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Army

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Introduction

Welcome to the Army’s section of the Forces’ Bishopric website. As the current Principal Roman Catholic Chaplain to the Army, it is my pleasure to invite you to explore the contribution of serving Catholic personnel who enrich the life of the Army by their faithful presence, and to learn more about the ministry of Catholic clergy who minister across the Army community within units, brigades, divisions, and garrisons. Army chaplains support service personnel of all ranks together with their families, alongside the extensive network of civilian support staff who work across defence. 

 

A Roman Catholic Army Chaplain journeys with his soldiers and their families, he is with them at home, on exercise and of course on operations as witnessed by Father Willie Doyle MC, who is in the process of being made a Saint having given the ultimate sacrifice, like Christ, as he ministered to soldiers on the battlefield.

 

Fr Doyle laid down his life as a Martyr of Charity on 16 August 1917 at the Battle of Passchendaele.  He was present at several important battles, including the Battle of the Somme and the Battle of Messines Ridge and was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery at the Somme, and nominated for both the Distinguished Service Order and Victoria Cross.

In order to become a Chaplain in His Majesty’s Armed Forces, Roman Catholic Priests are required to have had 5 years, post ordination pastoral experience, in order to allow them to grow and develop in their ministry. Time spent in Seminary is only the start of the journey to Priesthood and serving as a Priest in the British Army.

 

Once a Priest has completed his basic military training, he is assigned to a unit for a period of time, usually two years.  During this time, you accompany your unit wherever they might go, be it on exercise or deployed on a tour of duty in areas of conflict or training other Military Forces, as we do at this time with our Ukrainian brothers and sisters. You eat and sleep alongside them daily, you minister to all faiths and none, fundamentally, we never lose our Catholic identity as we offer the Sacraments wherever we go.

 

Army chaplains support service personnel of all ranks, faith and some who have not heard of Jesus together with their families, alongside the extensive network of civilian support staff who work across defence. We practice an ALL-SOULS Ministry, alongside that of our Sacramental Role. A Priest might have the added task of administering a Church within the barracks too. This is a unique and privileged role to journey alongside 500 or more personnel daily, we are often the ‘old boys’ in our communities as we minister to so many young men and women and of course their children.

 

Fundamentally as a priest we remain a part of the Diocese or Religious Congregation that we were ordained for and are on-loan to the Bishopric of The Forces for the duration of your Military Service. 

I am privileged to hold the role of The Principal Roman Catholic Chaplain, a role where I have the additional responsibility to support and care for Roman Catholic Army Chaplains in the Bishopric. I was ordained 25 years ago for the Diocese of Galloway, I never thought I would have been an Army Chaplain as I started my ministry as a Priest.

The time before joining the Army was as a Parish Priest in Lockerbie and Moffat and latterly in Dalry and Beith in the Diocese of Galloway.  I was also a Hospital Chaplain, Prison Chaplain and Chaplain in HM Prisons Dumfries and YOI Polmont, all very challenging, but being an Army Chaplain has been a unique experience I have found both challenging and rewarding.

 

Please pray for our chaplains and for our service personnel and families. We give thanks for their service and commitment, and as we prepare for the Jubilee Year of 2025 pray that our Roman Catholic Chaplains will continue to be beacons of ‘Hope’ and men of faith as they bring the Good News of the Gospel to those, they walk alongside wherever it may be.

 

 

Before his death Fr Willie Doyle wrote:

May God’s will, not mine, be done!

Amen. 

May 1st, 1893.

 

We ask for the intercession of Fr Willie Doyle SJ (Servant of God)

Father Stephen Sharkey

Principal Roman Catholic Chaplain (Army)

Click here to find out about becoming a Catholic Chaplain in the Armed Forces.

Chaplains

ARMY CHAPLAINS


Principal Roman Catholic Chaplain (Army)

Rev Stephen Sharkey CF (RC)

Senior Chaplain 

8 Engineer Brigade, Gibraltar Barracks, Blackwater, GU17 9LP

Email: stephen.sharkey941@mod.gov.uk

Army Pastoral and Administrative Assistant

Mrs Karen Horn MBE

Email: Armyrcpaa21@gmail.com

 

REGULAR COMMISSIONS

Chaplains 3rd Class:

Rev Stephen Sharkey (Galloway) 15 Sep 08

Rev Paul McCourt (Hexham and Newcastle) Sept 14

Rev Phillip Smith (Southwark) Sept 15

Rev PJ O’Driscoll (Cloyne) Sept 17

 

Chaplains 4th Class:

Rev Kevin Dow (Edinburgh)

Rev John Moriarty (Lancaster)

