Veterans Day is a time of remembrance for Americans, and the archdiocese joins in this observance. Through their military service, veterans make a significant contribution to the freedoms we enjoy in the United States. Alongside that service, those called to the priesthood have a special experience, serving both God and country.

A number of past and present Archdiocese of New York clergy have served as chaplains, including Cardinal John O’Connor, who served as a Navy chaplain for 27 years, before later becoming Archbishop of New York in 1984.

For this Veterans Day, The Good Newsroom spoke with members of the Archdiocese of New York or alumni of the archdiocese who have served their country on this Veterans Day.

Monsignor Joseph P. LaMorte, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of New York, and member of New York Air National Guard for 40 years as chaplain

“Twenty-five percent of the people you encounter would be Catholic, and that’s not the case in a parish where 100 percent of the people are Catholic. So, 25 percent were in need of spiritual assistance from their own denomination. Most of the men and women in service weren’t really connected with their own parish so this was a good opportunity to sort of bring parish life into their lives,” he told The Good Newsroom in an interview.

Monsignor LaMorte joined the Air Force Reserves directly after his time in seminary, transitioning from a chaplain candidate to a full chaplain. After his four-decade career with the Air National Guard, Monsignor LaMorte retired in 2012 with the rank of lieutenant colonel, calling it “the longest thing I ever really did.”

Pluralism was a concept that was on Monsignor LaMorte’s mind for much of his service, as his role as chaplain had him working closely with many other faith leaders to help serve Air Force personnel.

“During the years I had spent as a chaplain, it was a great opportunity for me to work side by side with Jewish and Protestant chaplains… I was really introduced to ecumenical and interfaith dialogue hands-on by being partners with the other faith groups.”

Reverend Monsignor Thomas P. Sandi, administrator of the Historic Holy Trinity Catholic Church, retired pastor, and retired active-duty Air Force chaplain

“I was for those 24 years given an opportunity to give them balance in their lives when they really needed it. I was very lucky to have been in the service between the end of the Vietnam War and the beginning of the Iraq War. So, we were during a time of peace,” Monsignor Sandi told The Good Newsroom.

After being ordained in the archdiocese in 1973, he was assigned to Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish on Staten Island and served as their pastor for three years. In 1976, he volunteered as an active-duty chaplain in the Air Force. During his 24-year career, Monsignor Sandi served at 12 different locations, both domestically and in Europe. His assignments tookt him to the Pentagon, Bosnia-Herzegovina, and Boston College as an Air Force Institute of Technology student.

In 2000, he was honorably discharged from the Air Force in the rank of lieutenant colonel and returned to the Archdiocese of New York. Now having reached retirement age, he serves as the administrator at Church of the Holy Trinity on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

“I think the discipline I learned at the seminary… gave me the discipline to go into the Air Force. So, one hand helped the other,” he said.

Father Peter A. Pomposello, St. Joseph’s Seminary graduate, and active-duty Army garrison priest chaplain at Fort Bragg in North Carolina

“It’s a great privilege to be with soldiers because if you think of the typical American soldier, 18 or 19 years old, and they’re away from home for the first time, and we bring home to them. Their home and church are with us. We want to encourage them to continue their faith; to come to church; and continue to live the sacramental life.”

Father Pomposello is probably better known by his online handle, Father Uncle Sam, where he documents his life as the garrison priest chaplain for the largest military United States Army base by population, North Carolina’s Fort Bragg. He has been on active duty as a chaplain for the past 11 years and assigned to Fort Bragg for the past year.

He remains a priest of the Archdiocese of New York and a proud alumnus of St. Joseph’s Seminary, but being an Army chaplain was always his goal when he started on his path to the priesthood after being in the Army Reserves at Fort Dix in New Jersey before answering his calling. Father Pomposello is working hard to help soldiers keep their faith and bring more soldiers into the faith.

Bishop Bill Muhm, St. Joseph’s Seminary graduate, former pastor for the Archdiocese of New York, retired 20-year Navy chaplain, and auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA

“There’s a great parallel between military service and living the Catholic life. That’s not just true for priests, that’s true for Catholic laypeople as well… Being in the military and living a Catholic life, both of those involve service, sacrifice, fraternity, community, and commitment,” he said in an interview.

Bishop Muhm was commissioned an ensign in the Navy Supply Corps in 1981, and after graduating from Navy Supply Corps School, he served aboard USS Belleau Wood. While on board, he was deployed twice to the Western Pacific and then was assigned to the Naval Air Engineering Station in Lakehurst, New Jersey.

After his first tour of active-duty service, Bishop Muhm joined St. Joseph’s Seminary under a vocational partnership between the American Military Society and participating U.S. dioceses and religious communities. In 1995, he was ordained a priest of the Archdiocese of New York and served in Ossining and Staten Island. From 1996-1998, Bishop Muhm served as a Navy Reserve chaplain with Fleet Hospital 22.

In 1998, he returned to active duty as a Navy chaplain, and his assignments took him around the world to Japan, the Arabian Sea post-9/11, and Anbar Province in Iraq. In 2018, Bishop Muhm retired from active duty with the rank of Navy captain and now serves as auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.

“It means a lot to have the chaplain out there with them. It’s very rewarding to share the same at-sea conditions or field conditions with the sailors and the marines… If the Lord calls a priest to that ministry, there’s really nothing better,” he said.

— Armando Machado contributed to this report.