The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (formally the Military Ordinariate of Archdiocese for the Military Services of the United States) is a

Latin Church , native_name_lang = la , image = San Giovanni in Laterano - Rome.jpg , imagewidth = 250px , alt = Façade of the Archbasilica of St. John in Lateran , caption = Archbasilica of Saint Joh ...

ecclesiastical jurisdiction or

archdiocese In church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided provinces were administratively associate ...

that provides the

Catholic Church The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

pastoral A pastoral lifestyle is that of shepherds herding livestock around open areas of land according to seasons and the changing availability of water and pasture. It lends its name to a genre of literature, art, and music (pastorale) that depicts ...

and spiritual services to those serving in the

armed forces of the United States The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

and their

dependents A dependant is a person who relies on another as a primary source of income. A common-law spouse who is financially supported by their partner may also be included in this definition. In some jurisdictions, supporting a dependant may enabl ...

and to all military and naval bases, to the facilities of the

Veterans Administration The United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is a Cabinet-level executive branch department of the federal government charged with providing life-long healthcare services to eligible military veterans at the 170 VA medical centers and ...

, and to other federal services overseas. It was originally established as a

military vicariate A military ordinariate is an ecclesiastical jurisdiction of the Catholic Church, of the Latin or an Eastern church, responsible for the pastoral care of Catholics serving in the armed forces of a nation. Until 1986, they were called "military v ...

, with the

Archbishop of New York The Archbishop of New York is the head of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, who is responsible for looking after its spiritual and administrative needs. As the archdiocese is the metropolitan bishop, metropolitan see of the ecclesiastic ...

serving as the military vicar. It was reorganized as an archdiocese, with its own

archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

and its see relocated to the

District of Columbia ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

in 1986. While part of the Latin Church, clergy from the

Eastern Catholic Churches The Eastern Catholic Churches or Oriental Catholic Churches, also called the Eastern-Rite Catholic Churches, Eastern Rite Catholicism, or simply the Eastern Churches, are 23 Eastern Christian autonomous (''sui iuris'') particular churches of th ...

are permitted received endorsement by the archdiocese on the condition that they possess bi-ritual faculties and can celebrate in the

Roman Rite The Roman Rite ( la, Ritus Romanus) is the primary liturgical rite of the Latin Church, the largest of the ''sui iuris'' particular churches that comprise the Catholic Church. It developed in the Latin language in the city of Rome and, while dist ...

. The current diocesan bishop is Archbishop

Timothy P. Broglio Timothy Paul Andrew Broglio (born December 22, 1951) is an American prelate of the Latin Catholic Church, Roman Catholic Church. He has served as Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, Archbishop for the Military Services, USA ...

. He is assisted by several auxiliary bishops. Together, they oversee

Catholic priests The priesthood is the office of the ministers of religion, who have been commissioned ("ordained") with the Holy orders of the Catholic Church. Technically, bishops are a priestly order as well; however, in layman's terms ''priest'' refers only ...

serving as

chaplains A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution (such as a hospital, prison, military unit, intelligence ...

throughout the world. Each chaplain remains incardinated into the diocese or

religious institute A religious institute is a type of institute of consecrated life in the Catholic Church whose members take religious vows and lead a life in community with fellow members. Religious institutes are one of the two types of institutes of consecrate ...

for which he was ordained. The Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA is a personal jurisdiction, meaning that it has no defined territory and that its jurisdiction extends to those whom it serves throughout the world. It has jurisdiction wherever American men and women in uniform serve. The jurisdiction of the Archdiocese extends to all United States government property in the United States and abroad, including U.S. military installations, embassies, consulates and other diplomatic missions.

History

Prior to the creation of the Military Ordinariate and then the Archdiocese for the Military Services, the armed forces of the United States was served by an informal corps of volunteer priests. Beginning in 1917, the spiritual care of those in military service fell to the Military Vicariate, the equivalent of a personal vicariate apostolic, that is, a

particular church In metaphysics, particulars or individuals are usually contrasted with universals. Universals concern features that can be exemplified by various different particulars. Particulars are often seen as concrete, spatiotemporal entities as opposed to a ...

