My Baby has enlisted in The ARMY!

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My eldest nephew, who I have helped to raise, has enlisted in the Army.

He will be leaving for Basic Training on January 4, 2010.

Ryan is currently attending RCIA where I teach. He is baptized, but due to my brother falling away from The Church, has never received all of his Sacraments of Initiation.

My prayer is that he will be received fully into The Church before he leaves so that he can avail himself of the power available to him while he is serving in the military.

Ryan is 20, wants to go into law enforcement and has been disowned by his father because he has enlisted and is becoming Catholic.

Ryan is living with me until he leaves.

Please keep us in prayer.

I am so proud of him, but wish he wanted to be a banker ;).

Anyway, what can I send with him? I thought about the devotional book written by Archbishop Sheen for our troops in WWII…is it ok to send things like that with them when they leave?

I want to be a good Army Auntie - HELP!!!
 
Equip him with things that will act like reference points for him (amongst other things). If you can lay your hands on “Faith Explained” and “A Trilogy” both by Leo Trese. They are must reads
 
LSK said:
Anyway, what can I send with him? I thought about the devotional book written by Archbishop Sheen for our troops in WWII…is it ok to send things like that with them when they leave?
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Your nephew is a lucky man to have an Aunt like you! Your idea concerning Archbishop Sheen’s book is a good one, although you might want to wait and give it to him after he has completed basic training and AIT. As an Army vet and former MP, I can say with a fair amount of certainty that he will be very busy with learning the Army way of doing things as well as his job specialty (Military Policeman right?). Anyway, here’s another possibility you may consider in addition to Archbishop Sheen’s book… a blessed rosary. And if you can teach him how to pray the rosary now (before he leaves in January) you will be giving him an awesome spiritual weapon that he can turn to for the rest of his life. God bless both you and your nephew!
 
Going into basic training he will have limited space for that, as well as very limited time for reading it. A small bible would be the one suggestion I’d make. I’d say a pocket sized one would be easiest to carry around. But the print would be small. Maybe you could have it marked for verses/chapters that will encourage him as he goes through boot camp.

And give him a prepaid calling card so he can call you whenever he has a chance. Even a box of preaddressed/stamp include envelopes would be a good idea as well. And don’t forget writing paper and a pen. Either way, or both, would keep both of you connected. And you would probably worry less as well.
 
A small dog tag version of the Archangel Michael will be allowed to be worn on his dog tags as they allow religious emblems as long as they don’t detract from the uniform. I say get a dogtag version because it is less likely to get in the way or keep coming his shirt. I am also a vet - that is why I picked the patron Saint that I did.
 
Wow - what a corageous young man. You should be so very proud. And bless you for supporting him. Perhaps a Saint Michael medal would be nice to for him to keep.
 
My prayers are with him. Please be sure to tell him “thank you” for his service.

-Todd
 
God bless him. Anyone who serves in the armed forces is my hero.

Thank him for me!
 
www.catholicmil.org is a good website.

Congratulations to him. And there are very very good chaplains in the military who are eager to work with these young men and help them get the sacraments they may have missed.

Calling cards, care packages, and your support and prayers will mean a lot to him, especially if his father is punishing him for his choices.

The Army will teach him great skills and open up a whole world to him that someday may lead him to a bank or some other civilian job. He’s on a good path. Thank him for us. What a brave thing to do. 👍
 
awwww, I bet you are both proud and fearful. every year I watch the kids go off who were just confirmed, and graduated, a short time ago, I never get over how much they have grown in a short time.

Make sure the pastor and confirmation coordinator or RCIA director know about this timing, so if at all possible he can complete his Christian initation before he goes, or at least so arrangements can be made for him to continue the process. But basic is not the best time for RCIA which is its own basic training in a way.

since he does not require all the rites of RCIA there is little reason with a little creative thinking and hard work he cannot receive sacraments before he leaves as long as he himself is committed and wants to do this.
 
When our son went into the Navy, they could take almost nothing with them. Ask a recruiter or find an Army family discussion board. The moms there will be able to make suggestions. (I found a Navy parents site after my son left and it was a big help)

Thank him for serving!!
 
You must be so proud (and worried)!

I’ll pray for him and you!
 
He won’t be allowed to have anything of his own in basic, so it’d probably best to just get a nondescript, durable pocket bible. He can use the back pages as an address book also, for calling home/writing letters. Write him as often as you can! Also, once you have his address you can probably find pictures online of his training, and if you’re lucky you’ll have a couple with him in it. You can also send him small pictures of family/friends etc, or a patron saint card.

Tell him good luck! 😃 From a hopeful future Marine
 
Thank you all so much! I know I have not been able to be on the boards very much but you are all always in my prayers.

the catholic.mil site -is that for Catholics in the Military?

His MOS is EOD school right now - yes, he wants to be a bomb specialist…:rolleyes:.

I like the dogtag of St Michael the Archangel…I have dedicated him to St Michael about 4 years ago when he was beginning in Explorers for the local SO.

And pray for ME - I want to be a GOOD Army Auntie and put my fears in the hands of a Loving God…
 
Yes, that’s for Catholics in the military. Informative for everyone. I’m sure you’re his most special aunt.
 
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