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It is a question often asked about Catholic chaplains serving in the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services: Are there enough of them for the estimated 250,000 Catholics — 25% of the U.S. armed forces — serving worldwide?
For Father Peter Pomposello, a priest of the Archdiocese of New York and senior garrison chaplain to paratroopers at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, the answer is no. "We need 350 (active-duty) to fulfill the mission," he told OSV News. "I'm one of less than 80 currently on active duty in the Army."
The military archdiocese's website notes that as of 2020, there were 204 Roman Catholic priests endorsed for active-duty military service. Priests constitute only about 8% of all military chaplains.
Father Paul K. Hurley, who served as chief of chaplains from 2015 until his retirement in 2019, commented on this issue: "Even at our greatest point in history during World War II...there was a shortage of Catholic priests." He noted that bishops have always felt compelled to serve their dioceses first.
According to a Rand Corp. survey from 2021, both Catholics and Protestants among Army enlisted personnel have declined over the past fifteen years, while those with no religious affiliation are expected to increase.
Father Hurley highlighted that "Catholics need priests" due to their sacramental requirements which cannot be fulfilled without clergy.
Both Father Pomposello and Father Hurley shared personal experiences illustrating their roles' significance. Father Pomposello recounted visiting a jailed soldier involved in an accident that killed another soldier: "I told my commander I'm going to keep seeing him...he doesn't have anybody."
Father Hurley's experience near Iraq-Syria border involved ministering at remote bases: "Every single soldier on that little base came up to me to thank me."
Kurt Jensen reports for OSV News from Washington.
