Send Jesus to Men in the Military

From time to time, we will make certain ministries known via this blog. Joel Whitaker shares this one.

I believe the CFP Pre-Christmas fast begins Nov. 12, the day after Veterans Day.  With that timing in mind, may I make two requests:

1.  That penitents consider setting aside a bit of the money they are (presumptively) saving by fasting until Christmas to make a $24 donation to Frontline FAith Project.  That $24 will be used to provide a MP3 player loaded with solid Catholic content -- Mass, Rosary, homilies, prayers, music and much more to servicemembers in harms way. 

This is incredibly important when you realize there are just 281 -- that's right -- 281 Catholic chaplains in the military to serve our service members worldwide.  Those chaplains are often responsible for servicing more than 20 different locations.  Many hope to bring Mass to a location at least once every 30 days.  So the MP3 player provides a way for the Catholic solider to be "connected" to the faith in a real way when no chaplain is available. 

Why an MP3 player?  ISn't there wifi at bases overseas?  What about EWTN radio?  (1) Yes, there's wifi at overseas bases.  But it is hardly reliable.  The MP3 player will work even when wifi won't.  (2) EWTN radio has the same problem . . . because power supplies are sometimes unreliable, and because shortwave propagation permits a transmitter to be heard only a few hours a day in any one area, the MP3 player is better because it's always there.  (3) Servicemembers are often living in very close quarters, with 2-6 people in a single room.  With the MP3 player, you can be laying in your bunk praying, and no one has to know.

The MP3 players not only help currently active Catholics who are deployed, those in Veterans Administration hospitals (who often die holding and listening to one) and their families, but also those who have strayed from the faith.  That makes them an evangelization tool.

More info is available at frontlinefaithproject.org, as well as opportunities to donate. 

2.  Catholics represent about 20% of the members of the military, but those 281 chaplains represent just 8% of all military chaplains.  Please pray for more priests overall, and especially for an increase in those serving with the Archdiocese of the Military Services. 

Thanks for your consideration.

Joel