Auxiliary bishop for European and Asian Vicariates visits USAG Ansbach, meets with Army priests

By Thomas B. Hamilton III, USAG Ansbach Public AffairsApril 9, 2014

Bishop F. Richard Spencer
1 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – Bishop F. Richard Spencer, vicar for the European and Asian Vicariates of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, visits Katterbach at U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach April 7, 2014, as part of Clergy Day for military religious leaders from throughout G... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Clergy Day Attendees
2 / 9 Show Caption + Hide Caption – From left, Chaplain (Maj.) Krzysztof Kopec of Grafenwoehr and Vilseck, Chaplain (Capt.) Stephane Migy of Garmisch, Bishop (Col.) F. Richard Spencer, Father Thomas Gricoski, Chaplain Jim Betz (Lt. Col.) of Kaiserslautern, Father Helmut Pflanz of Lands... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
Recognizing Volunteers
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The opening of Clergy Day.
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Bishop Spencer.
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The ceremony of the Eucharist
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The ceremony of the Eucharist
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The ceremony of the Eucharist.
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Bishop Spencer says goodbye.
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ANSBACH, Germany (April 9, 2014) -- The auxiliary bishop for the European and Asian Vicariates met with active-duty and contracted priests serving the U.S. Army throughout Germany during an April 7 visit to Katterbach for the quarterly Clergy Day meeting to discuss Soldier and Family spiritual readiness and resilience.

Bishop F. Richard Spencer, who is based in Weisbaden, Germany, has the responsibility of providing pastoral ministries spiritual services and is the sole endorser of Roman Catholic chaplains to the U.S. government in Europe and Asia. This includes the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force in more than 134 countries from the Azores Islands to Japan.

Evelyn Hegendoerfer and Melissa Muñoz, the Catholic Parish coordinators for Storck Barracks and Katterbach Kaserne, along with Tara Duplessie and Meredith Greene, the religious coordinators for Storck Barracks and Katterbach, greeted the bishop. The bishop and the Clergy Day attendees were treated to a breakfast buffet.

The attending priests were active-duty Soldiers, with the exception of two who serve in the communities of Baumholder and Landstuhl as contracted priests until active-duty priests can be assigned to those communities.

The event's guest speaker, Father Thomas Gricoski, was specially invited by the bishop to attend this Clergy Day. Gricoski, a Benedictine monk, presided over Clergy Day by discussing his experiences in Veterans Affairs hospitals and the importance of helping veterans and service members with post-traumatic stress disorder. Gricoski also conducted the sacrament of the Eucharist for the USAG Ansbach community at Katterbach Chapel following Clergy Day.

Related Links:

Archdiocese for the Military Services

Bishop F. Richard Spencer, Episcopal Vicar for Europe and Asia