Whether a soldier has served for two months or 20 years, jumping out of an airplane requires the same leap of faith.
For Father Peter Pomposello, Army major and chaplain, that moment before a paratrooper jumps offers a lesson in discipleship: Living out the Catholic faith requires a willingness to take a leap, regardless of where someone is in their spiritual journey.
The analogy was central to his talk “Stand in the Door: Discipleship as a Spiritual Paratrooper” at the inaugural Catholic Military Conference, held Nov. 9-11 in Chantilly.
Hosted by the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, the three-day conference brought together hundreds of Catholic service members, veterans, chaplains, and military families for prayer, fellowship, and discussions centered on the theme “Living and Serving Justly.”
Held in the diocese, home to several military installations and a large military family population, the conference offered opportunities for Catholics from the local area and beyond to connect with the broader military Catholic community.
For Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, the gathering fulfilled a longtime goal of bringing together members of his worldwide archdiocese.
“I’ve long wanted to try to gather the faithful of this global archdiocese, at least in some meaningful way,” he told the Catholic Herald.
With an estimated 1.8 million Catholics served by the archdiocese around the world, Archbishop Broglio said the gathering offered an opportunity for service members and families to strengthen their faith and recognize that they belong to a larger Catholic community.
Central to the conference was the church’s just war tradition, which outlines the moral conditions for entering and conducting war, including when going to war is justified, whether the use of force is necessary and reasonable, and how civilians should be protected.
Archbishop Broglio said the topic was particularly relevant given the responsibilities of the armed forces and ongoing questions surrounding military conflict.
“I think it’s the theme that’s very much on the minds of people presently,” he said.
But the conference’s theme, “Living and Serving Justly,” extended beyond the battlefield. Speakers explored how Catholics can apply their faith to military service, family life, and everyday decisions — while remaining committed to the church’s teachings on the dignity of every human life, moral responsibility, and the pursuit of peace.
Father Pomposello’s opening talk drew on his experiences as a paratrooper and chaplain to encourage participants to approach their faith with the same commitment required of military service.
Frequent relocations, deployments, and changing assignments can make it difficult for Catholic service members to establish long-lasting connections with a parish community.
“I think the biggest challenge is being able to practice their faith,” Archbishop Broglio said. Pointing to the shortage of Catholic military chaplains and the difficulty some service members face accessing the sacraments.
Father Chris Krall, a Navy reserve chaplain, also addressed the spiritual challenges of military life through an Ignatian examination of conscience, encouraging participants to reflect on their experiences, recognize God’s presence in their lives, and consider how their faith can guide their decisions.
The conference also addressed the unique challenges faced by military spouses and families.
Mary and Jerry Lenaburg, parishioners of St. Mary of Sorrows Church in Fairfax, spoke about their experiences during their Nov. 10 breakout session, titled “Safe Haven, Strong Tower: The Marriage Nobody Trained Us For.”
Married for 38 years, the couple spent the first 12 years of their marriage as a Navy family, navigating frequent moves, deployments, and the responsibilities of raising children during long periods of separation.
Mary Lenaburg said military families often have to rebuild their communities every few years, making relationships with fellow Catholics particularly important.
“You build a whole life within two to three years and then you have to go rebuild it again somewhere else,” she said.
She noted that Northern Virginia’s large military presence offers opportunities for connection, although families living off base may still struggle to find neighbors who understand their experiences.
“This diocese is incredibly supportive of our military families, and each parish, I think, has done a pretty good job of making sure they reach out and support them,” she said.
On Nov. 10, attendees gathered for Mass celebrated by Archbishop Gabriele Giordano Caccia, apostolic nuncio to the United States, who reflected on the relationship between military service, conscience and the pursuit of peace.
In his homily, Archbishop Caccia emphasized that military power must serve the common good and protect innocent life, rather than become an end in itself. He also spoke about the importance of forming one’s conscience through Catholic teaching when confronting the moral questions surrounding war.
Matthew Bunson, vice president and editorial director of EWTN News, examined the church’s just war tradition in light of Pope Leo XIV’s teachings on modern warfare.
In his May encyclical, “Magnifica Humanitas”, Pope Leo described the just war theory as “now outdated,” criticizing its use to justify armed conflict while affirming the right to self-defense under strict conditions.
Bunson discussed the pope’s emphasis on protecting human life, pursuing peace and addressing the moral questions raised by emerging military technologies, including artificial intelligence.
Those themes continued during the “Just War Tradition Plenary Session,” which featured separate talks by Joe Capizzi and retired Army Lt. Gen. Jim Dubik.
The session explored the church’s just war tradition, including moral principles governing decisions to enter a conflict and the responsibilities of military personnel during warfare.
The discussion continued during the “Just War Panel Reflection,” featuring Archbishop Broglio, Capizzi, Bunson and Dubik.
Panelists examined how Catholic teaching applies to military decisions, including the responsibilities of service members when following orders and the distinction between just and unjust actions. They also addressed how emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and cyberwarfare, raise new questions about moral judgment and accountability.
When asked how Catholic service members should approach actions that conflict with their beliefs, Archbishop Broglio stressed the importance of continually forming one’s conscience through Scripture, church teachings, prayer, and moral guidance.
For Rafael Miranda, a Catholic service member stationed at Fort Belvoir in Fairfax County, those discussions addressed questions he has faced throughout his military career.
Miranda said he attended the conference partly because he wanted to better understand how to reconcile his Catholic faith with the responsibilities of military service, particularly when carrying out orders during deployments.
“How do I reconcile being a good Catholic and executing the orders?” he said.
He said the speakers helped put those questions into perspective and gave him opportunities to reflect on how his faith guides his responsibilities.
Having remained involved in Catholic communities wherever he has been stationed, Miranda encouraged other service members facing similar challenges to seek support through their local parishes.
“Don’t suffer in silence,” he said. “We all have to go on this journey together.”
The conference concluded Nov. 11, Veterans Day, a deliberate choice that Archbishop Broglio said offered an opportunity to honor those who served in the armed forces.
He said the timing was intended not only to recognize the sacrifices of service members, but also those made by their spouses and children, who share in the demands of military life.
“When you’re in the military, it’s not just you alone who makes the sacrifice, it’s also your children and your spouse,” he said.
Archbishop Broglio expressed gratitude for veterans and their families, saying the Veterans Day timing was meant as “a message of thanks.”
He hoped participants would return to their communities with a greater understanding of the support available through the archdiocese and a renewed commitment to living out their faith wherever they serve.
For Miranda, that sense of community was one of the conference’s most important lessons.
“Nobody can do this alone,” he said.
