Since the start of World War II, Christian chaplains in the armed forces have been
divided into two organizations: Roman Catholics and Protestants. In mid-1997, they merged
into a single organization. They held a meeting at Royal Military College in Kingston ON
to "pray, plan and celebrate their amalgamation into on military organization."
1
Chaplain General Jean Pelletier heads up the new organization. He said: "We
had to amalgamate without losing our own identities, trying to bring with us the riches of
our experiences and giving to one another the best that we had."
Under the new organization, all of the chaplains at a given army base will work as a
single team in a single chapel. They will be led by Roman Catholic priest at some
locations, and a Protestant minister or pastor at another. On purely religious matters,
each chaplain will still respond to a senior member of their own denomination.
Reference used:
A.G. fowler, "Military Chaplains Join Forces," Christian Week,
Vol. 11, #7, 1997-JUN-24. Available online at:
http://www.christianweek.org/
Copyright 1997, 2000 & 2004 by Ontario
Consultants on Religious Tolerance
Latest update: 2004-JUL-20
Author: B.A. Robinson
Go
to the previous page, or or return to
the Ecumenical list, or choose: