M.4 What could a military chaplain do for me?
The chaplain’s mission is to accompany the military wherever they go, and offer pastoral care, advice, and above all a listening ear. You can go to the chaplain even if you do not believe. Whatever you say will go no further, so you can truly be yourself. The chaplain can also help you get help for many kinds of problems.
The visible part of the chaplain’s task is to conduct religious services at the beginning and the end of life, as well as at important moments. The Catholic rites give words to and express human grief or joy in a way that is close to the heart of everyone, whether they believe or not. God is always there for you – it is never too late to reach out to him! Visiting a chaplain should be as normal as brushing your teeth, and a chat with them from time to time is beneficial to anyone, regardless of rank or religion. You can contact your chaplain using this app (via the AMI button at the bottom of this screen).
What are causes of war?
Injustice, excessive economic or social inequalities, envy, distrust, and pride raging among men and nations constantly threaten peace and cause wars. Everything done to overcome these disorders contributes to building up peace and avoiding war: Insofar as men are sinners, the threat of war hangs over them and will so continue until Christ comes again; but insofar as they can vanquish sin by coming together in charity, violence itself will be vanquished and these words will be fulfilled: "they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore" (Gaudium et Spes 78) [CCC 2317]. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9) [CCC 2330].
“Even amid the lacerations of war, we must never tire of remembering that ‘every person is immensely holy’. In this period in which we are living a “piecemeal third world war”, [military chaplains] are called to foster in the military and in their families the spiritual and ethical dimensions which may help them face the frequently excruciating difficulties and questions inherent in this particular service to homeland and to humanity” [Pope Francis, to military chaplains, 26 Oct. 2015]
