesBY ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY P. BROGLIO

At the end of May thousands of people associatedwith the military in various countries left theirinstallations or homes and congregated in anobscure French village nestled in the Pyreneesto pray for peace. Of course, gradually over the

last one hundred fifty years, Lourdes has become less obscureand grown to be a special place of pilgrimage.


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Some certainly receive that special gracewhich they sought. All are comforted by the

experience and the warmth of Our Mother’s embrace. All are served by an army of volunteerswho help them during their pilgrimage. Mostreturn home renewed by the time spent at thisshrine. It is a profound moment of prayer, celebration, and participation. Seldom does onevisit Lourdes without being touched by time at the heart of the Church.

The pilgrimage has another byproduct.When the first pilgrims came from

Germany in 1958, they were very consciousthat they had invaded France at the beginningof World War II and were consequently fright-ened about how they would be received.

The initial hesitant steps and the trepidationabout entering the town of Lourdes gave wayto the fraternal camaraderie of those united bya common faith. The tradition continues. The military personnel who gather interactwith each other. They exchange insignia fromtheir uniforms. Bonds are formed. A new understanding of common dreams, shared service and a lived faith advance the journeyto mutual understanding. We pray that these pilgrimages might make reality the words of the prophet: “They will hammer their swordsinto ploughshares and their spears into sickles. Nation will not lift sword against nation, no longer will they learn how to make war.” (Is. 2:4b,c) �

Holy Hour is a moment of encounter with our Lord

Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament within the Church. It is a moment of grace andthanksgiving. On August 3rd,

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio and membersof the faithful came together in front of theBlessed Sacrament at the National Shrine ofthe Immaculate Conception, WashingtonD.C. to remember all our service men andwomen, deceased, wounded in action, and deployed, to the altar of thanksgiving and thefountain of life.

We gathered in front of the Blessed Sacrament to give thanks. The word Eucharistitself means “thanksgiving” which describesthe main definition and source of our Faith.We gave thanks for all the blessings we have inChrist Jesus, who said, “I am the way, the truthand the life” (John 14:6). A priest once said,“How can a person have life outside Christ,because there is no life outside of life, that is,Christ Himself.”

We gathered in front of the Blessed Sacrament to bring our petitions and prayersas Christ asks us, “Those who are burdenedcome to me.” Christ waits for us in the Eucharist to receive us and our needs. Con-sider this analogy. An important well-knownperson wants to come to your house and dinewith you. Can you imagine the pressure andthe preparation to welcome this person? If weget this excited for a celebrity, how much moreexcited we should be to know that Christ waitsfor us in the Blessed Sacrament! He wants usto come to Him as we are.

In summary, we came together on August3rd to give thanks for the lives and service of our military men and women and for their sacrifice to protect us from harm. They willingly gave their lives for the cause of good and peace. We bring all of them to the altar of grace and love so that the light of Christ may shine on them. �

MAMMAS HABTEGIORGIS, a seminarian for theArchdiocese of Boston

BY MAMMAS HABTEGIORGISTHE HOLY HOUR

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“Attention on the NET, attention on theNET, this is the Command Post. EMEDS allrecall, I repeat, EMEDS all recall.”

EMEDS is our Expeditionary MedicalSquadron. This call told us that casualties werecoming in. I grabbed my sacred oils and hatand headed off for the “dust off” helicopterpad. The wounded normally come to us byair. After a brisk five-minute walk across ourliving compound, I arrived at thetriage area and approached one ofour flight doctors.

“What’s the situation?” I asked. “We’re hearing that there are fivecasualties. Some of them may be insurgents.”

Information about the numberof casualties and the seriousness oftheir injuries is often sketchy.Sometimes radio transmissions areblocked to prevent attacks duringtransport. Other times, more thanone person reports the same incident and information gets confused. The fog of war.

