Military ministry allows priest to 'journey with young people'

Following is the text from an article printed in our Nov. 19, 2020 edition. Learn how active duty U.S. Air Force wing chaplain Father William J. Vit (Maj.) serves the underserved Catholics in the USAF, 

By DAWN PROSSER
Director of Communications
 
Ministry opportunities for a Catholic priest aren’t limited to the traditional ideas of parish, school or even monastic life.
Father William J. Vit, native of Fort Dodge and graduate of St. Edmond High School, is serving active duty with the U.S. Air Force as wing chaplain, based out of Wyoming.

​Father Vit, who holds the rank of major, was first commissioned with the U.S. Navy in 2002. When he served as rector of the Cathedral of the Epiphany in Sioux City, he transferred his commission to the Air National Guard in 2009.  

“I saw it as a unique way to engage ministry,” he said regarding military ministry. “While in the guard, it was nice to get a different perspective on ministry. In particular, working with the chaplains and military members from various faith backgrounds. I enjoyed that perspective and also saw the great need for people willing to serve in this manner.”

The priest switched his commission to the U.S. Air Force and to an active duty status in 2017. Having served in that capacity for over three years, the chaplain draws comparisons between parish and military ministry. He said when he is not deployed, there are many similarities between “chapel-based ministry” and parish ministry.

“At home station, we function very much like a regular parish where we have daily and Sunday Masses. Parishioners stop by the office when they need something and there is even a pastoral council,” Father Vit explained. “Every effort is made to ensure the liturgical celebrations are just as you would expect at a civilian parish.”

However, the chaplain said he celebrates fewer funerals and weddings at the home station but celebrates a similar number of baptisms and First Communions as in “a typical civilian parish.”

When Father Vit is deployed, ministry and Masses take a different turn than at his home station, and he and the other Catholic chaplain-priests make every effort to provide Mass.

“The Air Force also has an ‘expeditionary’ model of ministry where chaplains are deployed to austere locations to provide religious services,” the chaplain explained. “In this situation, Mass may be held in a tent or other expeditionary environment, and it can be frequently ‘less than ideal.’ However, Catholics are so happy to receive the sacraments that they often look past the environmental factors.”

As with the Diocese of Sioux City and other dioceses in the country, there is a shortage of priests in the military, which has led to deployed Catholics to go without the Eucharist or other sacraments for long periods of time.

“Since joining active duty, I have deployed to Africa and also to Saudi Arabia. In Africa, I had to cover six different countries across the continent. So, I would stop by a location for a week or two and then travel on to the next. It was sometimes two months before I could get back for another visit and there are no other options for Catholic personnel,” Father Vit pointed out.

Along with the absence of the sacraments, the shortage of priests has other consequences for Catholics in the military, according to the chaplain.

“More than half of Air Force installations no longer have an active duty priest assigned to the chapel; deployed personnel are increasingly facing limitations on receiving Catholic services; and the active duty priests deploy more to meet as many needs as possible,” he explained.

The chaplain also explained that these factors complicate their ministry by the demographics of the military personnel, especially the age.

“Most of those serving in the military are young adults, a delicate age when many people may not fully appreciate the role of faith in their lives. With fewer priests to mentor them, more young people drift away from the church or sometimes choose Protestant worship instead,” Father Vit said.
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It is just this challenge of ministering to young adults that brings this military chaplain joy in his ministry in the USAF.

“The greatest joy in this ministry is being able to journey with young people in challenging times and serving as a constant reminder to them that they are not alone,” he explained. “In my role as chaplain, I am able to be Christ personified to people who are experiencing some of the most difficult moments of their lives.”

Father Vit said many of his personnel are away from home for the first time, deployed, and may feel isolated or lonely away from family and friends.

“Many find comfort in engaging in Catholic programs and events because it is something they know, and they feel like they are part of a family again. To be the priest that facilitates this engagement is indeed an honor and a joy,” he said.

As in any parish ministry, the chaplain is present for any individual who needs spiritual guidance or counseling. In a military setting, counseling may include specialized issues.
“As a chaplain, I do take on the added role of counseling a wide variety of people many are not even Catholic or may not even be Christian,” he said. “The chaplains receive specialized training so that we can serve a greater role in addition to promoting the free exercise of religion. The counseling role is very broad, but a few topics include strengthening relationships, dealing with deployment, suicide intervention, religious accommodation and workplace stress.”

Father Vit was recently promoted to wing chaplain, or senior chaplain of the home station, supervising the chaplains of all denominations, and reporting directly to the commander.

“I find great joy in developing and mentoring other chaplains and find it fascinating to do so in an ecumenical environment. While a large part of the job is administrative, much like being the pastor of a large parish, it is a unique role to help chaplains of other faith backgrounds to grow in their abilities such as leadership, preaching and evangelization,” the priest said.
 
 

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