William Hemsworth's Blog

Benedictine College Hosts 14th Annual Symposium on Transforming Culture in America

Atchison, Kansas, March 12, 2025 — Benedictine College is set to host its 14th Annual Symposium on Transforming Culture in America March 21-22, 2025. This year’s symposium, themed “Marriage at the Peripheries,” aims to address the critical challenges facing marriage and family life in contemporary society.

The annual event will feature a keynote address by J.P. De Gance, founder and president of Communio, a nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping churches to evangelize through the renewal of healthy relationships, marriages and families.

In his keynote address Friday, March 21, J.P. De Gance will discuss the themes of his essay, The Family Crisis Caused the Faith Crisis: Why Marriage is the Most Urgent Ministry Gap in the Church Today. He argues that the alarming decline in faith practice is “intrinsically linked to the collapse of family structures, particularly marriage.”

Citing research from The Marriage and Religion Research Initiative, De Gance notes that most adults under 35 today were not raised in households with married parents. This shift has contributed to a host of social issues including shorter life spans, generational poverty, increased mental illness and an epidemic of loneliness.

De Gance emphasizes that the church’s neglect of marriage ministry has exacerbated these problems. A survey by Barna Research, commissioned by Communio, found that 72% of American churches lack a substantive marriage ministry, 74% have no support for newlyweds and 93% offer no ministries for singles.

De Gance believes addressing this gap is crucial for reversing the decline in faith, stating, “Marriage is the most urgent ministry gap in the church today.”

Central to De Gance’s message is the call for a “metanoia,” a transformative change of heart and mind, within church ministries concerning marriage. He advocates for a shift from current, ineffective evangelism efforts to a focus on transforming marriage and relationship ministries.

De Gance said, “that by nurturing strong marriages, churches can strengthen families and create a ripple effect of faith that impacts future generations.”

He envisions, “every gospel-centered church becoming an evangelizing hub where people desire to form healthy, God-honoring relationships.”

The symposium will also feature Timothy P. Carney, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and senior columnist at the Washington Examiner. Carney is set to discuss the societal and cultural factors that have made family formation and child-rearing increasingly difficult. His forthcoming book, Family Unfriendly: How Our Culture Made Raising Kids Much Harder Than It Needs to Be, examines the economic, social and institutional barriers that families face today.

The symposium will conclude with a closing keynote by Dr. Brad Wilcox, Melville Foundation Jefferson Scholars Foundation University Professor of Sociology at the University of Virginia and director of the National Marriage Project. Wilcox is also the author of the popular book, Get Married: Why Americans Should Defy the Elites, Forge Strong Families and Save Civilization, in which he argues for the importance of marriage in revitalizing American communities.

For more information, visit benedictine.edu/events/symposium.

About Communio

Communio is a nonprofit organization that trains and equips churches to evangelize through the renewal of healthy relationships, marriages and the family. Founded by J.P. De Gance, Communio works closely with churches across the nation to address the root causes of the decline in faith by strengthening marriage and family life. For more information, visit communio.org.

U.S. Military Catholics Participate in Rite of Election to Catholic Church

WASHINGTON, DC — When Ms. Mikeila Noelani Sain married her college sweetheart five years ago she knew it was a marriage made in heaven. Except for one thing: she was protestant and her husband Alex Sain—now an officer in the United States Army—was Catholic. Following the birth of their son Johnathan, and the family’s assignment to Fort Gregg-Adams in Virginia, Ms. Sain decided once and for all to join the Catholic Church. In the main chapel of Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), on Sunday, March 9, the first Sunday of Lent, Ms. Sain was among 17 U.S. Military-affiliated catechumens to participate in the Rite of Election, the penultimate milestone in a months-long process known as the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA). In the OCIA, candidates study the faith, participate in prayers and service, discern their calling to Catholicism, and upon completing the process, come into communion with the Church through the sacraments of baptism, confirmation, and the Eucharist at Easter.

“I was fortunate enough to meet my husband in college prior to him commissioning as an officer in the Army, and he has been born and raised Catholic,” Ms. Sain said, following the 3:00 p.m. celebration at the Edwin Cardinal O’Brien Pastoral Center, AMS global headquarters. “After we got married I realized that for the sake of my family I knew I needed to do the right thing and follow the right path. I felt called, after years. Many people have said becoming Catholic is like coming back home, and I feel I’ve returned home, and now my family and my son–he’s five years old–can walk this path along with us.”