About 20 minutes later, we spotted twoArmy Blackhawk helicopters in the distance.When they landed, our medical staff and litter-bearers met them. They collected twowounded men and rushed them to the triagearea. Our doctors and medical technicianssprung into action. They cut off clothing,started IVs, and made an initial assessment of their wounds. I noticed that both wereenemy combatants. The three other casualtieswere American soldiers who had just beenkilled in action.

After the two enemy wounded werechecked for hidden weapons or explosives,they were taken from the triage area into theEmergency Room. One was in very seriouscondition. He was losing blood rapidly. Wedon’t have much of a blood supply here, especially this man’s rarer B-negative type. So, we rely on our own people to give bloodwhen it is needed.

The call went out: “Attentionon the NET, attention on the NET,blood donor recall for all personswith type B-negative blood.”Everyone on base heard it. A fewminutes later there was a line of soldiers and airmen ready to giveblood…to knowingly save the lifeof a terrorist.

I entered the Emergency Roomwith one of the Medical Group administrators as the medical staffstabilized one patient and prepared

the other for surgery. When the number of casualties is large, I often assist the medicaltechnicians as they put in IVs, take x-rays orcollect personal data from dog tags or ID cards.This time, with the smaller number and thelanguage barrier, I attended to the staff and theIraqi translator. The medical commander’s orders were clear: we are to provide the bestmedical care possible to anyone brought inalive, whether an American or an enemy combatant. Sometimes that’s not an easy orderto obey, especially on days like this when it required our people to save the very ones who killed the three American soldiers whose

A DAY IN IRAQ: One Chaplain’s Experience

BY FATHER TIM BUTLER

It was about 9 o’clock in the morning when I heard thecall over my Land Mobile Radio. I was just finishingmy second cup of coffee and morning prayers.

“Freedom is

sweet in-

deed, but it

is

purchased

with more

than blood

and toil and

the personal

sacrifices

that can

never be

known or


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bodies were being taken to the morgue.In a back hallway, I noticed three soldiers

sitting quietly on plastic chairs. Two of themheld weapons. The other had his uniform top off and was staring at a pile of forms. I introduced myself, sat down, and started talking with one of them. Armed with an M-16, his job was to guard the enemy combatants. The unarmed soldier stood up and walked around the corner.

The guard with the M-16 pointed to him,“Chaplain, that soldier was in the firefight.The three guys who got killed were hisfriends.”

The young man returned a few minuteslater and sat down. I turned to him and said, “I understand you were out there this morning. How are you doing?”

“Alright,” he said. Saying nothing more,he looked down at the pile of papers in the seatnext to him and picked them up. I couldn’teven begin to imagine what he was feeling. I persisted, “What do you have there.”

“A bunch of damn papers they gave meto fill out,” he replied. “Can you believe it?They actually want me to fill out all theseforms to justify detaining these guys who justkilled three of my friends.”

During the next hour this young man toldme of their operation to find a cell of terroristsin a small mountain village north of our base.He told me how his three friends entered a house where they suspected terrorists werehiding. A sudden volley of fire killed all threeof them. A firefight ensued and lasted untilsomeone threw a hand grenade into the building. The shooting stopped, and it becamequiet for a few minutes. Then he and the remaining soldiers carefully entered the house.They found four dead and two alive. Thusbegan their attempts to save the lives of thetwo who were still moving.

“I wanted to fill them with lead,” he said.“But we can’t do that. It was so hard. They had

just killed my friends.”As a chaplain, part of my responsibility is

to help our military members wrestle with thepainful moral conflicts and challenges thatthey encounter during war. However, some ofmy friends view the military chaplaincy asbeing irredeemably tainted, and would abolishit. “You’re now part of the military industrialcomplex,” they have told me, perhaps reflecting the institutional distrust of the post-Vietnam generation. Others have accused meof betraying the Gospel’s call to pacifism:“You’re no better than a soldier yourself by supporting the war effort.” I can’t help butwonder what they would say to this soldier.

