The Catholic Bishop of the Armed Forces, The Right Reverend Bishop Paul Mason visited British Service Personnel currently deployed on operations in the region.
Bishop Mason visited 83 Expeditionary Air Wing, the Royal Air Force operational Head Quarters in the Middle East and other co located units, together with visiting the United States Air Force led Combined Air Operations Centre that runs coalition air activity in the region.
During his visit the Bishop received a briefing from Air Commodore Roger Elliott, the CAOC Director for the Coalition. At the briefing Air Cdre Elliot explained how the CAOC ran the Air Operations that are daily being conducted by the Coalition in the Middle East.
Bishop Mason said: “The Catholic Church is committed to providing pastoral and spiritual care to the Armed Forces. This is of even greater importance when people are deployed and away from family and loved and ones. In my role as bishop, I have the opportunity to spend time with the chaplain, meet the chain of command and spend time with the men and women who serve us all through their hard work and commitment.”
The visit also included a brief by Brigadier General Rich ‘Deuce’ Dickens, USAF, the Commander of the 379 Expeditionary Air Wing, who oversees the running of the air base from where the Coalition Air Activities are run. At this meeting the Bishop discovered the challenges of supporting the thousands of deployed personnel that make up the coalition who all live on base.
The military briefings concluded with Bishop Mason being given a tour of a USAF KC-135 tanker aircraft so that he could gain an insight into one of the many aircraft flown by the Coalition in the region.
The Bishop was appointed by Pope Francis in 2018 as Bishop-in-Ordinary to HM Armed Forces. He therefore presides over, and is responsible for, the pastoral, spiritual and sacramental well-being of, Roman Catholic SP, their families, and Chaplains. To do this the Bishop has a team of uniformed Padres serving in HM Armed Forces. This team includes the current 83 EAG Padre, Reverend (Squadron Leader) David Skillen, the Principal Roman Catholic Padre (RAF).
In addition to the pastoral visits, the Bishop also has celebrated Mass several times at the on-base Victory Chapel. Bishop Mason said: “There is a great interest among many young people in the Armed Forces to explore matters of faith and the meaning and purpose of their life. To come here in Lent when the Church is preparing for Easter, its ultimate focus, through practices of prayer, fasting and almsgiving is a happy coincidence given that the Muslim world is currently in the middle of Ramadan which shares many of the same Lenten-type practices in order to come closer to God. Perhaps we’re not that different after all”.
The Bishop was assisted in celebrating Mass by US Air Force Chaplain, Fr Brendan MBagwu, and Padre Skillen, who also organised and hosted the visit. Padre Skillen said: “This visit was extremely important, not just for Roman Catholics who are deployed, but for all UK personnel. It is evident that the Bishop was received very warmly by all with whom he engaged. I am grateful to him for accepting my invitation to visit and for his enthusiasm to be alongside our people who are deployed far from loved ones.
“His presence makes clear the Church’s concern for, and commitment to, those who make significant personal sacrifices for the good of our nation and for the greater good of peace in our world. As a military padre I am deployed to support the spiritual, sacramental, and pastoral well-being of our people, both denominationally and regardless of faith. Bishop Paul has joined me in this mission these past days – such a blessing”.