During the mid-afternoon celebration, Ms. Sain and fellow catechumens from Forts Gregg-Adams and Belvoir, Marine Corps Base Quantico, the U.S. Naval Academy, and Joint Bases Andrews and Anacostia-Bolling, recorded their names in the Book of the Elect. Accompanied by their godparents, they signed one by one, pledging fidelity to their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Before the signings, following the readings given for the First Sunday of Lent, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, preached the homily, reflecting on the Lenten Gospel reading of Luke 4:1-13, wherein Christ rejects Satan’s temptations at the end of his 40 days in the desert following his baptism in the Jordan by John the Baptist. His Excellency said in part:

“It reminds us all, but especially the catechumens, that this time of prayer, sacrifice, charity, and additional drawing near to the Lord Jesus serves to draw us closer to Almighty God. However, it is also a time of combat against the enemy who never sleeps and never tires to trying to lead us astray. Saint Luke implies that even for the Lord it is not over. The devil departed from Him ‘for a time.’

“So, as an archdiocesan Church, we gather with those aspiring to baptism here and around the world, and we commit ourselves to them, and pray for their perseverance up to their bath in the waters of rebirth during Easter Vigil. It is Jesus Christ who calls you to faith in Him. We cannot change that He is Lord. But it is our choice to recognize him as our Savior.”

How does becoming Catholic express that choice? Each military-affiliated catechumen has a unique perspective. “First of all, I did my studies, and I came to find Catholic(ism) on my own,” said Airman First Class Christian Neil Knoblock, USAF, of Joint Base Andrews. “None of my family members are Catholic, more of them are protestant, so I just decided to go on a journey of truth and see what I could find, and I ended up with the Catholic Church. I came to fall in love with it, the art and the studies of it, you know, with Saint Peter being the first pope, and all the way to who we have now, Pope Francis, and the history—I just fell in love with it, and the Church. Coming to find Jesus Christ in this Church was my true goal, and I did.” Ms. Sain remarked, “It’s such an honor. I feel like it’s such a momentous occasion formally writing my name in the Book of the Lord, if you will. It helps to really solidify my journey. It also represents for me that this is the real deal. This is the lifelong commitment, and I feel such an honor to be able to do this with everyone else.”

The catechumens will spend the remaining six weeks of Lent preparing to close this opening phase of their new life journey in faith, applying the disciplines of the penitential season to hone their spiritual formation. Like other Catholic dioceses, the AMS holds the Rite of Election every year, and the 17 celebrating the observance at the Edwin Cardinal O’Brien Pastoral Center on Sunday are not the only U.S. Military personnel entering the Church in 2025. Since it is practically impossible for all catechumens spread throughout the AMS—a global archdiocese—to gather at one time in Washington, those serving outside the National Capital Region will participate in the Rite of Election sponsored in the local dioceses where they happen to be located at present.

Fr. Josh Johnson to Host Daily Videos in the Ascension App for Lent 2025

[Exton, PA, February 20, 2025—]

Nationally beloved Catholic priest and best-selling author will guide Catholics through strategies for overcoming the “seven deadly sins,” trusting in God’s mercy, and having a transformative experience with the sacrament of Confession this Lent.

This Lent, the ancient Catholic list of “seven deadly sins” gets a fresh look on the Ascension App.

“This Lent, we want to go deeper in Confession, and deeper into experiencing God’s mercy,” explains Set Free host, Fr. Josh Johnson. 

This Lent, Fr. Josh will offer daily video reflections in the Ascension App as part of the program Set Free: Daily Lenten Reflections to Overcome the Seven Deadly Sins. Participants will learn how the seven deadly sins underlie every other sin they struggle with, and discover strategies to overcome and root out each of the deadly sins at its source.

Set Free builds upon Fr. Josh’s new book, Pocket Guide to Overcoming the Seven Deadly Sins, also published by Ascension. Fr. Josh echoes the Church Fathers in encouraging Catholics to seek the root cause of sins. The book uses Fr. Josh’s exclusive “3 R’s” method to explore:

What each of the seven deadly sins areHow to identify if one struggles with a type of sin How to strengthen the fight against sin through prayerReflection questions to help readers understand the sin’s effectsA daily examination of conscience to help readers evaluate wins and growth areas.