We Americans enjoy freedom because ofmen and women like him. Freedom is sweetindeed, but it is purchased with more thanblood and toil and the personal sacrifices thatcan never be known or repaid. Freedom is secured also with the heartache and grievingof our service personnel who answer the demands of justice and peace in unspeakablydifficult settings. Just ask the young soldierwho was required to assist in saving the lives ofthe men who killed his three friends.

For me, the world in which we live is acomplex and sometimes dangerous place.While charged with God’s presence, it is alsobroken and filled with evils. That’s why I support principled restraints on our actionsduring wartime. It’s also why I cannot supporta political or military pacifism that would leaveinnocent people vulnerable to the malice anddestruction of those who will stop at no outrage or evil to achieve their twisted goals.


EMEDS AT “DUST OFF” HELICOPTER PAD.


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MEMORIAL DAY MASS

14TH ANNUAL MEMORIAL DAY MASS, BASILICA OF THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION, 18 MAY 2008.

After the procession the Basilica was filledwith silence as the honor guard processeddown the main aisle. The flag of the UnitedStates of America was followed by the flags ofeach branch of service. Streamers swayedsilently from these flags. Each streamer repre-sented one of the major campaigns that eachbranch of service was involved with from theRevolutionary War to the present day. Thissilent procession served as a stark reminder ofthe price of freedom purchased with the lives ofso many who selflessly served in the military topromote peace. As the congregation sang ournational anthem a sense of gratitude and awebegan to fill the sacred space of the basilica.

In his homily Archbishop Broglio recalledthat as a nation, “We continue to rely on the sacrifice of many to build a better, more harmonious world.” In explaining the gift offreedom that we treasure the Archbishop referenced the recent visit of the Holy Fatherto the United States. While addressing the

United Nations, Pope Benedict XVI high-lighted the recognition of the unity of thehuman family noting that the innate dignityof every human person finds a renewed em-phasis in the principle of the responsibility toprotect. In explaining this principle the HolyFather emphasizes that it invokes the idea ofthe person as image of the Creator, the desirefor the absolute, and the essence of freedom.

Archbishop Broglio continued his thoughtprovoking homily stating, “We treasure ourfreedom and we acknowledge with gratitude all those whose patriotism has inspired servicein all of the branches.” In recognition of thecommitment of military families and the strainthat they experience Archbishop Broglio said,“We reverence the service of men and womenin uniform and their families.” Finally, Arch-bishop Broglio noted that during this MemorialDay Mass “…we gather to give thanks, to invokelasting peace, the authentic commitment in thelives of those who so nobly served this nation.”

“We continue to rely on the sacrifice of many to build a better,more harmonious world.” - Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio

On a beautiful Sunday afternoon the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conceptionin Washington, D.C., was filled with people who had come to celebrate the 14th

Annual Memorial Day Mass with Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio as the main celebrantand homilist. The Mass began with a procession of active duty, reserve, and guard chaplains, area clergy, priests on staff at the Archdiocese for the Military Services alongwith Bishop Paul S. Loverde of the Diocese of Arlington, and Bishop Francis X. Roque,Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.

PHOTO: © BILL KIRST

BY MARK MOITOZA


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MEMORIAL DAY MASS 2008continued from pg 10

Of special note were the hope-filled prayersof those gathered for men to generously respond to the call of priesthood to serve asChaplains in the Armed Forces. The Arch-

diocese for the Military Services, USA waspleased to welcome all of the high rankingrepresentatives of the executive, judicial and legislative branches of government that participated along with many military leaderswho joined in prayer for all those who sacrificedso much for the pursuit of peace.�

I am a delayed vocation, having graduatedfrom Boston College in 1980; I worked in salesand real estate for the next 10 years. I guess thenatural progression would have been for me tobecome a priest. I also coached wrestling atWoburn High school during those 10 years.Wrestling ultimately helped me come to thepriesthood. Unfortunately, I am a brokendown former wrestler, who used to diet andstill has it in his mind that he can lose 10pounds in a single workout. Well, that is astory for another time.