the membership of which is defined by some personal quality (as in this case being a member or a dependent of a member of the armed services) that is headed by a legate of the pope. Originally, the ordinariate was headed by then-Bishop Patrick Hayes, an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York who served double duty as papal military vicar for the United States beginning on November 24, 1917. Hayes was chosen because New York was the primary port of embarkation for U.S. troops leaving for Europe and therefore a convenient contact point for Catholic chaplains serving with them. When Cardinal John Farley, Archbishop of New York, died, Hayes was appointed as his successor and kept the additional title and duty of military vicar. In November 1939, the

Holy See The Holy See ( lat, Sancta Sedes, ; it, Santa Sede ), also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the jurisdiction of the Pope in his role as the bishop of Rome. It includes the apostolic episcopal see of the Diocese of Rome ...

established the Military Vicariate of the United States of America. The post remained an additional duty of the archbishop of New York from Hayes' time until Cardinal

Terence Cooke Terence James Cooke (March 1, 1921 – October 6, 1983) was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of New York from 1968 until his death, quietly battling leukemia throughout his tenure. He was named a cardin ...

began plans to separate it as its own jurisdiction in the early 1980s, plans he was unable to carry out before his death in 1983. Cardinal John Joseph O'Connor—a retired Navy chaplain with the rank of Rear Admiral, having served as chief of Navy chaplains (the military's title for its own senior chaplain officer) subsequently served as an auxiliary bishop for the Military Vicariate. He succeeded Cardinal Cooke as Archbishop of New York and Apostolic Administrator of the Military Vicariate. He oversaw the completion of the transition. On July 21, 1986,

reconstituted the military vicariate as the present Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA,Archdiocese for the Military Services of the United States
GCatholic. Retrieved August 20, 2010. naming Archbishop Joseph T. Ryan its first archbishop. In 2012,

Catholic Extension Catholic Extension (also known as the Catholic Church Extension Society) is a national fundraising 501(c)(3) organization which supports and strengthens poor mission dioceses across the United States. They provide funding and resources to dioceses ...

approved a $56,000 two year grant to the Archdiocese for the Military Services to support faith formation programs for Catholics in the United States military. As of April 2013, about 25% of the U.S. armed forces are Catholic. As of 2017, the Archdiocese had 208 priests on active duty serving approximately 1.8 million people.

Bishops

The lists of bishops, archbishops and auxiliary bishops and their tenure of service:

Apostolic Vicar of the United States Armed Forces

# Cardinal

Patrick Joseph Hayes Patrick Joseph Hayes (November 20, 1867 – September 4, 1938) was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of New York from 1919 until his death, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1924. Early life and ...

(1917-1938), concurrently served as Auxiliary Bishop of New York and later

# Cardinal

Francis Joseph Spellman Francis Joseph Spellman (May 4, 1889 – December 2, 1967) was an American bishop and cardinal of the Catholic Church. From 1939 until his death in 1967, he served as the sixth Archbishop of New York; he had previously served as an auxiliary ...

(1939-1967), concurrently served as

# Cardinal

Terence James Cooke Terence James Cooke (March 1, 1921 – October 6, 1983) was an American cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of New York from 1968 until his death, quietly battling leukemia throughout his tenure. He was named a cardin ...

(1968-1983), concurrently served as

Apostolic Delegate for the United States Armed Forces

John Francis O'Hara John Francis O'Hara (August 1, 1888 – August 28, 1960) was an American member of the Congregation of Holy Cross and prelate of the Catholic Church. He served as President of the University of Notre Dame (1934–1939) and as the Archbishop of P ...

, C.S.C. (1939-1945), appointed

Bishop of Buffalo The Diocese of Buffalo is a Latin Church diocese of the Catholic Church headquartered in Buffalo, New York, United States. It is a suffragan diocese within the metropolitan province of the Archdiocese of New York. The Diocese of Buffalo inclu ...

and later

Archbishop of Philadelphia The Roman Catholic Metropolitan Archdiocese of Philadelphia is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Catholic Church in southeastern Pennsylvania, in the United States. It covers the City and County of Philadelphia as well a ...

(elevated to

Cardinal Cardinal or The Cardinal may refer to: Animals * Cardinal (bird) or Cardinalidae, a family of North and South American birds **''Cardinalis'', genus of cardinal in the family Cardinalidae **''Cardinalis cardinalis'', or northern cardinal, the ...

in 1958) # William Richard Arnold (1945-1965)

Archbishop for the Military Services, USA

# John Joseph Thomas Ryan (1985-1991) #

Joseph Thomas Dimino Joseph Thomas Dimino (January 7, 1923 – November 25, 2014) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as archbishop for the Archdiocese of the Military Services USA from 1991 to 1997. Dimino previously served as auxilia ...

