A Texas proposal to allow unlicensed “chaplains” to take the place of public school counselors undermines religious liberty, according to Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty and others. The Texas Legislature is considering House Bill 3614 and Senate Bill 763,…
Why did Walter Reed administrators cancel Catholic pastoral care contract during Holy Week?
Officials with Walter Reed National Military Medical Center have not explained their controversial decision to end a longstanding contract for Catholic pastoral care services at the beginning of Holy Week. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese for Military Services strongly criticized the…
Gallup documents the role and influence of chaplains
American adults who have been served by chaplains hail the ministers for providing compassionate and effective care during some of the most difficult moments of life, a new study shows. “Most people say the interaction they had with a chaplain…
Through 14 months of pandemic, hospital chaplains have carried others’ burdens
The emotional trauma suffered by health care workers in the battle against COVID-19 also is being felt by the chaplains who ministered to the sick and dying during the pandemic. “I think chaplains may have a little PTSD when this…
Q&A with Gerry Hutchinson on chaplaincy, COVID and banjoes
Military chaplains typically deploy to combat zones with things like crucifixes, Bibles or menorahs. Gerry Hutchinson, a retired Navy captain, always took a banjo. “I played it in multiple services with the Marines in Afghanistan,” he said. “If I got…