The Religious Ministry Support Department aboard amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) conducted religious services for Sailors and Marines aboard amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17) 2,250 miles away via video teleconference (VTC), Sept. 18.

The department is responsible for providing spiritual care and religious services to Sailors and Marines throughout the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group (ARG).

Quotes:

"The VTC offers our deployed Sailors and Marines the opportunity to celebrate mass with a priest. I would prefer to be able to celebrate mass with them in person so they can also receive Holy Communion, but that is not always possible given the distances between our ships."
Lt. Andrew Young, Wasp chaplain.

"In order to make sure everyone's religious needs are met, we decided to conduct a Catholic mass via VTC."
Cmdr. Carla Barry, Wasp ARG chaplain.

"It was a really cool opportunity. It felt just like a normal mass and it's something that we don't get to do often."
Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Zachary Taylor

Quick Facts:

Currently, Wasp is operating in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations (AOO), while San Antonio is in the U.S. 5th Fleet AOO.

Religious services and requirements are most often facilitated by chaplains and religious programs specialists on board the ship. However, in cases like this, extra efforts are made to meet the needs of Sailors and Marines.

Lt. Young is the only Catholic priest in the Wasp ARG and has often traveled to meet vessels by helicopter when available; a transfer nicknamed the 'holy helo.'

While aboard Navy vessels, chaplains facilitate the religious requirements of personnel of all faith groups by providing faith-specific ministries, including care for all service members who do not claim a faith.

The Wasp ARG is comprised of Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 6, the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), Wasp, San Antonio, and dock landing ship USS Whidbey Island (LSD 41).

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For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/U.S. 6th Fleet, visit http://www.navy.mil/.