Marriage Laws » United States » Officiants Requirements » Military Chaplains Guidelines

[an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive] [an error occurred while processing this directive]

In The United Catholic Church, certification as a military chaplain for duty in the reserves or on active duty with the Armed Forces of the United States is available to highly-qualified priests in our jurisdiction.

To be certified, priests must be validly ordained in the Apostolic Succession, be a graduate of an accredited seminary, and have completed advanced training for the military chaplaincy. Even then, certification is not automatic. The candidate for certification must convince both their local bishop and the presiding archbishop that they are fit for duty as a chaplain. This is accomplished through personal interviews and whatever testing is deemed necessary. Prior experience in pastoral care is considered very important. Newly ordained priests are hardly ever certified for chaplaincy. The young men and women in our Armed Forces deserve the very best. And it is only our best that we will certify for duty as a military chaplain.

Responsibilities of a Military Chaplain:

Military chaplains are responsible to God and their conscience. Beyond that, they are responsible to uphold their oath of office as a military officer. This includes defending the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic. This means obeying lawful orders. But it also means disobeying unlawful orders. This duty is spelled out by the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and by the Nuremberg Principles. One of the jobs of any military officer (chaplain or not) is to understand the difference. Disobedience to orders should be extremely rare. It is not to be undertaken lightly. Orders are not to be disobeyed just because they do not seem to be the best course of action, or because one disagrees with them. An unlawful order is more than a wrong decision. It must be a violation of the Nuremberg Principles, the Geneva Convention, the Constitution of the United States, or the treaties to which the United States is a party, including the United Nations Charter. In cases which are not clear, superiors are to be given the benefit of the doubt, and their orders obeyed. Military chaplains have great influence over the troops in their care. Their actions speak louder than their words. They must lead by example.

A military chaplain also has a responsibility to his Church and to the promises made in his ordination. This is best carried out by being the best chaplain you can be, by faithfully preaching the Gospel, by practicing what you preach, avoiding scandal and heresy, and reflecting well on the United Catholic Church. But that is the extent of your duty to the Church. It is decidedly subordinate to your primary duty -- ministering to those (of whatever denomination) entrusted to your care. A military chaplain must be prepared to provide for the free exercise of religion for all the members of the Armed Forces who come under their care, regardless of denomination or religion. They must be able to provide a wide range of religious services and pastoral care to those in uniform and to their families, regardless of faith preference.

Ministering to Roman Catholics:

You are not in the military chaplaincy to make converts to the Church. You will not be a "United Catholic" chaplain or an "Old Catholic" chaplain (or a "Roman Catholic" chaplain). It is possible that you will be assigned as a "Catholic" chaplain, assigned to minister to the needs of all those who identify themselves as "Catholic" (most of whom will be Roman Catholics). In our Church, we say the Catholic Mass. We give significant latitude in the details. Some of us use the Roman Novus Ordo without change. Some of us use the Latin Tridentine Mass. Some of us use new translations or adaptations which avoid sexist language and more accurately reflect modern theology. Some of these have yet to be approved by the Vatican for use in Roman Catholic churches (although we are free to use them). But while assigned as a Catholic chaplain in the Armed Forces, our clergy will use the Roman Missal and Sacramentary as is. This is important so that Roman Catholics feel at home and are not confused or disturbed by liturgical innovations.

Because our Apostolic Succession is unquestioned, Roman Catholic Canon Law gives us the same status as the Orthodox and the Old Catholics. That is, we may receive the sacraments from Roman Catholic priests and conversely, Roman Catholics may receive the sacraments from us when a Roman Catholic priest is not available. It is this aspect of Roman Catholic Canon Law which makes it possible for us to minister to Roman Catholics as military chaplains. We must not abuse this position by denigrating Vatican policies or practices or by showing disrespect for the Pope. Yes, we differ in some of our practices from Rome. We allow priests to marry. We ordain women (although we do not certify them as military chaplains). We do not require annulments before remarriage. But these differences in practice are man-made. They do not reflect differences in faith. And they need not detract from the ability of our military chaplains to minister to Roman Catholic troops. As a Catholic chaplain, you are not to emphasize these differences, nor use them to cause dissatisfaction or division among Roman Catholics. We are not a proselytizing faith. Our civilian parishes serve the alienated, the excommunicated, and the unchurched. We do not seek to get Roman Catholics to leave their parishes. This is even more important in the military chaplaincy. In essence, we leave our denomination at home.

