Military archbishop tells Indiana priests of need for chaplains

Published: 2003-12-15

SYRACUSE, Ind. (CNS) -- Along with Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services and his three auxiliary bishops, 400 priests are trying to literally cover the world. Anywhere U.S. troops are stationed, every U.S. embassy and 173 Veterans Affairs' facilities -- all are part of the military archdiocese, encompassing between 1.4 million and 1.5 million Catholics. "There's a great need for more priests in uniform," Archbishop O'Brien said in a Dec. 2 talk at a priests' day of retreat held at St. Martin de Porres Church in Syracuse. "We have 400 (chaplains) full time. We should have double that." One of the messages he had for the priests of the Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocese was how vital it is to seek solitude with the Lord and take time to rest and recharge.

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