Download the free action plan and learn more about Set Free at www.AscensionPress.com/FrJoshLent.

About Fr. Josh Johnson

Fr. Josh is nationally beloved by Catholics for his Ask Father Josh podcast produced by Ascension, as well as for his best-selling books like the Pocket Guide to Reconciliation and presentations in Ascension’s video programs for parishes and schools. Last summer, Fr. Josh was an emcee for the National Eucharistic Congress, which drew 50,000 Catholics together for worship and fellowship in Indianapolis.

View full bio here.

About Ascension

Ascension is a multimedia network and the leader in Catholic faith formation and digital content. Over the past 25 years, Ascension has helped nurture the faith of over 20 million Catholics through award-winning books, the chart-topping Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz)® podcast, more than 50 unique faith formation programs, and the Ascension Presents media and YouTube platforms.

Archbishop Broglio Visits the Sick, Celebrates Ash Wednesday Mass at Walter Reed

BETHESDA, MD — Yesterday, His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, celebrated Ash Wednesday Mass at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, in keeping with his annual custom on the first day of Lent. Nearly 150 U.S. Military personnel, patients, hospital staff, and others gathered in Memorial Auditorium for the noon Mass, which took place soon after Archbishop Broglio brought ashes and Holy Communion to bedridden patients in their rooms.

In his homily, Archbishop Broglio called on the faithful to stay persistent in their Lenten penitential observances over the 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, and to seek spiritual renewal during this Jubilee Year in the Catholic Church, a time of forgiveness and reconciliation. His Excellency preached in part:

“You know the elements of our blessed journey: prayer, self-denial, and charity. Bishop (Robert E.) Barron reminds us of the definition and way of prayer: ‘prayer is intimate communion and conversation with God.’ Judging from Jesus’s own life, prayer is something we ought to do often, especially at key moments of our lives.

“How should we pray? What does it look like? We have to pray with faith. According to Jesus’ model, we have to pray for forgiveness. The efficacy of prayer seems to depend on the reconciliation of differences. That is essential in our time. Society is so divided that we have forgotten even those with whom we disagree are created in the image and likeness of God.

The community of humanity must always be remembered and cherished. It is the only path to renewal, reconciliation, and the climate in which all of us as pilgrims can walk forward on the journey of life.”

“This annual retreat of the whole church calls us to pray with persistence. We should not give up too easily. Look at the example of the saints. Augustine says that God sometimes delays in giving us what we want because he wants our hearts to expand. We have the example of his saintly mother Monica, who never doubted that her son’s heart could be renewed.”

Archbishop Broglio implored those gathered to practice charity “in our words, our actions, and approach.” He encouraged almsgiving to Catholic Charities, Catholic Relief Services, and other Catholic service organizations.

Concelebrating with His Excellency were Fathers Jason C. Burchell, CHC LCDR, USN, and Krzysztof Kuczynski, CHC, LT, USN. Mr. Hans Semple served at the altar.

Holy See Decrees the “Offering of Life” of Korean War Hero Father Emil J. Kapaun

WASHINGTON, DC — The Catholic Church now recognizes the “offering of life” of the Venerable Father Emil J. Kapaun, CH (CPT), USA, a U.S. Army chaplain who suffered an agonizing death 75 years ago in a North Korean Prisoner of War (POW) camp at the service of fellow captive soldiers. On Monday, Pope Francis authorized the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints to promulgate a decree that Father Kapaun “offered his life” prematurely out of Christian charity. The decree opens the path forward for Father Kapaun’s Beatification.

His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D, Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, commented:  “It was a great joy to read the news this morning of the approval by the Bishop of Rome that Father Kapaun indeed sacrificed his life here in order to give life to others.  At the Archdiocese we are looking forward to the next steps in this process to offer another witness of faith for the Church universal.”

Father Kapaun died on May 23, 1951, incarcerated, six months after he and members of the Army’s 3rd Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division were taken prisoner in battle by Chinese communists at Unsan, Korea. His fellow prisoners remember the fearless priest from Pilsen, KS, in the Diocese of Wichita, for the way he intervened to save the life of a wounded U.S. soldier: the soldier was lying in a ditch as an enemy combatant stood over him aiming to fire a fatal shot; Father Kapaun nudged the gun barrel aside, picked up the soldier, and carried him by shoulder on a long wintry march to the POW camp, where he gave some of his own clothes to warm those shivering in the cold; and he snuck past guards to forage rice and potatoes from surrounding fields as his fellow war prisoners starved on tiny rations of millet, corn, and birdseed during their long months of captivity.

