Posted on 09/06/2020 11:18:54 AM PDT by ebb tide
We all know there’s a shortage of priestly vocations — but some places are feeling the effects more dramatically than others.
Catholic Masses at San Diego-area Navy bases have ended because the Navy, in what it says is a cost-cutting move, has declined to renew its contracts with Catholic priests, and there are not enough Catholic chaplains on active duty to fill the void.
Protestant services on bases, which are led by active duty chaplains, will continue, said Brian O’Rourke, a Navy Region Southwest spokesman.
The changes to the Navy’s religious ministries are part of a national realignment announced on Aug. 20. It is unclear how many priests this will affect.
“The Navy’s religious ministries priority is reaching and ministering to our largest demographic — active duty Sailors and Marines in the 18-25 year-old range,” O’Rourke wrote in an email. “To meet that mission, the Navy has had to make the difficult decision to discontinue most contracted ministry services.”
In the Navy message announcing the change, Vice Adm. Yancey Lindsey, the commander of Naval Installations Command, said it differently.
“We have a responsibility to use our limited resources wisely in meeting the needs of our personnel,” wrote Lindsey. “Therefore, we will reduce redundancies and capture efficiencies by realigning resources,” noting that religious services will be cut at bases where those services are readily available in the surrounding community outside the base.
To Rev. Jose Pimentel, a priest who has led services at Naval Base Coronado and Naval Air Station North Island for eight years, the loss of his parish isn’t just a personal loss — it’s a loss of the 1st Amendment rights of service members on bases.
“One issue is discrimination (and) another is the violation of your right to practice your religion,” he said when reached by phone Friday.
…While the Navy has an active duty component of clergy — the Chaplain Corps — the number of Catholic priests among them is small, reflecting a worldwide shortage of Catholic priests. To make up for that shortage, the service contracted with priests to lead Catholic services on U.S. bases.
Those contracts are the ones being canceled.
Ping
Volunteer for free. Nuns taught school for the same.
Um, nuns never taught Catholic school for free. They would get in-kind income in the form of room and board from the connected church that hosted the school and most likely a stipend for personal expenses paid for my donations from the parishoners.
JoMa
Unbelievable.
To Rev. Jose Pimentel, a priest who has led services at Naval Base Coronado and Naval Air Station North Island for eight years, the loss of his parish isn’t just a personal loss — it’s a loss of the 1st Amendment rights of service members on bases.
“One issue is discrimination (and) another is the violation of your right to practice your religion,” he said when reached by phone Friday
——————————————————————
What’s stopping these Catholics from going off base to worship?
Priests aren’t happy with room and board and the giving of themselves to our troops? What’s wrong with the Church?
OUR ONCE FINE MILITARY IS OFf THE RAILS!! Trump Better step in!
Perhaps the Romans ought to do it for free or whatever their parishioners can donate
Trump Better step in!
———————————
What would you have Trump do? Force more Catholic priests to become chaplains?
Let’s face it. Official Church teachings are not welcome in the new “Woke” Navy.
For many of them, a lack of a means of transportation.
when are they going to close the mosques ???
For years I ran a ministry at my local church where in we would pick up soldiers, sailors, and airmen on base and drive them to church.
But muzzies? Would be un/anti-islamic if they do the same thing to them.
Way back in the day when I worked for the Big Green Machine (1965 - 1968) Protestant ministers could give communion, do mass and vise versa for Catholic priests. Also, Catholics were given an exemption from eating fish on Friday.
If they are working on Sunday their probably take lunch at 11am and go to MASS at the chapel on base...
ONE! Get real.
Would you drive them to churches of their preferred demonination besides your own?
To quote the article: “... religious services will be cut at bases where those services are readily available in the surrounding community outside the base.“
The problem seems to be mostly related to the world wide shortage of Roman Catholic priests.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.