Navy cancels Catholic Masses while other religious services continue

[left-of-center2012]

Catholic Masses at San Diego-area Navy bases (and around the country) have ended because the Navy, in what it says is a cost-cutting move, has declined to renew its contracts with Catholic priests, and there are not enough Catholic chaplains on active duty to fill the void. Protestant services ... will continue, said Brian O’Rourke, a Navy Region Southwest spokesman.

The changes to the Navy’s religious ministries are part of a national realignment announced on Aug. 20. It is unclear how many priests this will affect.

O’Rourke wrote in an email “To meet that mission, the Navy has had to make the difficult decision to discontinue most contracted ministry services.”

“We know change can be difficult for our existing on-base congregations, but ask for understanding, patience and support from those faithful civilians and retirees who, in their heart of hearts, want what is best for our uniformed service members and their families,” O’Rourke said. (By cutting out Catholic services?)

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/military/story/2020-09-05/navy-cancels-catholic-services-at-area-bases-while-others-continue

So, why is Trump cutting Catholic services to the military but keeping Protestant services?

[Doreen]

1. Answer to your question.

Biden is a Catholic.

[CincyDem]

2. Pandering to his Evangelical Base ??? Catholic and Evangelical aren't the same groups. n/t

[DBoon]

3. Evangelicals think Catholics are idol worshippers

meaning not really christian

[soothsayer]

4. Right, they hate that we have saints and love Mary

[erronis]

13. And all of us think evangelicals are false idol worshippers - trumpists.

(I'm an atheist.)

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

5. Maybe the Navy could hold a bake sale to raise money to pay the priests.

[MaryMagdaline]

6. This will hurt recruitment

Unfortunately Catholic Churches are feeders to the military

[greenjar_01]

7. ...

[KS Toronado]

8. All Catholics need to hear about this since they tend to vote repug being Pro-life

[virgogal]

12. Most Catholics vote Dem,always have.

[KS Toronado]

15. Wish I lived where you do, Catholics around here vote repug 9 to 1

But KS is a red state and my county is extremely so.

[virgogal]

16. Boston area......that says it all.😀

[Baitball Blogger]

9. I'm surprised this didn't happen sooner.

Catholicism was a huge sell-out during the Bush years. That war brought the Christian religions together in a way it never has before.

Before that, protestants generally didn't like the way Catholics engaged in Charitable effort to help the poor. Charity was never meant to be used as an inducement, the way that protestant expect it to be.

[Klaralven]

10. Why would the government subsidize religion on bases in the United States?

"While the Navy has an active duty component of clergy — the Chaplain Corps — the number of Catholic priests among them is small, reflecting a worldwide shortage of Catholic priests. To make up for that shortage, the service contracted with priests to lead Catholic services on U.S. bases.

Those contracts are the ones being canceled."

Chaplins should be provided in situations where service members are restricted to base, on shipboard or abroad. But in domestic situations where service members live off base, they should participate in the community churches of their choice like anyone else.

[zeusdogmom]

11. From my experience as a 20 year military spouse 20 some years ago

Most people did attend civilian worship services.

FYI - speaking of military personnel with families. Not sure what the single personnel in the barracks did.

Of course that may have changed in the passing years. Just speaking of my experience

The Catholic Church isn't the only denomination dealing with not enough clergy. The problem extends throughout the mainline groups.

[msongs]

14. military should not be providing religion in any way shape or form nt