Father Kapaun posthumously received the Medal of Honor in 2013.

Faith Meets Science: The Story of Blessed Nicholas Steno

Join us as we explore how “Faith Meets Science” in this inspiring discussion with author Thomas Salerno! In this episode, we discuss his new children’s book, *The Riddle of the Tongue Stones*, which tells the fascinating story of Blessed Nicholas Steno—an influential Catholic convert and pioneering scientist. Discover how Steno’s groundbreaking work in geology and paleontology laid the foundations for modern science while showcasing that faith and reason can beautifully coexist. Thomas shares his journey as a writer, the inspiration behind the book, and how it highlights Steno’s legacy for young readers. This heartfelt conversation is perfect for anyone passionate about theology, history, or science. I highly recommend checking out Thomas’s work for a fresh perspective on the harmony between faith and science. Don’t miss this remarkable story and vibrant discussion—be inspired to embrace curiosity and wonder!

Pope Francis Names New Auxiliary Bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS)

WASHINGTON, DC — Pope Francis today named a new auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS). He is Father Gregg M. Caggianelli, Ch Col USAF, a nearly 30-year veteran of the United States Air Force. Father Caggianelli’s pontifical appointment brings to five the total number of auxiliary bishops serving under His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, and current president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Father Caggianelli’s episcopal ordination will occur at a time and place to be set by Archbishop Broglio and the new bishop-elect sometime in the next few weeks.

Commenting on the appointment Archbishop Broglio said: “I am very grateful to Pope Francis for this sign of concern and care for the faithful of this global archdiocese. Bishop-elect Caggianelli will be a tremendous asset to ministry in the AMS. Our prayers are with him, his mother, and the seminary community as he prepares for a new page in his service to the Church.”

Bishop-elect Caggianelli said:

“I am most humbled and grateful to Pope Francis for this appointment as an auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services. After the initial shock and disbelief, and much time begging for God’s mercy, I was filled with true praise and thanksgiving to God.

“Since I was a little boy, there have only been two things I have wanted to do in life. At age eleven, I started thinking of being a priest and at age fourteen I had a great desire to serve in the military. Since 1986, I have had the honor of wearing the uniform in one capacity or the other, and as a priest, serving as a chaplain in the Air Force Reserves–all of this has been a life-giving experience that has been filled with joy.”

Currently, Chaplain Caggianelli is the Mobilization Assistant to the U.S. Air Force Academy Chaplain, U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA), Colorado Springs, CO. As a member of the Superintendent’s Headquarters Staff, he establishes guidance and advises on all matters of religion, ethical concerns, morale, and quality of life, impacting assigned personnel. In this capacity, Father Caggianelli serves as senior Reserve advisor to the USAFA Chaplain and as senior team leader of the Academy’s Reserve chaplains and religious affairs airmen.

Father Caggianelli was commissioned in 1990 as a USAF line officer, serving with the Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH. After leaving active duty in 1996, he entered the Air Force Reserves while completing priestly formational studies at Saint Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach, FL. Father Caggianelli was ordained a priest in 2002 and reappointed as USAF chaplain in 2003.

In his civilian position, Chaplain Caggianelli serves as the Vice Rector, Dean of Human Formation, and assistant professor at Saint Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary in Boynton Beach. Previously he served as associate pastor, vocation director, and parish administrator in the Diocese of Venice in Florida.

In accepting the new role, Father Caggianelli counts many blessings. “I am deeply grateful for the unconditional love of my Mom and Dad. God has blessed me with dear friends who both support me and call me to task when I have failed, and I am grateful to the people of the Diocese of Venice and the men and women I work with at St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary.

“Throughout the Scriptures, for some reason, God chooses the most unlikely of people. Jesus called a motley lot of fishermen, tax collectors, and sinners as His disciples. He simply asked them to follow Him. God continues to call each of us to follow Him in a unique way, and we trust in His promise to remain with us always.

“As I begin this new journey, I look forward to assisting Archbishop Broglio and the other bishops, chaplains and good people who serve the Archdiocese for the Military Services. Most of all, I look forward to giving my life in service of our Lord in the care of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, coastguardsmen, guardians, veterans and diplomats throughout the world.”

