CORPUS CHRISTI, TX — Father James W. Craig, (1LT), USAR, a candidate for United States Military chaplaincy, was ordained a Catholic priest on Saturday, June 14, in his home Diocese of Corpus Christi, TX. The new priest hopes eventually to serve as a U.S. Army chaplain, providing pastoral care to Catholic soldiers and their families with endorsement and faculties from the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS).
Father Craig received the sacrament of holy orders from Bishop Michael Mulvey, STL, DD, through the laying of hands and the prayer of consecration invoking the Holy Spirit. His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA (AMS), concelebrated the 10:00 a.m. ordination Mass at the Parish of the Most Precious Blood in Corpus Christi, where two other men were also ordained priests for ministry in the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
Among those in attendance were Father Craig’s parents, U.S. Air Force veteran Stephen Craig and wife Ann, brothers Paul, Dan, and John, along with their families, his sister Kate and her family, and another sister who is a perpetually professed religious, Sister Mary Rachel, SOLT.
Father Craig, 28, holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) Degree in Philosophy with minors in Theology and Sacred Music from Franciscan University of Steubenville, OH. In San Antonio the new priest recently earned a Master of Divinity (M.Div) and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) from the Oblate School of Theology where he studied while in formation at Assumption Seminary.
Father Craig says he began to discern his vocation at a young age. “I wanted to be a priest since I was about eight years old,” he says, “a desire that was fostered through serving at the altar and singing in our cathedral schola. Then I learned about military chaplaincy when I was beginning high school, and that call has stayed with me ever since.”
The eventual service of Father Craig and other Catholic chaplain candidates is greatly anticipated by the Army, which, like all other branches of the U.S. Military, wants more priests to serve the spiritual needs of Catholics in uniform, and their families.
Young men interested in discerning a priestly vocation, and the vocation within a vocation to serve those who serve in the U.S. military, can find more information at milarch.org/vocations, or may contact AMS Vocations Director Father Paul-Anthony Halladay at [email protected] or (202) 719-3600.
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