Friday, August 17, 2007

Message from Iraq

I am in a church choir with a man who is a Colonel in the US Army and a trauma Surgeon. This month he deployed to Iraq. My brother was there as a medic three years ago, so I remember vividly what he went through, and in reality, still is going through. Please pray for Dr. Tony, he is not nearly as young as my brother( Dr. Tony is 63), yet he willingly obeys and serves his country. Please also pray for all Catholics in the Military, who are separated from the Holy Eucharist, due to lack of Priests to serve them.

From Dr. Tony:
Arrived here 2 days ago by marine helicopter from Kuwait.Temp 110 degrees. Nothing but sand, wind and the U.S.Army! Missed the first 2 Sunday masses while at Ft. Benning. No services. But, I was able to attend both the Vigil and Assumption day, the former in Kuwait, and Assumption Wednesday here in Iraq. Chaplain likes to give quizzes. Found out here in Iraq, there were 3 items in the Ark of the Covenant. Did you you know? First the stone tablets for the 10 commandments, Aaron's staff, and a jar of manna!Did my orientation tour last night. I have been assigned with a Military Police unit from Ft. Wayne, Indiana. This unit, as well as others, is responsible for guarding the detainees here in southern Iraq, all 22,000 of them, expected to grow as many as 36,000 with this troop surge. In other words, most of my patients will be detainees, mostly Iraqi and the worst of the worst, members of Al Quaida etc. I'm back to being a general practitioner.There is no regular chaplain to say Sunday masses and no choir for me to join. At best, a chaplain will come this way 2 Wednesdays a month. Army computers are slow, but better than nothing. No way to upload any pictures.Please pass it on.COL TONY

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