(1991-1997) #

Edwin Frederick O'Brien Edwin Frederick O'Brien (born April 8, 1939) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He has been a cardinal since 2012 and headed the Order of the Holy Sepulchre from 2011 to 2019. O'Brien served as archbishop of the Archdiocese o ...

(1997-2007), appointed

Archbishop of Baltimore The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Baltimore ( la, link=no, Archidiœcesis Baltimorensis) is the premier (or first) see of the Latin Church of the Catholic Church in the United States. The archdiocese comprises the City of Baltimore and nine of Mar ...

and later Pro-Grand Master and Grand Master of the

Order of the Holy Sepulchre The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem ( la, Ordo Equestris Sancti Sepulcri Hierosolymitani, links=yes, OESSH), also called Order of the Holy Sepulchre or Knights of the Holy Sepulchre, is a Catholic Church, Catholic order of ...

(elevated to

in 2012) #

(2008–present)

Coadjutor Archbishops

* John Joseph Thomas Ryan (1975-1985) * Edwin Frederick O'Brien (1997)

Auxiliary Bishops

William Tibertus McCarty William Tibertus McCarty, C.Ss.R. (August 11, 1889 – September 14, 1972) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. A Redemptorist, he served as bishop of the Diocese of Rapid City in South Dakota from 1948 to 1969. He previousl ...

, C.Ss.R. (1943–1947), appointed Bishop of Rapid City *

James Henry Ambrose Griffiths James Henry Ambrose Griffiths (July 16, 1903—February 24, 1964) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York from 1950 to 1964. Biography Early life and education Ja ...

(1949–1955), concurrently served as Auxiliary Bishop of New York * Philip Joseph Furlong (1955–1971) *

William Joseph Moran William Joseph Moran (January 15, 1906 – August 23, 1996) was a Roman Catholic bishop who served the Archdiocese for the Military Services. Biography Born in San Francisco, California, Moran was ordained to the priesthood on June 20, 1931, f ...

(1965–1981) *

James Jerome Killeen James Jerome Killeen (July 17, 1917 – September 8, 1978) was a Roman Catholic bishop who served the Archdiocese for the Military Services. Biography Born in New York City, Killeen was ordained to the priesthood on May 30, 1947. On November 7, 1 ...

(1975–1978) * John Joseph O'Connor (1979–1983), appointed Bishop of Scranton and later

(elevated to

in 1985) *

Lawrence Joyce Kenney Lawrence Joyce Kenney (August 30, 1930 – August 30, 1990) was a Roman Catholic bishop serving the Archdiocese for the Military Services. Biography Born in New Rochelle, New York, Kenney was ordained to the priesthood on June 2, 1956. On Ma ...

(1983–1990) * Angelo Thomas Acerra,

O.S.B. , image = Medalla San Benito.PNG , caption = Design on the obverse side of the Saint Benedict Medal , abbreviation = OSB , formation = , motto = (English: 'Pray and Work') , found ...

(1983–1990) *

(1983–1991), appointed Archbishop for the Military Services, USA *

Francis Xavier Roque Francis Xavier Roque (October 9, 1928 – September 12, 2019) was an American Roman Catholic bishop who served the Archdiocese for the Military Services. Biography Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Roque was ordained to the priesthood on Septe ...

(1983–2004) * John Gavin Nolan (1987–1997) *

John Joseph Glynn John Joseph Glynn (August 6, 1926 – August 23, 2004) was a Catholic American bishop who served the Archdiocese for the Military Services. Biography Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Boston on Apr ...

(1991–2002) * José de Jesús Madera Uribe, M.Sp.S. (1991–2004) * John Joseph Kaising (2000–2007) * Joseph W. Estabrook (2004–2012) * Richard Brendan Higgins (2004–2020) *

F. Richard Spencer Frank Richard Spencer (born June 10, 1951) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. Formerly a priest of the Archdiocese of Baltimore and a U.S. Army chaplain, he was appointed an auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese for the Milita ...