It is more likely that you will be assigned to duty as a chaplain for liturgical Protestants (Lutherans, Episcopalians, and Methodists).  Old Catholic chaplains are almost always lumped in with this category.  This should be easy, because our Catholic theology is almost identical to that of these liturgical Protestant denominations.  The fact that we do not think of ourselves as "Protestant" is not a hindrance.  The division between "Catholic" and "Protestant" is an artificial one anyway.  Certainly most Lutherans and Episcopalians believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist and are therefore "Catholic" in the most important sense.  The United Catholic Church is a bridge church, laying the foundation for eventual unity between Christians.  As a military chaplain, you will have the opportunity to practice this unity in a real way in a most favorable environment.  At most military facilities, Catholics and Protestants share the same chapel.  There are often joint functions and opportunities for social contact between the parishes.  And chaplains, whether Roman Catholic, liturgical Protestant, or Evangelical, work closely together.  Being assigned as a liturgical Protestant military chaplain is a wonderful opportunity to practice real ecumenism and further the cause of Christian unity.

Ministering to Non-Catholic Christians:

It should be noted that in some circumstances, perhaps even in combat, you will be the only chaplain available. In these times, you are not a "Catholic" chaplain or a "liturgical Protestant" chaplain. You are a "chaplain" … period. We in the United Catholic Church have some advantages in such a circumstance. Our Code of Canons allows us to administer the sacraments generously. Lutherans, Episcopalians, Methodists, Baptists, and other Christians attend our ecumenical Eucharistic services and receive Communion with us. We do this respectfully and matter-of-factly, and we've never had our Catholic members complain. The same can be done in a military setting. Just do it with sensitivity to the fact that Roman Catholics are not used to sharing Communion with other Christians. Do not scandalize them. By the respectful way you handle Communion, you let them know that we believe in the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, just as Roman Catholics do. But we also believe that Jesus, who embraced sinners and ate with them, would not turn non-Catholic Christians away from his table … and neither will we.

As chaplains, we serve the needs of all our troops, not just those who generally attend our Sunday services. And we do it in such a way that does not seek to convert them and does not make them feel uncomfortable or second-class or unworthy of our care.

Ministering to non-Christians:

There may also arise circumstances when non-Christians need to be ministered to. Whether they are Jews, Muslims, atheists, or whatever, if they are in your care, you must serve their spiritual needs. If enemy prisoners need your services, minister to them. They in all probability believe in the cause they were fighting for, just as our troops do; and they are just as loved by God. If you yourself become a prisoner, serve the needs of your fellow prisoners, and minister to your captors as well.

The likelihood that you will be required to serve those of other faiths means that military chaplains must be better trained than the average civilian pastor. You must have a deeper understanding of other religions, and a sensitivity to the needs of their members. You may be called upon, for example, to assist Jews and Muslims in having their dietary requirements met. That's why you should have at least a rudimentary knowledge of what those requirements are, and where they come from. You should also know what exemptions from following these rules are granted to members of the military by various faiths. Often, all that's required is assurance that "It's OK." As a chaplain, your job is to enable the troops to be at peace with themselves and with their God (not yours).

Ministering to Families:

When you're stationed stateside (and at some overseas locations), your job will be as much about the families of service members as it is about the members themselves. Military life can be wonderful, especially for those living on base. There's a closeness you seldom find in a civilian community. Yet there are pressures and stresses beyond those encountered elsewhere. The grueling schedules, the odd hours, the separations, and the peculiar dangers are hard on the family unit. You will often find yourself acting as a marriage counselor. Military families seldom seek help outside the military. It will often be up to you to spot the warning signs of marriages in distress, and to be available to ward off divorce, spousal abuse, and all the other negative outcomes of this distress.

One of the most important and difficult duties you'll ever have is as a member of a death notification team. Waiting spouses dread the prospect of the Chaplain and the Commanding Officer coming to their front door (often accompanied by a legal officer and a medic). Even before the "We regret to inform you …" words are uttered, they know what's coming. You must be prepared to deal with this unpleasant duty with professionalism and with compassion. Whether the death of their loved one is a result of combat or of a training accident, the trauma is the same. Be prepared to handle these situations well. They will happen all too often.

The Military Chaplain, Nonviolence, and Government Policy:

As a chaplain, your job is neither to support nor to criticize government policy. It is to minister to the spiritual needs of those engaged in carrying it out.

We serve a loving, merciful, forgiving God and his Son, the nonviolent Jesus of Nazareth. Pope John Paul II said, "To all of you who are listening, I say: do not believe in violence; do not support violence. It is not the Christian way. It is not the way of the Catholic Church. Believe in peace and forgiveness and love, for they are of Christ." This presents us with obvious problems in preaching "love your enemies" while our parishioners are engaged in killing them. Our mission is to enable those we serve to carry out their duties in good conscience, to serve their country without descending into hatred and demonizing of the enemy. It is possible to fight an enemy force without hating the individuals making it up.

When a parishioner finds it impossible to reconcile their Christian faith with going to war, we should counsel them to seek conscientious objector status. But for the rest, we should help them take comfort in the historic "Just War" doctrine of the Church, and enable them to do their job without losing their commitment to the principles of nonviolence.

In summary, if you remember that your first responsibility is neither to the Church nor to the government, but to the welfare of the men and women entrusted to your care, you will make a fine chaplain.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]

© 2002 Hospitality Group Network