ARMY CHAPLAINS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 93, 21 April 1941, Page 8

ARMY CHAPLAINS.

DOMINION'S TOTAL.

FORTY-FIVE NOW OVERSEAS

Over 1 !•"> chaplains, representing the various churches in New. Zealand, are now commissioned for service with the Dominion forces, cither in the Dominion

or overseas, and of this number 4~> are already serv ing overseas. The total will be. fteadily increased with the progress of mobilisation. All the churches arc finding it nccc-sary to call upon priest* and minister* in retirement when the war began to undertake the duties of younger men enlisted as chaplains, and. in some directions, normal church activities have had to be curtailed.

The largest group of chaplains from any one denomination is 07, representing the ( liuriTT of Kngland. Of these, 20 are now overseas and 17 are engaged a* Army, Xavy and Air Force chaplains in the Dominion. It is expected that by the end of June, the total will exceed 40. In addition, 20 Church Army officers, associated with the Church of Kngland, are in canqiri in the Dominion or overseas, and the number is growing.

Archdeacon (Lieutenant-Colonel) 11. A. Hawkins, who is senior chaplain of the Church of Kngland in tlie Dominion and Held secretary of the Church Army, states that in every diocese the call for chaplains is being heavily felt, and clergy who were superannuated have been called on to maintain or assist in the work in numerous parishes. There has also been a greater call on the services of laymen.

While meeting the rcquirc.ments of the lighting services, it is also necessary, he said, to maintain the spiritual life and morale of the people under war conditions. In the commissioning of chaplains a balance, is being maintained between the various dioceses in proportion to their strength. So far Auckland has supplied nine Church of England chaplains, Wellington eight, Christ church six, Wuikato five. Waiapu four (including the bishop), Dunedin three, and Nelson two. Bishop (Lieutenant-Colonel) G. V. Gerard, of Waiapu, is senior chaplain for the Church of England with N.Z. troops overseas. Other Denominations. Of the 20 Presbyterian chaplains on service with the forces, 10 arc overseas, tive are in New Zealand mobilisation camps, two are with the Air Force" in the Dominion, and three are Territorial chaplains.

'• There has l>cen a big drain on our ranks, particularly as numerous young nieit who would have bee.u undergoing theological training or entering the ministry are now serving with the armed forces," said a representative of the Presbyterian Church.

Priests of the Roman Catholic Church in uniform number I*l, of whom nine arc overseas. It has been found necessary to curtail some of the activities of tlie church due to the effects of war demands.

The Methodist Church lias nine commissioned chaplains, three being overseas, five in the Territorial camps in New Zealand and one with the fortress troops, said the Rev. W. Walker, chairman and secretary of the Chaplains' Advisory Committee of the Northern Military District.

Twenty-one chaplains hnve been commissioned representing the "'other Protestant denominations," the majority being members of the Baptist Church, while six are Congregations lists and two are members of the Church of Christ, said Licutenant-( olonel C. W. Duncumb, E.D., secretary of the Chaplains' Advisory Board for these churches. He stated that two of the chaplains we.re overseas and the others were chiefly engaged at the Territorial camps, returning to their ordinary activities when not required. The Salvation Army has 13 chaplains commissioned, but has a total of 22 officers on service, one l>eing overseas. It lias been necessary for women to undertake much of the work normally done by men and to maintain as far as possible the most important activities. 'I ho \ .M.C.A. has 20 secretaries serving with the. New Zealand Forces overseas, :>2 in military camps in the Dominion. and 4-> in Ait* Force camps, making a total of 117. As the number is governed by mobilisation conditions, it is steadily mounting.