From Military.com:
“Navy Cancels Catholic Masses
at San Diego Bases While Other Religious Services Continue”
Catholic Masses at San Diego-area
Navy bases 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
on bases, which are led by active duty chaplains, 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. "The Navy's religious
ministries priority is reaching and ministering to our largest demographic —
active duty Sailors and Marines in the 18-25 year-old range," 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." In
the Navy message announcing the change, Vice Adm. Yancey Lindsey, the commander
of Naval Installations Command, said it differently. "We have a
responsibility to use our limited resources wisely in meeting the needs of our
personnel," wrote Lindsey. "Therefore, we will reduce redundancies
and capture efficiencies by realigning resources," noting that religious
services will be cut at bases where those services are readily available in the
surrounding community outside the base.
To Rev. Jose Pimentel, a priest
who has led services at Naval Base Coronado and Naval Air Station North Island
for eight years, the loss of his parish isn't just a personal loss — it's a
loss of the 1st Amendment rights of service members on bases. "One issue
is discrimination (and) another is the violation of your right to practice your
religion," he said when reached by phone Friday. Pimentel was notified
Aug. 19 that the Navy will not exercise the final two years of his contract,
citing "funding constraints." His last day is Sept. 30. 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. O'Rourke acknowledges in his statement that the change
predominately affects Roman Catholics. "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. "Military chaplains are working closely with
local parishes to assist the faithful in finding new congregations." Contracted
priests at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and at Marine Corps Recruit
Depot will stay on, however, because service members at those locations don't
have options for church outside those bases. Catholic services on overseas
bases and on Navy ships also will continue. Members of the Coronado and North
Island parish say the community they have formed around the base chapel can't
be replicated elsewhere. "It's a Navy chapel — a community thing,"
said Anne-Marie Miley, a retired Navy pilot who said she has volunteered at the
chapel for 11 years. "We get to meet up with other retirees and active
duty personnel. The church out in town has a large congregation; it's much more
personal to go on base." Richard Haas, a retired Navy Captain who said he
has attended chapel at Coronado for 30 years, agreed. "It's part of being
in the military — the camaraderie," Haas said. "To me it's
synonymous, you all have a common thread — you served in the military." Catholics
on active duty also have needs many civilian priests can't accommodate,
Pimentel said. Sacraments such as Holy Communion, confirmation and marriages
can be challenging for service members and their families when balancing
deployment schedules. "It's hard to quantify what I do," Pimentel said,
saying he's done everything from performing weddings and baptisms to counseling
families of service members who died by suicide. "I'm a 25-year veteran of
the Navy and Air Force, so I can provide a certain level of support they
wouldn't get from the civilian side," he said. Pimentel and those who
attend Catholic services said there is still a high demand for Mass. "Between
three services, I serve about 250 to 400 people on the weekends," Pimentel
said. Parishioners who spoke with the Union-Tribune questioned the fairness of
Catholic services being canceled while Protestant services will continue. "I
don't understand; the Chaplain Corps has gone to great lengths to be
inclusive," Haas said. "Why deny Catholic members the right to hold
their worship services? For a service member on (Coronado) or North Island to
go out in town to find a priest — it doesn't work that way." Bill Bartkus,
a retired Navy senior chief, has been attending Mass at North Island for 40
years. He said the loss of Catholic services is discriminatory. "It is
unfair," he said. "I'm very sad that I can't go to Mass anymore on
the military base where I've been going 40 years. I'd like to stay in my own
military community. We know each other." Miley said she hopes the Navy
finds a way to keep offering Mass on the base, whether it's with contracted
priests or bringing in active duty Catholic chaplains based on local ships. "I
don't know what the other options are," she said. "It's harder to
reopen once it's closed."
^ The US Navy is openly
discriminating against Catholic Sailors by eliminating Catholic Mass for them. If
the Navy had eliminated all Religious Masses and Prayers (Muslim, Jewish,
Protestant and Catholic) it would be one thing – not discrimination, but still
wrong. The fact that they are only targeting Catholics shows the Navy’s overt
distain for them. I do not support this move or anyone who is associated with
discriminating against the Catholics in the Navy. It is a dark-stain on the
history of the US Navy. One that needs to be fixed IMMEDIATELY! ^
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