I have been ordained and working in theBoston Archdiocese for 13 years. I have beenParochial Vicar in the city, St. Clement’s inSomerville, and in the country, St. Mary’s inFoxboro (home of the New England Patriots). I was most recently the Pastor at St. Monica’sin Methuen, Massachusetts. I love being apriest.

I have been asked to come down toWashington, D.C. and to help those in themilitary service who are interested in a possible

vocation. My role is to help them discern andto direct them. I feel privileged to work withthese young service men and women, I pray that through the Holy Spirit I can helpand guide them. I know that our Military hasbeen struggling to find priests to assist them atthis critical time in our history. I think that wesometimes forget that we are a nation at warand that these service men and women aremaking great sacrifices for us and our nation.We have an obligation to help in any way thatwe can. I pray that in some way this new officeof vocations can help make a difference.

The Archbishop O’Brien Vocation Initiative is another way that will be helpful infostering vocations. This program has been setup to fund the vocation office, discernmentretreats and our co-sponsored seminarians. I look forward to the challenge. I also look forward to meeting those interested in assist-ing me. Lastly, I thank my brother priests inthe armed forces who have been working diligently to foster vocations. �

Father McLaughlinVocation DirectorIhave recently begun my new position as a vocation

director for the Archdiocese for the Military Services.I never thought that this position would bring instantrecognition to me. Every day I hear people repeating whatI say with a littlejocularity. I never realized I had an accentuntil I came here. It is quite obvious that I am from Boston.

PHOTO: © M

ARY SCHWALM

FATHER JOHN MCLAUGHLIN, AP


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SEAL team 3 arrived at Camp Corrigedor in April of 2006; my unit had been there

for about 5 months when Monsoor presented himself at the Chapel. He had heard the Chap-lain was a Catholic priest and he had come tomeet me. I was becoming used to seeing newfaces in camp; some of these would frequent theCatholic Mass: an Italian photo journalist, twoFrench contract workers, a mental health specialist from the Rhode Island NG, Air Forceand Marine personnel and now a Navy SEAL.We spoke, introduced ourselves, and the ensuingconversation was regular fare. He told me a little about his family, where he was from, howlong he had been in the Navy, and then heasked if I would hear his confession.

War does that to us, pesters us about ourmortality, insisting we set wrongs right

and say we’re sorry in a meaningful way. It forces an examination of life and insists onquestions: Where am I going? What am I doing?How well have I done up until now? In ourconversation, Michael struck me as a man whoknew what he was about and exactly what hewas called to do, but, while he knew it to beimportant, he did not glory in the task of war.He had a keen sense of the responsibility he

bore, made evident in his sober manner. Uponreflection I would later comment to myselfthat, in his demeanor, he reminded me of whatthe apostle Nathaniel must have been like; a man in whom there was no guile.

As the weeks became months, and thesummer sun seared all of us, the SEALS

would appear and disappear with regularity.When Michael showed back up at Corrigedor,he was always a little thinner, more tanned, but always with the same engaging smile. We would speak after Mass, say hello in thechow hall, and greet each other as our pathscrossed in camp.

As September came to a close and the heatwas beginning to hint at breaking, on the

feast of the Arch Angels, I received the news. ASEAL was down! I ran to the aide station I hadblessed and dedicated to St Raphael; surroundedby docs and medics, there lay Michael. TheSacraments of the Church having been offeredas the thump of the evac helicopter grew louder;my last memory of Michael Monsoor was thehelicopter lifting off from our combat out post.My commander remarked, “That’s his AngelFlight”; I whispered, “It certainly is.”

Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. — John 15:13

BY CH (CPT) FATHER PAUL-ANTHONY HALLADAY*


The way one leaves this world can be just as important as the way one lived while in it. PettyOfficer and Navy SEAL, Michael Monsoor was

certainly an example of this assertion. A member ofSEAL Team 3, stationed in Ramadi, Iraq, I came toknow this man because of our common mission and ourcommon faith.

Michael Monsoor


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FIRST LT. T.J.HROMISIN

U.S. Army First Lt. T.J. Hromisin is a member of St. John the

Evangelist Catholic Parish in Pittston, Pennsylvania.

Lt. Hromisin is a graduate of Seton Catholic High School in Pittston, PA and is amember of the Class of 2005 of the University of Scranton, a Jesuit institution

located in Scranton, PA. Lt. Hromisin served as an altar server, sacristan, lector, assistant masterof ceremonies, and master of ceremonies at St. John the Evangelist Parish. While serving as a platoon leader with Fort Lewis’ 4th Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division, Lt. Hromisin was shot in thehead while conducting an information seeking mission on 29 May 2007 in Iraq. After emergingfrom his Stryker (military Fire Support Vehicle), Lt. Hromisin turned his head to give orders onthe walkie talkie attached to his lapel and was struck by a sniper from a building one block away. The sniper hit him in virtually the only place on his head that was exposed, which was rightabove his eyes. Minutes later, he was evacuated to a military trauma hospital in Balad. Suffering from a severe brain injury, the hospital staff at Balad worked desperately to save his life.Once stable, he was transferred to Landstuhl Germany in an effort to save the sight in his righteye. His left eye had been destroyed by the initial impact. Unfortunately the surgery was unsuccessfuland Lt. Hromisin was sent stateside on 1 June.

FIRST LT. T.J. HROMISIN (WOUNDED IN IRAQ) RECEIVES COMMUNION FROM POPE BENEDICT XVI AT PAPAL MASS, WASHINGTON’S NATIONALS STADIUM

BY MONSIGNOR JAMES R. DIXON

Salute asked the Hromisin family for

a statement on their Washington visit:

We were fortunate enough to speak to TJ by phonejust a few minutes ago (17 July 2008). We askedhim for his reactions to the whole day in Washing-ton. He said it was an honor for him to representother wounded soldiers in receiving (Communion)from the Pope.He felt a combination of excitement,nervousness, and deep respect as he waited to receive. Since TJ was not able to see the Pope,Mary Ellen (TJ’s Mother) had to supply the visualeffect. She looked into the Holy Father's eyes as TJ was receiving and said “I saw the kindest eyes,eyes filled with compassion for the pain of a

mother and her wounded son.” The long day lefthim exhausted physically and emotionally, but itwas an unforgettable experience for all of us.

When we returned to Pittston, PA after the Papal Mass,TJ was asked to speak to the FirstCommunion class at a local Catholic school to tell them about his experience. He told them,“Take the excitement you're feeling about your First Communion and multiply it 100 times.”

TJ is currently at a VA hospital in Connecticutwhich has a special program for blind veterans. Heis making slow, steady progress. He will probably bethere until October.�

©Photo: Photographic Service /"L'O

sservatore Rom

ano"/ww

w.photo.va


fa l l / 2 0 0 8 / 16

VA has developed a comprehensive“seamless transition program” to assist

service members who have served in OperationEnduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom(OEF/OIF) transition from the battlefield totheir lives at home. The VA is truly committedto addressing as many needs for this specialpopulation of veterans as possible.

At Hines VA Hospital in Chicago, ILthousands of OEF/OIF veterans have

come to our facility or through our clinics to betreated for health-related conditions. Not surprisingly, these veterans have showed upwith a wide variety of adjustment issues, fears,anxieties, family problems, etc. In addition tooffering our patients an array of counseling andmental health treatment options, it quickly became apparent to us in the Chaplain Servicethat these patients had special spiritual needsas well. We decided to take an aggressive approach to finding out what these needs wereand how we could best address them.