(2010–present) * Neal James Buckon (2011–present) *

Robert J. Coyle Robert Joseph Coyle (born September 23, 1964) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who has been serving as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York since 2018. He previously served as an auxiliary bishop o ...

(2013–2018), appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Rockville Centre * Joseph L. Coffey (2019–present) * William Muhm (2019–present) Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services

Roman Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services

Seat

The

diocesan chancery A diocesan chancery is the branch of administration which handles all written documents used in the official government of a Catholic or Anglican diocese. It is in the diocesan chancery that, under the direction of the bishop or his representativ ...

is located in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

The Archdiocese for the Military Services is the only US diocese without a cathedral, but celebrates its major functions at the

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is a large minor Catholic basilica and national shrine in the United States in Washington, D.C., located at 400 Michigan Avenue Northeast, adjacent to Catholic University. ...

Noncombatant status

The

Geneva Conventions upright=1.15, Original document in single pages, 1864 The Geneva Conventions are four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish international legal standards for humanitarian treatment in war. The singular term ''Geneva Conven ...

state (Protocol I, June 8, 1977, Art 43.2) that chaplains are

noncombatant Non-combatant is a term of art in the law of war and international humanitarian law to refer to civilians who are not taking a direct part in hostilities; persons, such as combat medics and military chaplains, who are members of the belligerent a ...

s: they do not have the right to participate directly in hostilities. Captured chaplains are not considered

Prisoners of War A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held Captivity, captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold priso ...

(Third Convention, August 12, 1949, Chapter IV Art 33) and must be returned to their home nation unless retained to minister to prisoners of war.

Reports of sexual abuse

Army

In 1985. Catholic US Army chaplain Alvin L. Campbell plead guilty to sex abuse and received a 14 year prison sentence. He served 7 years of this sentence and was removed from public ministry. He died in 2002. In 2000, Catholic army chaplain Mark Matson was convicted and sentenced to 20 years in prison for molesting a 13 year old boy while serving at a US Army hospital. In 2005, Catholic chaplain Gregory Arflack was sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting members of the US Army.

Air Force

In 1991, US Air Force priest Thomas Chleboski pled guilty to five counts of molesting a 13 year old boy in 1989 and received a 20 year prison sentence. He was accused of luring his victim with tours of

Andrews Air Force Base Andrews Air Force Base (Andrews AFB, AAFB) is the airfield portion of Joint Base Andrews, which is under the jurisdiction of the United States Air Force. In 2009, Andrews Air Force Base merged with Naval Air Facility Washington to form Joint B ...

. Barry Ryan, who served two years in prison for separate acts of sex abuse he committed in 2003, was removed from the archdiocese in 1995 after allegations surfaced that he committed acts of sex abuse against a minor in 1994. On April 12, 2019, Arthur Perrault, a former Roman Catholic priest who served as a US Air Force chaplain, was found guilty of sexually abusing an altar boy at an Air Force base and a veterans' cemetery in New Mexico in the early 1990s. On September 15, 2019, Perrault, who was extradited in September 2018 years after he fled the country, received a 30 year prison sentence. Perrault was serving in the

Air National Guard The Air National Guard (ANG), also known as the Air Guard, is a federal military reserve force of the United States Air Force, as well as the air militia of each U.S. state, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the ter ...

when the abuse took place.

Notable chaplains by conflict

Mexican–American War

* John McElroy, S.J. – One of two of the Army's first Catholic chaplains. Founder of Boston College.O'Conner, Thomas H. "Breaking the religious barrier", ''

The Boston Globe ''The Boston Globe'' is an American daily newspaper founded and based in Boston, Massachusetts. The newspaper has won a total of 27 Pulitzer Prizes, and has a total circulation of close to 300,000 print and digital subscribers. ''The Boston Glob ...

'', Boston, May 10, 2004. * Anthony Rey, S.J. – One of two of the Army's first Catholic chaplains. Vice president of

Georgetown College Georgetown College is a private Christian college in Georgetown, Kentucky. Chartered in 1829, Georgetown was the first Baptist college west of the Appalachian Mountains. The college offers 38 undergraduate degrees and a Master of Arts in educat ...

(1845). First Catholic chaplain killed during service with the U.S. military.

