USAF seeks Catholic chaplains [CN-USA]

[Catholic_Press]

The US Air Force is looking to close the gap in the number of Catholic chaplains in its ranks, with around 25% of the force being Catholic but only 14% of chaplains.

The Air Force had been working with civilian bishops to borrow, share or recruit their priests but soon realized those bishops were facing shortages of their own, Chaplain (Lt. Col.) Gerald McManus told the Montgomery Advertiser.

McManus is the staff chaplain in the Plans and Programs Division Office of the Chief of Chaplains, based at Bolling Air Force Base in Wash*ington. McManus and some other Air Force staffers got together to brainstorm, and the result was a scholarship program for chaplains.

More…

 

[didymus]

How is this legal?
I wouldn’t want my tax $$$ going for the religious education of ministers, rabbis or imams.

Besides, I understand that the Military Archdiocese already has a scholarship program where they pay for seminary in return for a priest serving as a chaplain before going back to his home diocese.

 

[Dale_M]

How is this legal?
I wouldn’t want my tax $$$ going for the religious education of ministers, rabbis or imams.

You ask a good question. I don’t have an answer, but apparently this scholarship program is new. I would expect that one of the US organizations devoted to separation of Church and State will file a lawsuit to end the program. I guess we will have to wait and see.

Incidentally, the National Guard also has a significant shortage of Catholic priests:

The chaplain shortage contrasts with general Guard recruiting, which is at capacity. And clergy ranks in full-time military branches remain full.

The guard’s shortfall stems primarily from a lack of Roman Catholic priests willing to volunteer. Catholic dioceses that face a national shortage of priests may find it difficult to replace chaplains — even for one weekend a month.

“The priest has those responsibilities on weekends, and two weeks of training,” Fehn said. “That impacts the priest’s ability to be with the congregation on weekends for weddings and funerals. And then that priest might be gone for deployment.”

news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090710/ap_on_re/us_rel_chaplain_shortage;_ylt=Au3lJilg33PfL9UWqqtGg0RvzwcF;_ylu=X3oDMTJ0Ym05bnRuBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMDkwNzEwL3VzX3JlbF9jaGFwbGFpbl9zaG9ydGFnZQRwb3MDNgRzZWMDeW5fYXJ0aWNsZV9zdW1tYXJ5X2xpc3QEc2xrA25hdGlvbmFsZ3Vhcg–

 

[JimG]

"The program is available to all denominations but will target the religious groups the Air Force needs most, McManus said.

Right now, that’s Roman Catholics.

About 25 percent of Air Force members are Catholic, but the chaplaincy is only about 14 percent Catholic, McManus said." How is it legal? I suppose that since the USAF is already paying the salary of chaplains–they are, after all, military officers–a recruitment and scholarship program is not out of the question. The military does try to take care of the religious needs of its personnel. Our bishop recently consented to allow one of his priests to become an Army chaplain, even though that works a hardship on the diocese. His officer’s salary as a chaplain is paid for by the military.

 

[didymus]

How is it legal? I suppose that since the USAF is already paying the salary of chaplains–they are, after all, military officers–a recruitment and scholarship program is not out of the question. The military does try to take care of the religious needs of its personnel. Our bishop recently consented to allow one of his priests to become an Army chaplain, even though that works a hardship on the diocese. His officer’s salary as a chaplain is paid for by the military.

You’re probably right.
I wonder why the USAF is taking the lead? I’ve heard bishops from the MilArch on CA Live and they said the Army & Navy (which includes USMC) are in worst shape as far as Catholic chaplains w/USAF being relatively better off.

 

[Holly3278]

I am praying for a huge increase in vocations.