Protestant Chaplains Sue U.S. NavyClaim Catholic Chaplains getting preferential treatment
Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Church vs. the United States Navy, 08-1057. Sounds scary, huh?
But a bit of background for those who may not be familiar with some of the ins-and-outs of the Armed Forces. With the exception of those who've graduated from one of the Service Academies, every single Commissioned Officer does his first handful of years technically as a Reservist, not as a Regular.
To become a "Regular", you first have to pass the Augmentation Board. And for those who didn't attend Annapolis, West Point, or the Air Force or Coast Guard Academies, Augmentation Board time is when all of 'em are sweating bullets. If they don't get augmented, they're essentially showed the door.
And as far as Catholic Chaplains are concerned, if they don't get augmented... so what? They still have a job. There's a diocese or an Order they can always fall back on.
For the most part, Protestant Chaplains can't say the same. Especially those from make-it-up-as-you-go-along denominations like The Holiness Tabernacle Apostolic Flaming Sword of Joshua Free Will Covenant Church and Bar Tending Academy. I personally know of Protestant ministers who supplement their income by selling vacuum cleaners, working at auto parts stores, etc.
Just take a look at the official website of the Chaplaincy of Full Gospel Church, they hawk life insurance and water purifiers. I don't think you'll find anything like that at Vatican.Va.
Here's some of the article from the AP; (Emphasis mine)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has refused to get in the middle of a fight between the Navy and some of its chaplains over complaints that only Catholic chaplains were allowed to stay in the service long enough to get retirement pensions.
The high court on Monday refused to hear an appeal from non-liturgical Protestant chaplains who say they were discriminated against by the Navy. They said the Navy exclusively appointed overage Catholic chaplains and allowed them to stay on active duty beyond mandated retirement ages so they could get retirement pensions.
posted by Kevin Whiteman at
4:32 PM
7 Comments:
Good point, but I think one might avoid using terms like "s*****" in a blog about the faith, y'know.
Pax Domini sit semper vobiscum.
CM from CAF
I read in Chesty Puller's biography that he got letters from Protestant women complaining that all the Marine Corps' Catholic Chaplains were turning their sons into Papists, and could he please protect their sons from this dreadful scourge.
Chesty wrote back that if Protestant chaplains went to the front with the troops -- I mean, right into where the bullets were flying -- like the Catholic chaplains did, then maybe their sons wouldn't find the Catholic Church quite so attractive.
God bless Chesty Puller.
Blackie,
You're probably right... but I'm a politically incorrect caveman. What can I say?
Didn't Puller convert to Catholicism? If so I'd think he'd be a great patron saint for the Corp.
Might have something to do with being used to, and being able to effectively function in a disciplined, structured environment, following orders they may not like. Seminary is (used to be) great training for the military lifestyle.
Yeah, it's a short leap from saying, "I don't believe in organized religion...Jesus didn't found a religion...bla bla bla" to saying, "I don't believe in organized military structure...we are saved by faith alone, not by good works like following orders."
Think I'm joking?
Subvet,
As much as Id like to answer in the affirmative... no, Chesty didn't convert.
But I do know that he had a helluva lot of respect for Catholic chaplians, and his kids also attended St Francis Catholic School in Jacksonville, NC (Camp Lejeune).
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