Rev John Power (Liverpool)

Rev David Burke (Westminster)

Rev Volodymyr Sampara (Ukrainian Catholic Eparchy)

 

 

RESERVE CHAPLAINS

 

Rev David G S Smith (East Anglia)

 

Army Cadet Force

Rev Dr Gerard Fieldhouse Byrne (Salford)

Rev David A Gamble (Liverpool)

Rev Francis J Lynch (Wrexham)

 

ESTABLISHMENTS ALDERSHOT

ALDERSHOT

Vicar General

Rev Nicholas Gosnell VG

St Michael’s House

Queen’s Avenue

Aldershot, GU11 2BY

Tel: 01252 315042

Mob: 07775 237099

Email: Stmichael.stgeorge@live.co.uk

Cathedral of St Michael & St George, Queens Avenue, Aldershot GU11 2BY

Mass:  Sunday at 11:00

Wednesday at 1200

CATTERICK

Rev John Power CF (RC)

Chaplain ITC

1st Infantry Training Battalion

Vimy Barracks

Catterick Garrison, DL9 4PS

Email: John.power114@mod.gov.uk

Mass:  Sunday at 1030 – St Joan of Arc, Hipswell Road, Catterick Garrison DL9 3BP

 

COTTESMORE

Rev Volodymye Sampara CF (RC)

Chaplain

2nd Battalion Royal Anglian

Kendrew Barracks, 43 Heythrop Road

Cottesmore LE15 7

Email: Volodymyr.sampara100@mod.gov.uk

 

DHEKALIA – CYPRUS

Rev John Moriarty CF (RC)

Chaplain 1st Battalion The Rifles

Dhekelia | BFPO 58

Email: John.moriarty101@mod.gov.uk

OCM: Rev Youakim Chihane

Email: youakim.chihane@gmail.com

HARROGATE

Rev David Burke CF (RC)

Army Foundation College

Uniacke Barracks

Penny Pot Lane

Killinghall

Harrogate HG3 2SE

Email: David.burke109@mod.gov.uk

 

LARKHILL

 

Rev PJ O'Driscoll CF (RC)

Chaplain 1RHA,

Purvis Lines,

Larkhill SP4 8QT

Email: Patrick.Odriscoll100@mod.gov.uk

RIPON

Rev Paul McCourt CF (RC)

Chaplain

21 Engr Regiment

Claro Barracks, Ripon

HG4 2RD

Email: Paul.mccourt882@mod.gov.uk

 

LIVERPOOL – Altcar

Army Training Unit North West

OCM Rev David Gamble

Altcar Training Camp

Hightown

Liverpool, L38 7JE

Email: d.gamble@rcaolp.co.uk

 

LONDON DISTRICT

OCM: Rev Nicholas Gosnell VG

St Michael’s House

Queen’s Avenue

Aldershot, GU11 2BY

Email: Stmichael.stgeorge@live.co.uk

 

MARKET DRAYTON

1 Royal Irish

OCM Rev Canon Jonathan Mitchell

Tudor House

2 Fish Street

Shrewsbury, SY1 1UB

Email: frjonmitchell@cantab.net 

 

PIRBRIGHT

Army Training Centre (P) Alexander Barracks,

Pirbright, Woking GU24 0QQ

Served from Aldershot

 

SANDHURST

The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst,

Camberley, Surrey GU15 4PQ

Served from Aldershot

 

SHRIVENHAM DEFENCE ACADEMY

Sunday Mass at 09:30, Church of St Alban

 

THORNEY ISLAND

12 Regt and 16 Regt RA

OCM: Rev John Humphreys TD

96 Horndean Road

Emsworth

Hants PO10 7TU

Email: fatherjohn01@gmail.com

 

TIDWORTH

Sunday Mass 9:00 & 10:30

St Patrick & St George, St Michael’s Avenue, Tidworth SP9 7BS

CADET ASSOCIATIONS

 

ACF GREATER MANCHESTER

Rev Gerard Fieldhouse Byrne

Senior Chaplain

Greater Manchester ACF

The Colonel Mary Creagh

County HQ

Spenleach Lane

Hawkshaw

Bury, BL8 4JJ

Email: gerardbyrne@aol.com

 

ACF MERSEYSIDE

Rev David A Gamble

St George’s ACF Centre

Altcar Rifle Range

Hightown

Merseyside, L38 7JD

Email: d.gamble@rcaolp.co.uk

 

AFC GREATER LONDON SOUTH WEST SECTOR

Rev Francis J Lynch

Greater London South

West Sector ACF

27 St John’s Hill

London, SW11 1TT

Email: fjlynch55@hotmail.co.uk

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