SEMINARIAN FORMATION
“ There ’ s such a great need for chaplains . By far , the largest religious denomination in the Army is Catholic ,” said Kurt . “ I like the idea of being a servant to those who serve . These men and women are in real danger and they need the sacraments .”
In addition to his studies at Sacred Heart , Kurt serves one weekend per month in the Army Reserves , shadowing military chaplains at units in Ohio , Michigan , and Indiana . While the time spent training with the military is essential to chaplain candidates , their formation as priests is paramount .
Father Matthew Gray , AMS Vocations Director and liaison between all branches of the military and the dioceses , has been an Air Force chaplain for seven years . He tells men discerning chaplaincy they must first discern if they ’ re being called as a priest and then discern where they ’ re being called within that vocation .
“ The military needs chaplain priests who are in love with Jesus Christ in their own life , whose identity is priest above all ,” said Father Gray . “ St . Teresa of Calcutta said that the world doesn ’ t need more priests , the world needs holy priests . I would add to that and say that the military doesn ’ t need more chaplains ; the military needs holy chaplains .”
Being a military chaplain felt natural to first-year theology student Mark Wagner from the Diocese of Madison , Wisconsin . He wanted to be a priest since he started altar serving in third grade , and his father serves full-time with the Wisconsin Air National Guard in Milwaukee , Wisconsin . His mother is an Air Force veteran .
“ When I started the process of looking more intentionally at military chaplaincy , I focused on the idea of always retaining that priestly identity first and foremost . The priestly heart will serve me in the parish , and the priestly heart will serve me in the military ,” Wagner said . “ Sacred Heart ’ s formation program encourages me to enter deeply into the spiritual life and form that identity .”
First-year theology seminarians volunteer together in hospital ministry , going into patients ’ rooms to talk and pray with them . Wagner believes he ’ ll draw from this experience as a military chaplain .
“ This has allowed me to break down those barriers with people I don ’ t know and might never see again ,” said Wagner . “ In the military , the chaplains are there ultimately to provide ministry and sacraments to people . But another duty is to counsel and walk with military members in their sufferings and joys , including those of different backgrounds .”
Father Gray emphasizes the urgent need for Catholic military chaplains . There are 194 chaplains deployed across all branches of the military around the world . This number falls short of the need , causing service men and women in some units to go for months without a priest . Thirty-eight seminarians are currently in formation from 33 dioceses around the U . S .
Sacred Heart is preparing us for chaplaincy by grounding us in our identity as beloved sons of God .”
— Zachary Glick
Zachary Glick is a third-year theology student from the Diocese of Gary , Indiana . As a mechanical engineering student in the ROTC program at Rose- Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute , Indiana , he had been accepted to the Air Force Pilot Training Program during his junior year . Then , at the beginning of his senior year , he experienced a reversion to his Catholic faith . The more he got to know the priests through his campus ministry , the more he saw their great joy and wanted that for himself .
“ I was doing well on a worldly level with academics and sports , but I didn ’ t feel a sense of peace . I felt like I was running [ on ] a hamster wheel . When I came back to church , I found that peace ,” Glick said .
He prayed about what to do next , asking for God ’ s will instead of his own , and learned that he could be a chaplain for the Air Force . Glick realized that this was what his heart had been seeking .
“ I have a strong desire to bring sacraments to airmen and women and their families to places in the world where they might not otherwise have access , and to bring Christ to people who haven ’ t had that experience yet ,” Glick said . “ I want to be able to share the same grace that was poured out on me through the Eucharist in my senior year with others — to show those in the military how much God loves them and how much he has already worked in their life .”
Glick , Kurt , and Wagner share a bond as military brothers that will last beyond their days at Sacred Heart . For now , within the halls of seminary , they proudly wear the t-shirt touting the Archdiocese for Military Services .
“ The other seminarians know we ’ re around . We all have the same swag , and we all have the same haircut ,” Kurt said .
Upon ordination , a priest serves pastorally in his civilian diocese for three years before being assigned to a post as an active-duty military chaplain . As part of the agreement with the AMS and the civilian dioceses , chaplains are required to serve five years in active duty , after which time they may consult with their bishop and possibly serve additional time . Priests who are deployed as chaplains are considered “ on loan ” from their home dioceses with permission from their bishops .
All three seminarians look forward to the day when they can minister in a parish and then in the line of duty .
“ Sacred Heart is preparing us for chaplaincy by grounding us in our identity as beloved sons of God ,” said Glick . “ And that ’ s important because as a military chaplain , if you ’ re not grounded in a relationship with Christ , you ’ re not going to be able to serve the people as they need it .” shms . edu 25