Civil War

For Civil War chaplains, see footnote * Emmeran M. Bliemel, OSB – He was the first Catholic chaplain killed in action during the Civil War. *

William Corby The Rev. William Corby, CSC (October 2, 1833 – December 28, 1897) was an American priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross, and a Union Army chaplain in the American Civil War attached to the Irish Brigade. He served twice as president of ...

– He is famous for giving a general absolution to the Irish Brigade at the Battle of Gettysburg. *

John Ireland John Benjamin Ireland (January 30, 1914 – March 21, 1992) was a Canadian actor. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his performance in ''All the King's Men'' (1949), making him the first Vancouver-born actor to receive an Oscar nomin ...

– He served as a chaplain of the 5th Minnesota Volunteer Infantry Regiment. *

Bernard John McQuaid Bernard John McQuaid (December 15, 1823 – January 18, 1909) was an American prelate of the Catholic Church. He was the first and longest-serving Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester, Bishop of Rochester, serving for 40 years from 1868 until hi ...

– He volunteered as a chaplain and accompanied the New Jersey Brigade to the seat of war, during which service he was captured by the Confederates.

Spanish–American War

* John P. Chidwick – A priest of the

Archdiocese of New York The Archdiocese of New York ( la, Archidiœcesis Neo-Eboracensis) is an ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church ( particularly the Roman Catholic or Latin Church) located in the State of New York. It encompasses the boroug ...

and the third Catholic chaplain in the history of the Navy, he was the chaplain on USS ''Maine'' when it was destroyed by an explosion on February 15, 1898 (which led to the Spanish–American War of April 8 to August 13, 1898); he helped coordinate the burial of sailors and their later reburials at Arlington National Cemetery

World War I

* John B. DeValles * Francis P. Duffy – Chaplain for the 69th Infantry Regiment (a military unit from New York City and part of the New York Army National Guard) – known as "The Fighting 69th" – which had been federalized and redesignated the 165th U.S. Infantry Regiment. *

John Joseph Mitty John Joseph Mitty (January 20, 1884 – October 15, 1961) was an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the third Bishop of Salt Lake City (1926–1932) and the fourth Archbishop of San Francisco (1935–1961). Ea ...

– In 1919, he was assigned as Catholic chaplain at the U.S. Military Academy; during his tenure at West Point, General Douglas MacArthur served as superintendent. * Colman O'Flaherty – Chaplain with the 1st Infantry Division; was killed in action, in France; posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. * Barry O'Toole

World War II

See footnoteOn Chaplains Hill in Arlington National Cemetery is a monument for 83 Catholic chaplains who died in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. * William R. Arnold (first Catholic Army Chief of Chaplains; later served as Apostolic Vicar for the U.S.Armed Forces) * Thomas J. Barrett * Frederic P. Gehring, C.M. * Joseph Gilmore * William Guilfoyle * Philip M. Hannan * William A. Irwin a * Alfred W. Johnson * Francis J. McManus * Joseph T. O'Callahan – served on USS ''Franklin''; awarded the Medal of Honor *

James Hugh O'Neill Rt. Rev. Msgr. James Hugh O'Neill (January 14, 1892 – April 17, 1972) was an American Catholic priest who served as a chaplain in the United States Army from 1926 to 1952, rising to the rank of brigadier general. While serving as chaplain of the ...

– wrote the Patton weather prayer; awarded the

Bronze Star Medal The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

once the weather cleared and later served as the Deputy Chief of Chaplains of the United States Army *

John A. Ryan John Augustine Ryan (1869–1945) was an American Catholic priest who was a noted moral theologian and advocate of social justice. Ryan lived during a decisive moment in the development of Catholic social teaching within the United States. The ...

* Joseph T. RyanRyan was a Navy chaplain from 1943 to 1946 and took part in the Marine landing at Okinawa. He served as chancellor of the U.S. Military Vicariate from 1957 to 1958. On February 7, 1966, he was appointed the first archbishop of Anchorage, Alaska, by Pope Paul VI. He was consecrated a bishop on March 25 by Cardinal Spellman. On November 4, 1975, Ryan was named coadjutor archbishop for the Military Vicariate and Titular Archbishop of Gabii. After the death of Cardinal Cooke, Pope John Paul II elevated the Military Vicariate (which had been run by the Archdiocese of New York) to the rank of an archdiocese and named Ryan the first archbishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, on March 16, 1985. * Aloysius H. Schmitt – first US chaplain to die in WW II; on USS ''Oklahoma'' * William J. Walsh - Air Force Catholic Chaplain Said the first Mass since the 5th century in Greenland in 1942. He was a priest of the Archdiocese of St. Paul. * John P. Washington – one of the

Four Chaplains The Four Chaplains, also referred to as the Immortal Chaplains or the ''Dorchester'' Chaplains, were four World War II chaplains who died rescuing civilian and military personnel as the American troop ship sank on February 3, 1943, in what has ...

