CV NEWS FEED // Two future Catholic U.S. Military chaplains were ordained transitional deacons in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia, on April 6, responding to a shortage of chaplains for military Catholics.
According to an emailed news release from the Diocese, Deacon Raymond Goins will eventually serve as a chaplain in the Army, while Deacon Michael Sampson will serve in the Navy. They will both be ordained as priests next year.
Both men were ordained to the transitional diaconate by Bishop Michael Burbidge along with 10 other seminarians. Archbishop Timothy Broglio, Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, as well as two retired military chaplains, concelebrated the ordination Mass.
“This is a wonderful step in what I believe to be God’s plan for me,” Goins said, according to the Diocese. “He continues to exceed expectations in terms of His generosity and patience—both with me and through me. Jesus is truly better than we could ask, hope, or imagine.”
Sampson added: “Once the bishop said the prayer of ordination, it was truly as if something had changed, as if a veil had been lifted. It was really a joyful and glorious moment, and especially good to be there with my 11 brother deacons.”
According to the Diocese, Goins and Sampson are two of 15 prospective Catholic military chaplains set to be ordained this year—eight as transitional deacons, and seven as priests.
As CatholicVote previously reported, the military is facing a shortage of chaplains to minister to its large numbers of Catholics. Roughly 25% of the military is Catholic, but the lack of priests means that there is one chaplain per to 1,750 service members, according to the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.
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