{"id":3642,"date":"2024-06-12T14:44:30","date_gmt":"2024-06-12T21:44:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/thepursuitofholiness\/?p=3642"},"modified":"2024-06-12T19:36:53","modified_gmt":"2024-06-13T02:36:53","slug":"newly-ordained-deacon-hopes-to-serve-in-u-s-army","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/thepursuitofholiness\/2024\/06\/newly-ordained-deacon-hopes-to-serve-in-u-s-army\/","title":{"rendered":"Newly Ordained Deacon Hopes To Serve in U.S. Army"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX<\/strong>\u00a0\u2014\u00a0The Reverend Mr. James W. Craig, (1LT), USAR, a candidate for the Catholic\u00a0priesthood<\/a>\u00a0and United States Military\u00a0chaplaincy<\/a>, was ordained a transitional deacon on Saturday, June 8, in his home Diocese of Corpus Christi, TX. The new deacon is on track to be ordained a priest next year and hopes eventually to serve as a Catholic chaplain in the U.S. Army, providing pastoral care to Catholic soldiers and their families with endorsement and faculties from the\u00a0Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA<\/a>\u00a0(AMS).<\/p>\n

The Rev. Mr. Craig received the diaconate at\u00a0Corpus Christi Cathedral<\/a>\u00a0through the laying of hands and the prayer of consecration invoking the Holy Spirit by Bishop\u00a0Michael Mulvey<\/a>, STL, DD. AMS Auxiliary Bishop\u00a0Neal J. Buckon<\/a>\u00a0concelebrated the 10:00 a.m. ordination Mass. Two other seminarians from the Diocese of Corpus Christi were also ordained at the same Mass. Among those in attendance were the Rev. Mr. Craig\u2019s parents, U.S. Air Force veteran Stephen Craig and wife Ann, brothers Paul, Dan, and John, along with their families, his sister Kate and her family, and another sister who is a perpetually professed religious, Sister Mary Rachel, SOLT.<\/p>\n

Watch\u00a0video<\/a>\u00a0of the ordination Mass.<\/p>\n

The Rev. Mr. Craig, 27, holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree in Philosophy with minors in Theology and Sacred Music from\u00a0Franciscan University of Steubenvill<\/a>e, OH. Now in San Antonio, he is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity (M.Div) and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) through the\u00a0Oblate School of Theology<\/a>\u00a0while pursuing priestly formation at\u00a0Assumption Seminary<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Rev. Mr. Craig says he began to discern his vocation at a young age. \u201cI wanted to be a priest since I was about eight years old,\u201d he says, \u201ca desire that was fostered through serving at the altar and singing in our cathedral schola. Then I learned about military chaplaincy when I was beginning high school, and that call has stayed with me ever since.\u201d He looks forward to serving God\u2019s people with joyful anticipation. \u201cI am really looking forward to offering blessings, and to baptizing children \u2014 especially one I already have scheduled for a niece or nephew currently on the way!\u201d<\/p>\n

The eventual service of the Rev. Mr. Craig and other Catholic chaplain candidates is greatly anticipated by the Army, which, like all other branches of the U.S. Military, continues to suffer a chronic\u00a0shortage<\/a>\u00a0of Catholic chaplains. Currently, the Army has only 82 priests on active duty and 53 in the Reserve, serving a large Catholic population of more than 250,000 soldiers spread worldwide, not counting their families, whom Army chaplains also serve.<\/p>\n

Young men interested in discerning a priestly vocation, and the vocation within a vocation to serve those who serve in the U.S. military, can find more information at\u00a0milarch.org\/vocations<\/u><\/a>, or may contact AMS Vocations Director Father Marcel Taillon at\u00a0vocations@milarch.org<\/u><\/a>\u00a0or (202) 719-3600.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

CORPUS CHRISTI, TX\u00a0\u2014\u00a0The Reverend Mr. James W. Craig, (1LT), USAR, a candidate for the Catholic\u00a0priesthood\u00a0and United States Military\u00a0chaplaincy, was ordained a transitional deacon on Saturday, June 8, in his home Diocese of Corpus Christi, TX. The new deacon is on track to be ordained a priest next year and hopes eventually to serve as a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4296,"featured_media":3645,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[1805,311,308],"class_list":["post-3642","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-archdiocese-for-military-services","tag-catholic","tag-faith"],"yoast_head":"\nNewly Ordained Deacon Hopes To Serve in U.S. Army<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"CORPUS CHRISTI, TX\u00a0\u2014\u00a0The Reverend Mr. James W. 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