Photo By Lauren Bickings | CAPT Charles Varsogea, the Commanding Officer of the Naval Chaplaincy School, Newport,...... read more read more
As Americans learned from the national excitement over the recent eclipse, being out of sight does not always mean being out of mind. Military families know this truth in a deep and personal way and so does the Navy Chaplain Corps. Just because Sailors, Marines, or Coasties are away from home does not mean they are disconnected from their families. Moreover, just because Navy Chaplains have followed the call to minister in the sea services does not mean they are disconnected from their civilian religious communities.
On April 18, 2024, CAPT Charles Varsogea, the Commanding Officer of the Naval Chaplaincy School, Newport, Rhode Island, invited the religious communities of Newport, Portsmouth, and Middletown to tour the school house and learn about Naval Chaplaincy. The goal was to help chaplains, stationed on Naval Station Newport, get acquainted with local civilian religious ministry professionals. There are a lot of individual connections among these two groups, but it has been a while since they were all together in one place.
Fifteen local civilian ministers representing 14 communities met with the chaplains assigned to the Naval Chaplaincy School and with CDR Robert Fasnacht, the Naval Station Newport Command Chaplain. Represented in this group were Baptist, Catholic, Congregational, Episcopal, Evangelical Friends, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Non-denominational, and Universal Unitarian communities. Everyone was encouraged by how much they had in common and by how much their ministries overlap. Chaplain Fasnacht's emphasis on accommodating all denominations, including those traditionally under-serviced, exemplifies the Chaplain Corps’ commitment to inclusivity and meeting the diverse needs of military personnel and their families. The questions and suggestions from the civilian partners highlighted their sincere desire to serve and support servicemembers and their families and the important role they play in keeping our fighting forces spiritually ready.
In the Navy, Spiritual Readiness is about sustaining the courage to make sacrifices, both big and small, in the defense of the Constitution of the United States. Within the sea services, people sustain that courage by focusing on the meaning, the value, and the purpose of their lives and of their time in uniform. To help them do that, Navy Chaplains help connect them to the transcendent and to communities that share their convictions about the ultimate good, as they understand it; communities like those attending this event. As CDR Foshee, the Executive Officer of the Naval Chaplain School put it, “When people are plugged into a faith community, they generally do better! Collectively, we can help build that foundational element of support they need.”
To emphasize the importance of Spiritual Readiness, CAPT Peter Halvorsen, the Vice President of the Naval War College, and Colonel Craig Wonson of the United States Marine Corps (also a professor at the Naval War College) both spoke powerfully and memorably to the gathering.
CAPT Halvorsen confirmed the importance of the partnership between chaplains and local communities. “Military families require support because their lives can be stressful; deployments, duty, moving, etc. We are here now to open the communication lines between the chaplains and religious ministry teams in the local community and to learn how we can work together, know whom to call when needed, and expand relationships and knowledge.”
Colonel Wonson's perspective from his combat experience added weight to the importance of chaplains in operational settings. When the local communities are a world away, “Chaplains can bring people back when the wind has left their sails. They are critical to the success of any unit.”
Since the days of George Washington, Esek Hopkins, and the Continental Navy, Navy Chaplains have served with their people all around the world and always in partnership with civilian communities. The gathering concluded with a tour of the Naval Chaplaincy School. The many historical artifacts on display tell the long and moving story of religious ministry in the sea services. If you or someone you know would like to be a part of extending that history into the future, consider how you can connect your ministry with that of the Navy Chaplain Corps. Better yet, find out how to become a Navy Chaplain at either https://www.navy.com/careers-benefits/careers/religious-services/navy-chaplain or by calling (888) NAVYCHC - (855) 904-4002.
| Date Taken: | 04.29.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.02.2024 10:14 |
| Story ID: | 469884 |
| Location: | NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 242 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Diverse Religious Communities Come Together for Dialogue and Mutual Support, by Lauren Bickings, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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