BREAKING: Project DYNAMO rescues American family from Haiti amid escalating gang violence, massacres

MIAMI – After weeks of meticulous planning, a team of U.S. military veterans from Project DYNAMO successfully conducted a high-risk rescue operation of an American family from Haiti on Monday.

The mission, known as Operation Yellowtail, faced extreme danger due to escalating violence among rival gangs in the impoverished island nation, whose government has collapsed. The mission’s objective was to medically evacuate a Christian missionary and his family, including their infant daughter, who has had health complications since birth.

Trapped within the mission compound amidst ongoing gang violence, the Texas family had been unable to escape. Just days before the operation, a local gang decapitated a man and left his head outside the compound, which is located in the Haitian commune of Saint-Marc and has been a target of the gangs due to its high walls and strategic location.

The operation commenced from Miami, Florida at 4:30 a.m. Eastern Time and involved three aircraft, including a private plane and helicopter, as well as cooperation with two additional nations and support from the government of the Dominican Republic. The family was first evacuated by helicopter from Saint-Marc, Haiti and transferred to a private plane, which was standing-by in Cap-Haitien, Haiti. After a brief stop in a third-party nation, the Project DYNAMO team, and the family they rescued, safely landed in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, late Monday night.

“We are extremely grateful to the government of the Dominican Republic and the Directorate of National Intelligence for their support with this mission. Additionally, we want to sincerely thank U.S. Senator Ted Cruz and Florida Congressman Brian Mast for their critical support throughout this process. Without their help, this mission would not have been possible,” said Mario Duarte, CEO of Project DYNAMO. “The bottom line is this: when and where no one else will go, if Americans are in harm’s way, Project DYNAMO continues to demonstrate, we will respond.”

On Tuesday, the team from Project DYNAMO was escorting the family through a series of medical evaluations before meeting with the American Embassy in Santo Domingo. Once the medical evaluations and paperwork with the U.S. State Department are finalized, Project DYNAMO plans to escort the family and reunite them with their loved ones in Texas later this week.

As with many of Project DYNAMO’s operations, this mission was initiated by a plea from a concerned family member. Dianne Ennis, from Conroe, Texas, reached out to Project DYNAMO for the evacuation of her 24-year-old son Zachary, 26-year-old daughter-in-law Mica, and 5-month old granddaughter Niah.

“We had family, friends, and neighbors praying for a successful outcome, and with God’s help, everyone made it to safety,” said Dianne Ennis. “My entire family is so grateful to Project DYNAMO and their team for working so hard to get our son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter safely out of Haiti. Thank you, Project DYNAMO!”

About Project DYNAMO: Founded during the U.S. pullout from Afghanistan in 2021, Project DYNAMO is an international search, rescue, aid, and assistance 501(c)(3) non-profit organization headquartered in Florida with worldwide operations. Project DYNAMO operates where the United States government cannot, or does not. The primary objective of Project DYNAMO is to provide assistance to those impacted in disaster areas and conflict zones throughout the world. Notably, Project DYNAMO conducted the first air-rescue missions from Afghanistan after the Taliban took control and has negotiated the release and exfiltrated numerous Americans from captivity and false imprisonment.

A Trio of Lenten Offerings from the Augustine Institute Invite the Faithful on a Unique Journey Well Before Ash Wednesday

Florissant, MO, February 18, 2025— In an effort to foster a fruitful and transformative Lenten experience for Catholics, the Augustine Institute invites the faithful to get a head start this year.  How To Lent is a new four-part video series available on Formed, the Augustine Institute’s faith formation streaming platform. Lively and accessible, these episodes challenge the commonly held notion that Lent is merely about giving things up. Using the experience of Jesus’ temptation in the desert, episodes dive into the three Lenten pillars of prayer, fasting, and almsgiving to ultimately help Catholics understand why purposeful preparation is important before Lent even begins.  Viewers are invited to continue their journey through Lent on Formed with Foretold: Learning to Trust in God’s Providence, a second video series launching on Ash Wednesday that weaves together stories of the Old and New Testaments to reveal the prophecy and fulfillment of Christ throughout history.  A final resource, Lent: Coming to Christ, is a new mini journal with reflection questions for both series and space to write along the way.  

