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.

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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. 

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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)

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Father Stephen Sharkey

Principal Roman Catholic Chaplain (Army)