Military Life and Christian Formation

A few days ago, the Secretary Fr. Alexandre Awi Mello, together with the officials in charge of ecclesial aggregations Mr. Philip Milligan and Fr. Giovanni Buontempo met representatives of the AMI (International Military Apostolate), a Catholic organization recognized by the Holy See, which promotes the diffusion of a Christian vision of military life and the values that characterize it, while contributing to the construction of peace in the world by fostering mutual knowledge and worldwide cooperation.

The international delegation of the AMI was composed, among others, by the new President, who will enter into office on 1 January 2018, Vice Admiral Matthieu J.M. Borsboom, from Holland; the new General Secretary, Colonel Domenico D’Ortenzi, from Italy; and the Ecclesiastical Assistant Fr. Patrick J. Dolan, from the USA.

During the meeting, the main areas of the association’s apostolate were presented, with the focus on both the Christian formation of the military as individuals and the support for their families, who are often put to the test by the commitments of military life (separation from the spouse for more or less extended periods, physical and psychological traumas resulting from war missions, education of the children, frequent transfers from one city to another or abroad).

A “programmatic document” will shortly be published, exposing the strategic vision and the operational programs for the immediate future of the AMI’s mission to bear Christian witness in the field of the armed forces’ international cooperation and within civil society.