Catholic priest discusses ‘special calling’ of military chaplains in new film

CNA Staff, Nov 8, 2024 / 07:00 am

A new film about U.S. military chaplains, a diverse group of dedicated people who carry no weapons into battle, will be released in select theaters on Nov. 8.  

“Fighting Spirit: A Combat Chaplain’s Journey” tells the story of former Army chaplain Justin Roberts as he travels to the funeral of Catholic priest and chaplain Father Emil Kapaun. Along the way, Roberts, who is Protestant, is inspired by the lives of 419 other U.S. military chaplains who have given their lives in service. The documentary explores the stories of several of these chaplains, including the beloved Kapaun. 

Several chaplains from different denominations provide commentary in the film including Father Adam Muda, an Army chaplain currently serving with the 3-1 Assault Helicopter Battalion at Fort Riley, Kansas.

Four years into his first assignment as a priest in the Diocese of Paterson, New Jersey, Muda began to discern becoming a military chaplain. He began to pray about it and asked God for a sign. One day while exercising at the gym a man approached Muda and asked him if he was in the Army. 

“I said, ‘No, I’m not, but I’m a Catholic priest and I’m thinking and praying about becoming an Army chaplain,’” Muda told CNA in an interview. “Then he said, ‘Father, I am a soldier. I am on active duty in the Army and I know that we need more priests in the U.S. Army.’”

With that, Muda went to his bishop at the time and told him of his desire to become a military chaplain. Muda said he still remembers the bishop’s words well: “Father Adam, if God is calling you for this ministry, you have my blessing.”

“This is a calling, and I believe I received a special calling from God for that ministry,” Muda shared. 

He then spent three months at Fort Jackson in South Carolina attending the Chaplain Basic Officer Leadership Course, which is a 12-week intensive program where the chaplains go through physical, mental, and spiritual training to prepare themselves for work as a chaplain.

The first stage of training includes the chaplains taking part in nearly the same basic training soldiers take part in. The second and third stage focuses on academics and chaplaincy-specific training.

The documentary emphasizes the fact that chaplains serve as the moral conscience of battle. Muda added to this point saying that one’s “spirituality is extremely important.”

“From a Catholic point of view, I have to be really good with my spirituality — frequent confessions, spiritual direction … but at the same time we have to be men of prayer,” he said.

Muda also spoke about the heroic life of Kapaun, whom he called an “amazing person” and “really holy.”

“As an Army chaplain, he was a man of selfless service. He put the needs of others before his own,” he said.

Muda said he believes Kapaun will be declared a saint one day and will continue to “intercede for us, for military chaplains, for the Army, for soldiers, and for our country.”

The Army chaplain hopes the new documentary will “inspire many more people to learn about the history of the Army and the brave men and women who served our country, who died for our country.” 

“I hope that more people will learn about the brave chaplains we have had in our history, like Father Emil Kapaun and many others, and that people will continue to research them and these stories will inspire them,” he added. 

“I believe that we chaplains, from all denominations — but especially Catholic priests — will learn from and be inspired by the life of Father Emil Kapaun and that we will all strive to be like him, serving those brave men and women in our military, in our Army, just like Father Kapaun did.”