Our first step was to create a spiritual needsassessment tool so that we could better

understand the needs and desires of these veterans in relation to spirituality. A HinesChaplain used this new tool to personally interview 50 veterans and/or their surrogates.The assessment tool gathered qualitative and quantitative information describing the importance of spirituality to the veteran’s overall sense of well being during rehabilitationand re-integration into their local community. Respondents were questioned about their pre-deployment, deployment, and post-deploymentspiritual awareness and how it related to theircurrent life events.

The results of the spiritual needs assessmentwere very eye-opening. More than 70%

of those surveyed reported that they are expe-riencing fear about the present and the future.Many of the veterans interviewed said thingslike, “My family is drifting apart because ofwhat I’ve been through. This has taken a toll

BY FATHER JAMES BURNETT

Spirituality Does Have A Positive Impact On Healing and Rehabilitation

Meeting the healthcare needs of military service members returningfrom active duty in Iraq andAfghanistan has been a top

priority for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) since September 11, 2001. Overthe past few years, the Department’s focus onthis group of veterans has only grown.FATHER JAMES BURNETT


fa l l / 2 0 0 8 / 17

psychologically, emotionally and spiritually,”or “I am concerned that I am lost.”

The Chaplain Survey results validated ourfirmly held belief that spirituality is a

crucial component of the returning veteran’sultimate recovery and integration into their community post-deployment. While the majority verbalized an intense struggle withgrief over multiple losses, over half of those interviewed rated the importance of spiritualityin their overall sense of well being, as seven or higher on a scale of zero (0) to ten (10).

Recognizing the importance of the infor-mation received from the 50 interviewed

veterans, Hines VA Hospital has hired a full-time Chaplain to handle the spiritual needsof the OEF/OIF veterans. We are the first VAin the country to dedicate our spiritual resources to this group in such a focused way.

Even more importantly, the needs assess-ment convinced us that we needed to take

a proactive, innovative approach to reachingout to these veterans on a spiritual level. In order for home town clergy to assist theseveterans, we feel that we need to provide themwith some education and information aboutthe specific needs of OEF/OIF service members.We decided it was time to get our VA expertstogether with local home town clergy in thecommunity to talk about what we can do tohelp these veterans.

We have invited experienced professionalsin the areas of spirituality, poly-trauma

recovery and rehabilitation, to the Chicagoarea for a two day conference entitled; Embracing Spirituality in the Face of Trauma:a Soldier’s Journey from Harms Way to Home.The focus of the conference will be to empowerand assist the home town clergy who are working with these returning service members.We will provide them with background on thisspecial group of service members and offerthem some suggestions on how to reach out toOEF/OIF service members. The conferencewill also be geared toward all chaplains andother health care professionals who serve the needs of the wounded warriors and their families. It is imperative that all those providingpastoral care understand the special needs ofthese veterans and are on the same page whenit comes to reaching out to them.

The staff of the Hines Chaplain Service isvery motivated to assist as many OEF/OIF

service members as possible and are excitedabout this upcoming conference, which will be held October 22-23 2008. Anyone who is interested in participating in this first of itskind conference is welcome.�

For more information, call the Hines VA Chaplain Service;

708-202-2531 or email at:[email protected]

“The assessment tool gathered qualitative and quantitative information describing the

importance of spirituality to the veteran’s overall sense of well being during rehabilitation and

re-integration into their local community”


fa l l / 2 0 0 8 / 18

Tight military budgets have meant the loss of appropriated dollars in our chapel communitiesand additional strain on chapel offerings. Ourfolks are not used to this.”

