Soldier's death led Catholic priest to become chaplain

Tribulation Times

READ THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: http://www.oneyearbibleonline.com/december.asp?version=63&startmmdd=0101

December 16, 2009 

(Mat 9:37-38) Then he saith to his disciples, The harvest indeed is great, but the labourers are few. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he send forth labourers into his harvest.

HEADLINE: Soldier's death led Catholic priest to become chaplain

Capt. Matt Foley hasn't presided over any weddings or christenings since he arrived here in April - not much call for those services in a war zone.

But the Army chaplain and Catholic priest who spent much of his childhood in Wauwatosa stays very busy ministering to nine companies in the 82nd Airborne Divisional Special Troops Battalion, delivering care packages, checking on soldiers' welfare, presiding over Catholic Masses as well as handling any calls for a priest.

And like all military chaplains, he cares for all service members regardless of their religion.

His job is very rewarding though he says the toughest part is getting to know people and sharing in sacred moments with them such as funerals and prayers and then seeing them leave when their unit returns home.

"You'd be amazed how much support we get here," said Foley, 47. "It's been eight years (since the war began in Afghanistan) and people are still sending packages which is very gracious."

Foley's journey to Afghanistan was circuitous, starting with his decision to become a priest. While attending Marquette University in the early '80s, Foley had a nice girlfriend and was majoring in political science with an eye toward law school. But he felt himself drawn to the priesthood and left Marquette in 1983, enrolling at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Chicago, where his morals and canon law classes were taught by Milwaukee's new archbishop Jerome Listecki.

He was ordained in 1989 and spent five years at a parish on Chicago's west side and then six years in Mexico. He returned to the west side of Chicago in 2000 where, in 2006, he presided over the funeral of Pfc. Daniel Zizumbo, a soldier killed by a makeshift bomb in Afghanistan whose parents were Foley's parishioners.

Zizumbo's death was motivational for Foley, whose brother and college roommate served in the Army and whose uncle was an Army chaplain in Vietnam. On the second anniversary of Zizumbo's death, Feb. 27, 2008, Foley was sworn in as an Army officer by his brother Michael, a lieutenant colonel.

"I'm a Catholic priest and I know there's a shortage of Catholic priests in the Army. I thought it was my time to serve," Foley said in his office at Enduring Faith Chapel at this large air base north of Kabul.

VIA IRAQ: Christians in Basra subdued for holiday

HEROISM CHRONICLED: The Miracle of Father Emil Kapaun series

Part 1: In Korea, Kapaun saves dozens during Chinese attack
Part 2: Through Death March, Father Kapaun perseveres and inspires
Part 3: In icy POW camps, Kapaun shares faith, provisions
Part 4: As hundreds die, Kapaun rallies the POWs
Part 5: Kapaun leads camp prisoners in quiet acts of defiance
Part 6: Kapaun forgives guards, welcomes death
Part 7: POWs call him 'a hero and a saint'
Part 8: Former POWs say his miracle was providing them hope

Ladder of Divine Ascent excerpt: Step 25- "On the destroyer of the pasions, most sublime humility"

15. Repentance raises the fallen, mourning knocks at the gate of Heaven, and holy humility opens it; but I affirm this and I worship a Trinity in Unity, and a Unity in Trinity.   

---

Prayer request?  Send an email to: PrayerRequest3@aol.com

This month's archive can be found at: http://www.catholicprophecy.info/news2.html.

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from deaconjohn's posterous