Joseph Verbis Lafleur } Joseph Verbis Lafleur (January 24, 1912 – September 7, 1944) was a Roman Catholic priest of the Military Ordinariate of the United States who died in the sinking of the and is in the preliminary stages for sainthood. Early life Lafleur wa ...

, recipient of the

Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries. *Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...

Bronze Star The Bronze Star Medal (BSM) is a United States Armed Forces decoration awarded to members of the United States Armed Forces for either heroic achievement, heroic service, meritorious achievement, or meritorious service in a combat zone. Wh ...

, and

Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, w ...

Korean War

See footnote * Herman G. Felhoelter – chaplain with the 19th Infantry Regiment, 24th Infantry Division; executed, along with 30 critically wounded soldiers; posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Cross * Emil J. Kapaun – chaplain with 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division. Captured by Chinese forces at the

Battle of Unsan The Battle of Unsan (), also known as the Battle of Yunshan (), was a series of engagements of the Korean War that took place from 25 October to 4 November 1950 near Unsan, North Pyongan province in present-day North Korea. As part of the Pe ...

, November 1-2, 1950. Continued his priestly ministry among American POWs, including speaking out against Communist indoctrination and stealing food and medicine. Died in captivity on May 23, 1951; posthumously awarded the

Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...

in 2013. Declared a

Servant of God "Servant of God" is a title used in the Catholic Church to indicate that an individual is on the first step toward possible canonization as a saint. Terminology The expression "servant of God" appears nine times in the Bible, the first five in th ...

in 1993, Fr. Kapaun's cause for canonization as a Saint began in 2008. In 2022, Catholic officials raised the possibility that Fr. Kapaun died a

martyr A martyr (, ''mártys'', "witness", or , ''marturia'', stem , ''martyr-'') is someone who suffers persecution and death for advocating, renouncing, or refusing to renounce or advocate, a religious belief or other cause as demanded by an externa ...

for the Catholic faith, which would hasten the process of canonization. *

Dennis Murphy Dennis Murphy may refer to: *Dennis Murphy (Canadian politician) (1842–1917), Canadian businessman and political figure from Ontario *Dennis Murphy (equestrian) (born 1944), American Olympic equestrian *Dennis Murphy (journalist) (born 1946 or 19 ...

* John J. O'Connor (later served as Navy Chief of Chaplains, 1975–1979, and as auxiliary bishop of the Military Vicariate, 1979–1983)

Cold War (pre-Vietnam)

* Terence P. Finnegan (first Catholic Air Force Chief of Chaplains) * Patrick J. Ryan (second Catholic Army Chief of Chaplains)

Vietnam War

See footnote * Robert R. Brett, S.M. – killed during Tet offensive, after declining his seat on a departing helicopter * Vincent R. Capodanno, M.M. – awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously *

Edwin R. Chess Edwin Ralph Chess (February 12, 1913 – June 12, 2000) was a major general and Chief of Chaplains of the United States Air Force. Early life He was born Edwin R. Czeslawski in Chicago, Illinois, in 1913 to Anna Zdonek and Mieczyslaw "Charles" ...

(second Catholic Air Force Chief of Chaplains) * John F. Laboon, Jr., S.J. * Charles Liteky *

Francis L. Sampson Father (Major General) Francis Leon Sampson, USA (February 29, 1912 – January 28, 1996) was a Catholic priest from Archdiocese for the Military Services and an American Army officer who served as the 12th Chief of Chaplains of the United Sta ...

(third Catholic Army Chief of Chaplains) *

Charles J. Watters Charles Joseph Watters (January 17, 1927 – November 19, 1967) was a chaplain ( major) in the United States Army and Roman Catholic priest. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery exhibited while rescuing wounded men in the V ...

– awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously

Cold War (post-Vietnam)

* John A. Collins (fourth Catholic Air Force Chief of Chaplains) * William Joseph Dendinger (seventh Catholic Air Force Chief of Chaplains) *

Patrick J. Hessian Patrick may refer to: *Patrick (given name), list of people and fictional characters with this name *Patrick (surname), list of people with this name People *Saint Patrick (c. 385–c. 461), Christian saint *Gilla Pátraic (died 1084), Patrick or ...

(fourth Catholic Army Chief of Chaplains) * John P. McDonough (fifth Catholic Air Force Chief of Chaplains) * Henry J. Meade (third Catholic Air Force Chief of Chaplains) * Donald W. Shea (fifth Catholic Army Chief of Chaplains) * Arthur S. Thomas (sixth Catholic Air Force Chief of Chaplains)

Iraq War/War on Terror

* Donald L. Rutherford (sixth Catholic Army Chief of Chaplains) * H. Timothy Vakoc – only US chaplain to die from wounds received during the Iraq War

Fiction and literature portraying Catholic military chaplains

* ''

The Fighting 69th ''The Fighting 69th'' is a 1940 American war film starring James Cagney, Pat O'Brien, and George Brent. The plot is based upon the actual exploits of New York City's 69th Infantry Regiment during World War I. The regiment was given that nickna ...

'' * ''

The Longest Day (book) ''The Longest Day'' is a 1959 book by Cornelius Ryan telling the story of D-Day, the first day of the World War II invasion of Normandy. It details the ''coup de main'' operation by gliderborne troops, which captured the Caen canal and Orne rive ...

'' * ''

The Longest Day (film) ''The Longest Day'' is a 1962 American epic war film, shot in black and white and based on Cornelius Ryan's 1959 non-fiction book of the same name about the D-Day landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944. The film was produced by Darryl F. Zanu ...

'' * '' MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors'' * ''

MASH (film) ''M*A*S*H'' (stylized on-screen as ''MASH'') is a 1970 American black comedy war film directed by Robert Altman and written by Ring Lardner Jr., based on Richard Hooker's 1968 novel '' MASH: A Novel About Three Army Doctors''. The picture is the ...

'' * ''

M*A*S*H (TV series) ''M*A*S*H'' (an acronym for Mobile Army Surgical Hospital) is an American war comedy-drama television series that aired on CBS from September 17, 1972 to February 28, 1983. It was developed by Larry Gelbart as the first original spin-off series ...

Footnotes

External links

Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA
official website

GCatholic.org

David M. Cheney (Catholic-Hierarchy.org)
Mission Capodanno
website (Catholics in the Military; serving personnel, chaplains and families of those in the U.S. military)
Global Catholic Statistics: 1905 and Today
by Albert J. Fritsch, SJ, PhD
Organizational Profile
–

National Center for Charitable Statistics The National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS) is a clearing house for information about the nonprofit sector of the U.S. economy. The National Center for Charitable Statistics builds national, state, and regional databases and develops st ...

(

Urban Institute The Urban Institute is a Washington, D.C.–based think tank that carries out economic and social policy research to "open minds, shape decisions, and offer solutions". The institute receives funding from government contracts, foundations and pr ...

) {{DEFAULTSORT:Roman Catholic Archdiocese For The Military Services, Usa + Catholic Church in Washington, D.C. Religion in the United States military United States military chaplaincy United States military support organizations

United S United may refer to: Places * United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community * United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community Arts and entertainment Films * ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film * ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two fi ...

Military Services, USA Military Services, USA Military Services, USA 1957 establishments in the United States

History

Bishops

Apostolic Vicar of the United States Armed Forces

Apostolic Delegate for the United States Armed Forces

Archbishop for the Military Services, USA

Coadjutor Archbishops

Auxiliary Bishops

Seat

Noncombatant status

Reports of sexual abuse

Army

Air Force

Notable chaplains by conflict

Mexican–American War

Civil War

Spanish–American War

World War I

World War II

Korean War

Cold War (pre-Vietnam)

Vietnam War

Cold War (post-Vietnam)

Iraq War/War on Terror

Fiction and literature portraying Catholic military chaplains

See also

Footnotes

Further reading

Books

Internet

External links