Diocesan priest serves as U.S. Navy chaplain

By KATIE LEFEBVRE, Globe staff reporter
May 22, 2008

When it comes to priestly ministry, those called to chaplaincy in the military must "walk the walk" with troops.

Father Miles Barrett, United States Navy chaplain and priest of the Diocese of Sioux City, who recently returned from Iraq, is one such chaplain.

"Being trained as they are trained for safety and unit cohesion in combat, where they are, I am," said the priest. "Like Christ Jesus I trust in God and my religious program specialist is my body guard. Together we serve best when we are with them and live the Gospel message out just being human and letting God be present. The troops give back trust and their faith is able to rejoice in God's Spirit with us in good times and in bad."

A normal day for Father Barrett may include eight to 12 counseling cases, four or five sacramental directions for marriages back in the church, suicide/depression/stress counseling, flying with them on a mission at night, visiting a patrol post via convoy, being with the soldiers and listening and leading them in prayer "when they are ready."

He mentioned that about 30 percent of the Navy/Marine Corps/Coast Guard is Catholic.

"Only the Roman Catholic priest brings the 'encounter of Christ' to these men and women in the Sacraments - right to where they are at in the battle field when they need the reassurance of the Body of Christ and healing power of the Holy Spirit," he said. "Yet witnessing to the Gospel message of Christ in true catholicity, the Catholic priest/Navy chaplain also facilitates for all faith groups and cares for all."

He added that Muslims, Jews and Protestants are all being served by priestly ministry. The feedback he receives lets him know that they appreciate the compassionate, joyful and hopeful relationship with God through his service to them. All military chaplains are called to serve all faith groups.

"I returned after a little more than a year in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, covering Al Anbar Province out of Al Asad Airbase," said the chaplain. "Twenty-two Protestant chaplains were there with me. I was the only priest in Al Asad most of the year."

Father Barrett served five chapel communities around a 60-square-mile airbase and covered the Level III hospital - a major Combat Support Hospital - 24/7 in a province the size of Utah. He noted that multi-national forces attended the Masses offered.

He said that Catholic Iraqi translators, who risked their lives (unarmed like a chaplain), were in his Bible studies and served at six weekend Masses. Helicopter flights day and night brought Catholic services to small Marines and Army units weekly.

A priest is the only one who can bring the sacraments of anointing, reconciliation and Eucharist to the soldiers. A priest also has Canon Law training to prepare people for the sacraments. He commented that he had 18 or more per week in RCIA and monthly professions of faith, confirmation and First Communion.

"Only 91 priests serve today to cover the entire Catholic needs across an array of Navy ships afloat, all the Marines deployed, all the over sea stations, combat support hospitals and military hospitals worldwide, and Coast Guard stations or the academy billets with young Roman Catholic men and women at the US Naval Academy, the US Coast Guard Academy or the Merchant Marine Academy," said Father Barrett.

He said few places have a priest. This means the priest will travel around or cover a great distance.

Father Barrett is presently serving in the Navy assigned to the Second Marine Aircraft Wing out of Cherry Point, N.C., as Command chaplain of Marine Aircraft Group 14. He serves all the Catholics in the II MAW that live in three cities on the East coast.

Now that he is back at Cherry Point, he is ministering to three groups in a local hospital - two pilot families, who had dads ejected safely in a training flight in Yuma, Ariz., and a First Communion class on base with pre-deployment briefs and post deployment briefs between counseling cases.

"It is a most rewarding ministry to serve in whatever the duty station," said Father Barrett."U.S. Congress, in 1775, knew those who serve risking their lives so others have freedom of religion deserve religious support while in harm's way."

As a Navy chaplain, Father Barrett is called to serve in a variety of ways and adapt to a variety of situations. He has celebrated Mass for a tour group in Communist China as well as bringing volunteers to orphanages and nursing homes while on liberty and port calls in South Korea and Japan.

He also served in hospital ministry at National Naval Medical Center Bethesda, Md., as an Ethics Chairman with a post graduate program and later as an Ethics Fellow at Annapolis, Md.

"It's much like a religious community that serves the heroes who are our youth in the military that takes one around the globe. It's the best of both worlds," said the priest. "You have to give yourself to a lifestyle that is demanding physically, spiritually, mentally and has an ethical commitment to a Gospel message alive in a world torn by humanity's violence to humanity."