“In order to have a holy Lent, we need to understand, or be reminded of, what Lent is and why it matters,” said Dr. Scott Hefelfinger, host of How to Lent and Director of Content Development at the Augustine Institute. “How to Lent equips Catholics with the tools they need to understand the scriptural basis for Lent and what it can do for our spiritual lives.  We want people to have a lasting encounter with Jesus in the desert and deepen their relationship with Him during Lent and beyond.  This series is meant to lay out the roadmap to make this possible.”  

Hefelfinger, who is also an Associate Professor at the Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology, is not the only voice people will hear from in How to Lent.  He is joined by fellow professors as well as priests and religious sisters who serve as Lenten “spiritual directors” through the course of the program.  Viewers will also receive practical tips from laypeople about their own Lenten practices.

In Foretold, which picks up where How to Lent concludes, Dr. Sean Innerst, esteemed Professor of Theology and Catechetics at the Augustine Institute Graduate School of Theology, highlights the connecting threads of the Old and New Testaments that reveal Jesus as our fulfillment from the very beginning.  In eight captivating episodes that span the 40 days of Lent, Innerst explains how the Easter story fits into the larger biblical narrative, demonstrating how God’s providence is still at work in our modern-day lives.  

While viewers learn more about the biblical origin of Lent and ponder their own individual sacrifices, they are invited to use Lent: Coming to Christ as a tool for deeper prayer and reflection in the weeks leading up to Lent and the 40 days beyond.  The pocket-sized mini journal is divided into two sections for How to Lent and Foretold and includes introspective questions and space for writing.  Each page provides a place for true contemplation and encounter with the Lord. Bulk discounts for the journal are available for parish groups already subscribed to the Formed platform. Individuals can purchase the mini journal for $5 (shipping included) and receive a free three month subscription to Formed to engage fully in both series during the Lenten season.  

U.S. Servicemen Reflect on Influence of St. Joseph at Catholic Men’s Retreat in Europe

VALLENDAR, GERMANY – Catholic men stationed with the U.S. Military in Germany—ever vigilant to threats against national security and world peace—took a spiritual breather this past weekend at the Schoenstatt Retreat Center on the peaceful banks of the Rhine River. In that edenic setting in western central Germany, Bishop William (Bill) Muhm, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), welcomed 58 active-duty personnel, contractors, and sons to the annual AMS European Men’s Retreat for those who serve.

The servicemen converged on the historic Marian pilgrimage site at Vallendar from installations throughout Germany, including U.S. Army Garrisons (USAG) Wiesbaden, Stuttgart, and Kaiserslautern, and Ramstein Air Base, for the Feb. 7-9 retreat. In the three days of prayer, reflection, and fraternity, these guardians of liberty focused on the inspiring example and powerful intercession of Saint Joseph, spiritual father to the Lord Jesus. They took part in Mass, prayed the rosary, spent quiet time with Christ in Eucharistic Adoration, went to confession, heard speakers, and held small group discussions focused specifically on how St. Joseph’s example and intercession help those serving the U.S. Military in Europe.

Retreat sponsor David Puzicha-Dunn, a retired American soldier, Fourth Degree Knight of Columbus, and Wiesbaden-based liturgical songwriter, who now holds a management position at the U.S. Defense Commissary Agency (DeCA), said the gathering of nearly five dozen was the largest group he has seen in his 15 years coordinating in the yearly retreat. Bishop Muhm commented, “It was inspiring to see dozens of busy men take time out of their hectic schedules for spiritual growth.”

Bishop Muhm, himself a retired U.S. Navy chaplain, currently based in Germany, spoke on the inspiring example and powerful intercession of our Savior’s father on earth. He observed that “fatherhood is not only biological, it is spiritual. That is why Catholics call our priests, ‘father.’ Joseph was and is father to the Lord Jesus and to all Christians.” Father Emeka C. Okwuosa, Ch, Capt, USAF, and Joseph Deichert, Ch, Col, USAF (Ret.), shared their own reflections on St. Joseph. Also participating at the retreat were Fathers John Vianney Ijeoma, CH (COL), USA; Stephen C. McDermott, CH (MAJ), USA; and Alexander B. Scott, CH (CPT), USA.

Bishop Muhm, who serves as Episcopal Vicar for Military Installations in Europe and Asia under His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, gave thanks for the “big success” of this year’s retreat. The dates for next year’s European Men’s Retreat at Schoenstatt are set for Feb. 6-8, 2026.