MADISON — At parishes throughout the Diocese of Madison this upcoming weekend, a collection will be held to benefit the Archdiocese for Military Services (AMS). Our diocese has a personal connection with this collection as two of our priests are currently serving in the military and directly benefit from this collection.
Chaplain (Captain) Fr. Jason Hesseling offers Mass for a few soldiers who are recovering from an attack on their base in Zerok, Afghanistan. He is offering Mass in the medical area where they lost two of their soldiers the previous day. (Contributed photo/Fr. Jason Hesseling) |
MADISON — At parishes throughout the Diocese of Madison this upcoming weekend, a collection will be held to benefit the Archdiocese for Military Services (AMS).
Our diocese has a personal connection with this collection as two of our priests are currently serving in the military and directly benefit from this collection.
Priests serving in military
• Chaplain (Captain) Fr. Jason Hesseling was ordained in 2000 as a priest in the Diocese of Madison. In 2008, he was released to the military to serve as a Chaplain in the United States Army. He is currently stationed in Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, with the 1st Battalion 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).
While in full-time ministry in the diocese, prior to 2008, Father Hesseling served as parochial vicar at St. Dennis Parish in Madison and St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Parish in Portage as well as serving as pastor at St. Barnabas Parish in Mazomanie.
• Msgr. Donn Heiar serves as a Chaplain with the Wisconsin Air National Guard 115th Fighter Wing stationed at Truax Field Air National Guard Base in Madison. Monsignor Heiar just returned from an overseas deployment this past month. He was ordained in 2000 as a priest in the Diocese of Madison. He has served at many parishes since his ordination with his most recent assignment as pastor at St. John Vianney Parish in Janesville.
Thank you to Father Hesseling and Monsignor Heiar for their dedication to the Catholic faith by providing spiritual guidance and support to those serving in the military.
Collection meets challenges
Proceeds from the special collection will help meet an assortment of pressing financial challenges including:
• Support for new vocations and seminarians to relieve the chronic shortage of Catholic military chaplains.
• Support for military families through education and partnerships for children and young adults.
• Operation of the AMS website, Digital Media Center, and mobile app, the principal means of communication between the AMS and those it serves.
• Sacramental record keeping.
• And so much more.
For more information on the AMS and what your donation supports, visit their website at www.milarch.org