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| Msgr. Donald J. Heiar, Jr., pastor of St. John Vianney Catholic Parish in Janesville, gives a presentation about his experiences as a military chaplain at a recent Serra Club luncheon in Janesville. (Contributed photo) |
Recently, area priests, Religious, and catechetical leaders joined with members of the Janesville Serra Club for their annual Celebration of Vocations luncheon.
Invited to speak at this year’s gathering was Msgr. Donald J. Heiar, Jr., pastor of St. John Vianney Catholic Parish in Janesville. Having recently returned from his second deployment in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Monsignor Heiar spoke about his experience as a military chaplain with the 115th Fighter Wing of the Wisconsin Air National Guard.
Role of military chaplains
Monsignor Heiar began his presentation by explaining that military chaplains are charged with tending to the welfare and morale of all troops within a unit, regardless of their religious affiliation.
Just being visible on base is an important part of a chaplain’s duties, encouraging the servicemen and women to walk up and speak with him if they have a concern.
As a Catholic priest, he specifically provides for the sacramental needs of Catholics, presiding at Masses, hearing confessions, and anointing the sick and wounded.
Monsignor Heiar explained that every priest in the military is on loan from their home diocese of ordination. In order to serve in the military, a priest must be released by his bishop to the Archbishop for the Military Services in the United States, who then endorses them to the military.
Assigned to transit center
Each time that Monsignor Heiar has deployed, he has been assigned to the transit center at Manas Air Force Base, Kyrgyz Republic. The transit center has approximately 1,100 military, as well as 900 U.S. and host-nation contractor personnel, performing day-to-day operations at the premier air mobility hub supporting military operations in Afghanistan.
The wing’s around-the-clock missions include aerial refueling, airlift and airdrop, aeromedical evacuation, and support for coalition personnel and cargo transiting in and out of Afghanistan. According to Monsignor Heiar, it would not be unusual to have 1,000 individuals moving through the base chapel on any given day.
Honoring fallen soldiers
Perhaps one of the most solemn responsibilities of a military chaplain involves the honoring of a fallen soldier during a ramp ceremony. Conducted on the flight line of an airfield, chaplains receive, pray for, and escort the body of the deceased service member onto a waiting aircraft for its final journey home.
Monsignor Heiar recounted the story of a ramp ceremony at which he presided during his last deployment. It involved a young man that he had previously encountered on a trip down range into Afghanistan. The soldier worked as a K9 handler, using a military working dog to detect hidden explosive devices.
Several days after returning from celebrating the sacraments with troops in the field, Monsignor Heiar would be called to the flight line where he would recognize the canine that sat riveted at the side of his handler’s coffin.
“What goes on out here is very real,” stated Monsignor Heiar. “Being right alongside these troops, they let you into their lives. They’re searching — for peace, for hope, for ultimate meaning in their lives.”
Need for Catholic chaplains
While some 25 percent in the military are Catholic, only eight percent of military chaplains are Catholic priests. This results in our military men and women serving in harm’s way without having access to the sacraments for extended periods of time.
Motivated by stories he often heard from servicemen and women who said they never once saw a priest while serving overseas, Monsignor Heiar decided to pursue a commission as a staff chaplain with the Air National Guard in 2010.
“How else will they be able to receive the sacraments?” questioned Monsignor Heiar. “It is so important to our faith life, and yet it is something that we can so easily take for granted because most of us can receive the sacraments any time we want . . . at any church.”
Monsignor Heiar concluded by thanking the Serrans for all of their good work in promoting vocations to the priesthood. As the only Roman Catholic chaplain for the Wisconsin National Guard, both Air and Army, Monsignor Heiar also requested their prayers for an increased number of priests willing to serve as chaplains. May we, too, all join in that prayer. St. Joseph of Cupertino, pray for us.