Military Chaplains

The Latest

Historic Tower at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Walter Reed military hospital says new Catholic pastoral care contract under review

Apr 11, 2023

By Kevin J. Jones

The Maryland medical center was sharply criticized by Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio for not renewing its contract with a local... Read more

Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio leads the Archdiocese for the Military Services.

Broglio blasts military hospital for putting for-profit firm in charge of Catholic pastoral care

Apr 8, 2023

By Shannon Mullen

Walter Reed military hospital ended its contract with a community of Franciscan friars just before Holy Week, the Archdiocese of... Read more

The Four Chaplains — Father John P. Washington, a Catholic priest (pictured above); Rev. George L. Fox, a Methodist minister; Rabbi Alexander D. Goode; and Rev. Clark V. Poling, a Reformed Church in America minister — gave their life jackets to save others when their ship was torpedoed in the frigid North Atlantic in 1943.

The ‘Four Chaplains,’ selfless heroes of WWII, honored on 80th anniversary of their deaths

Feb 6, 2023

By Jonah McKeown

A New Jersey parish church on Sunday honor the “Four Chaplains” who sacrificed their lives to save others on the... Read more

Father Daniel L. Mode, chaplain of the Coast Guard, stands in the large atrium of the Coast Guard headquarters in Washington, D.C., in front of a massive wall of flags and insignia of the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Coast Guard.

Meet the ‘Lone Survivor’ priest and ‘Grunt Padre’ author who’s now the head chaplain of the Coast Guard

Feb 5, 2023

By Peter Pinedo

Father Daniel Mode has spent nine years oversea as a Navy chaplain, including seven years on ships and aircraft carriers. Read more

Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA praised Servant of God Vincent Capodanno at a memorial Mass marking the 55th anniversary of the death of the heroic chaplain Sept. 6, 2022.

Archbishop: Despite cause’s setback, Capodanno’s example is ‘uplifting for the whole Church’

Sep 7, 2022

By Jonah McKeown

A Sept. 6 Mass marking the 55th anniversary of the death of Servant of God Vincent Capodanno took place just... Read more

“We are here today to provide for him what was not provided for him 70 years ago, a Mass of Christian burial,” said Bishop Carl A. Kemme during the funeral Mass on Wednesday, Sept. 29, in Park City, Kansas. “And, though we are all praying for his intercession, we must nevertheless pray for his repose as we do for all the dead. This is our Christian duty as we bring him to his new place of rest.”

PHOTOS: POW Father Emil Kapaun honored, laid to rest in funeral Mass

Sep 30, 2021

By Autumn Jones

On Wednesday, the Diocese of Wichita held a funeral Mass and procession honoring Servant of God Emil Kapaun at the... Read more

Bishop Carl Kemme of Wichita performs the absolution over the coffin of Fr. Emil Kapaun after his funeral Mass at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan., Sept. 29, 2021.

Father Kapaun imitated Christ's love 'throughout his ministry', bishop says at funeral Mass

Sep 29, 2021

By CNA Staff

During Wednesday's funeral Mass for Father Emil Kapaun, the Bishop of Wichita called the U.S. Army chaplain who died in... Read more

The Diocese of Wichita held a funeral vigil and rosary for Father Emil Kapaun on Tuesday, Sept. 28, at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kansas.

PHOTOS: Funeral vigil for Father Emil Kapaun

Sep 29, 2021

By Autumn Jones

On Tuesday, the Diocese of Wichita held a vigil and rosary for Servant of God Father Emil Kapaun, who died... Read more

A coffin containing the remains of Fr. Emil Kapaun is taken to the front of St. John Nepomucene Church in Pilsen, Kan., Sept. 25, 2021.

Watch: Father Emil Kapaun's funeral Mass

Sep 29, 2021

By Autumn Jones

The Diocese of Wichita will hold a rosary and vigil for Servant of God Father Emil Kapaun on Tuesday, Sept.... Read more

Veterans precede a motorcade for Fr. Emil Kapaun's remains outside his hometown church, St. John Nepomucene, in Pilsen, Kan., Sept. 25, 2021.

Father Kapaun's remains returned to Kansas

Sep 25, 2021

By Christine Rousselle

The remains of Servant of God Fr. Emil Kapaun returned to his hometown of Pilsen, Kansas on Saturday, ahead of... Read more

Cameron Song Sellers serves in the U.S. Army and as a seminarian with the Archdiocese of San Francisco.

Military chaplains inspired this soldier, abandoned as a toddler, to enter seminary

May 30, 2021

By Katie Yoder

Retired Army Col. Cameron Song Sellers served his country, and now, he’s serving God. Read more

Father Emil Kapaun celebrates Mass using the hood of a Jeep as his altar on Oct. 7, 1950.

Father Kapaun's remains to return to Kansas, family says

Apr 15, 2021

The remains of Servant of God Father Emil Kapaun, army chaplain and hero of the Korean War, will return to... Read more

Fr. Kapaun with his pipe. Courtesy of the Diocese of Wichita

Medal of Honor chaplain Fr. Emil Kapaun's body identified, as sainthood inquiry continues

Mar 5, 2021

By Kevin J. Jones

Department of Defense investigators have identified the remains of U.S. Army chaplain and Servant of God Fr. Emil Kapaun among... Read more

Army chaplain.