It’s not all negative, however. The bishopcontinued “the Department of Defense has invested heavily in quality of life programs atmany installations. 850 new housing units and amassive Post Exchange/Commissary complex atGrafenwoehr are indicative of the efforts beingmade to improve the communities and retain ourtroops and their families. Across the Europeantheater child development centers and fitness facilities are either new or recently renovated.NAS Sigonella and Naples benefit from newhousing and Community Centers, and Spang-dahlem Air Base in Germany has embarked on aconstruction program that will greatly enhanceliving conditions and contribute significantly to

morale. Ramstein Air Base is putting the finishing touches to a massive hotel/shoppingcomplex. Service members assigned to Europe,their families and those engaged in the GlobalWar on Terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan cantake advantage of the “Edelweiss”, a magnificentArmed Forces Recreation Center adjacent tothe Zugspitz in Garmisch. Quality of Life is notthe sole issue in these improvements. A secureenvironment in which to live, work and play isa major concern.”

Throughout his visits enthusiastic Catholiccommunities, hundreds of excited and talentedteenagers, dedicated parents and catechists andexceptional chaplains and support staff, greetedBishop Higgins. As a final remark the bishopcommented “the Confirmation circuit is the highlight of the year for me. I never tire of it, it’s a tremendous blessing.” �

In our broken ambiguous world, militarystrength is necessary to assure that decent people can have a safe, just and humane spacein which to live, work, and raise their children.Robust, academic and political discussions often focus on the way things “should be,” andrightly so. In Iraq, face to face with terroristsand insurgents, our military personnel are confronted with things the way they are.Human freedom allows people to inflict theirmalicious will on others. Sometimes force mustbe used to stop or limit their evil actions.

“War is an ugly thing,” wrote John StuartMill, “but not the ugliest of things: the decayingand degraded state of moral and patriotic feelingwhich thinks nothing worth a war, is worse.” The enemy we face in Iraq today has no moralframework in which they operate. They think

nothing of indiscriminate killing by way of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and suicidebombers. Out here we see the results every day.It’s very ugly.

For a good part of that day, I sat with thissoldier, listening to his anger and pain. Perhaps ithelped when his commanding officer remindedhim: “what makes us different from this enemy isthe fact that we will not kill an unarmed,wounded enemy combatant.” Perhaps it helpedwhen his buddies told him that “we need to keepthem alive to get important information fromthem.” But however comforting and helpfulthose comments may have been to this youngsoldier, they did not address the shock of that firefight or the emotional trauma of losing hisfriends. That was to be my responsibility. �

A DAY IN IRAQ: One Chaplain’sExperience | Continued from page 11

BISHOP ON THE MOVE - AUXILIARY BISHOP RICHARD B. HIGGINS | Conitnued from page 5

EMEDS TEAM AT KIRKUK


Archdiocese for the Military Servicestour of duty brick campaign

Reserve Your

Bricks Today!

TO SHOW YOUR MESSAGE OF SUPPORT

TO VETERANS,mililtary members, their

families, and chaplains. Your commemorative

brick will join the thousands of others

in adding that “personal touch” to the

pathways of our new chancery building in

Washington, DC.Order your bricks online

at: www.milarch.orgor complete and return

the form at right. Each paver includes

18 characters per line(space included) and

up to 4 lines per brick.

Michael Monsoor | Continued from page 14

To read more about Michael Monsoor, visit our web site: www.milarch.org

* Father Paul-Anthony Halladay is a Chaplain with the 1-506th Infantry Battalion of the 101stAirborne Division, Ft. Campbell, KY, when deployed in Iraq. Currently serving as the 58thTransportation Battalion Chaplain & the Senior Catholic Priest at Fr. Leonard Wood, MO.

Aman named in honor of St. Michael, diedin an aide station blessed and dedicated

to St. Raphael on the feast of the Arch Angels.As word spreads of this man’s selfless sacrifice inthrowing himself upon the grenade that threat-ened the lives of his comrades, I can’t help but

think that, Gabriel, the messenger of God, isalso involved. Michael Monsoor left this life byselflessly laying down his own to save others.In April of 2008, he was awarded the Medal ofHonor, and leaves us a legacy; an example oftrue and profound selflessness. �


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