Military chaplains help traumatized soldiers, but who helps them?

Dec 21, 2017

By Matt Hadro

As military veterans and victims of violence are treated for psychological trauma, the emotional wounds of missionaries and military chaplains... Read more

Fr. Kapaun with his pipe. Courtesy of the Diocese of Wichita.

This priest died in a Korean prison camp. Will the Catholic Church beatify him?

Jul 2, 2016

By Kevin J. Jones

There's good news in Kansas: former army chaplain Father Emil J. Kapaun has taken a step closer to possible beatification... Read more

Father Stephen McDermott surveys the landscape in Afghanistan, where he served for the last year, earning the Army's Bronze Star.

A chat with the Philly priest who earned a Bronze Star in Afghanistan

Apr 26, 2016

After Mass at a typical parish, it’s fellowship over coffee and donuts. But for troops stationed in Afghanistan, after Mass... Read more

A soldier is baptized by a Ukrainian Catholic military chaplain.

Military chaplains: God in the trenches of Ukraine

Sep 25, 2014

By Sofia Kochmar

Since April, Ukraine’s eastern provinces have experienced continual military confrontation between its government, and pro-Russian separatists and Russian forces, and... Read more

U.S. Army Chaplain, Fr. Lukasz Willenberg, finishing the Afghanistan Boston Marathon. Photo courtesy of Fr. Willenberg/The Rhode Island Catholic

Rhode Island military chaplain introduces Boston Marathon to Afghanistan

May 3, 2014

A year ago, Father Lukasz Willenberg could never have imagined that this year, despite racing under a most unique set... Read more

Fr. Carl Subler, US Army Captain, says Mass for soldiers in Badula Qulp, Afghanistan, Feb. 21, 2010. USAF photo by Tech. Sgt. Efren Lopez.

Legislators ask for strengthening of military religious freedom

Mar 11, 2014

A U.S. senator and a congressman have urged the Secretary of Defense to reissue military rules to strengthen religious freedom... Read more

US Army chaplain Fr. Carl Subler says Mass for soldiers in Badula Qulp, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Feb. 21, 2010. USAF photo by Tech. Sgt Efren Lopez.

Government shutdown threatens military Masses, chaplains

Oct 8, 2013

As the U.S. government shutdown continues, lawmakers are being urged to authorize the celebration of Mass by contract priests, who... Read more

Latest news

Pope Francis delivers the Regina Caeli address from the window of the Apostolic Palace on May 28, 2023.

Pope Francis encourages Marian shrines around the world to pray for Synod on Synodality

Pope Francis presides over Pentecost Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on May 28, 2023.

On Pentecost, Pope Francis says Holy Spirit can bring harmony to ‘a polarized Church’

Depiction of the Holy Spirit in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Everything you need to know about Pentecost

Pope Francis shakes hands with film director Martin Scorsese and his wife Helen Morris. One day after suffering from a fever, Pope Francis resumed his normal activities, including meeting with participants in a conference on “The Global Aesthetics of the Catholic Imagination,” organized by Jesuit magazine “La Civiltà Cattolica” and Georgetown University, in the Apostolic Palace on May 27, 2023.

Pope Francis resumes normal schedule one day after fever

Alexander Andreyevich Ivanov's Appearance of Christ to Mary Magdalene (1835)

Here’s when Easter officially ends

null

CNA freelancer recounts ‘horrifying experience’ of witnessing Nigeria firefight

The Vatican on April 2, 2022, announced that Pope Francis had appointed Father Earl K. Fernandes to be the next bishop of the Diocese of Columbus, Ohio.

Columbus Diocese to close 15 churches; bishop calls for stronger Catholic engagement

Photos of the man who allegedly set a fire at St. Mary's Cathedral and charged at two staff members on May 19, 2023.

Canadian police ask for public’s help in identifying man who set fire at cathedral 

A young man touches a religious statue to the body of Sister Wilhelmina Lancaster, OSB, on May 18, 2023, at the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles monastery in Gower, Missouri.

Morticians mystified by Sister Wilhelmina’s body: ‘Something special going on there’

A statue of St. Junipero Serra, which was defaced and torn down by protesters Oct. 12, 2020, at Mission San Rafael Arcangel in San Rafael, California. Courtesy photo.

Cordileone on Serra statue case: Prosecutor signaled attacks against Catholics go unpunished

Liturgical Calendar Show this year
May 28
St. Bernard of Menthon
Today's readings

Trending

Depiction of the Holy Spirit in St. Peter’s Basilica.

Everything you need to know about Pentecost

Pope Francis presides over Pentecost Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on May 28, 2023.

On Pentecost, Pope Francis says Holy Spirit can bring harmony to ‘a polarized Church’

Pope Francis delivers the Regina Caeli address from the window of the Apostolic Palace on May 28, 2023.

Pope Francis encourages Marian shrines around the world to pray for Synod on Synodality