Head of Missionary Department of the Diocese of Yuzhny Sakhalin: chaplains can prevent tragedies in the army

Presence of the Church in the army can prevent such cases as recent tragedy in Chelyabinsk, Rev. Viktor Gorbach, Head of the Missionary Department of the Diocese of Yuzhny Sakhalin thinks. ‘I think the Church is the only institute that can save our society enduring a spiritual crisis’, he said.

Fr. Viktor thinks the Church should bring spirituality to army life. He believes when a priest comes to a military unit and participates in its life, it has favorable effect to the atmosphere among the servicemen.

‘It is very important that he should not be considered the second in command for educational work, as some people mistakenly think about our ministry. In this case we face a profanation of missionary work. A priest should reveal to a serviceman his human, Christian essence’, Fr. Viktor believes.

The Diocese of Yuzny Sakhalin organized the Department for Cooperation with Armed Forces and every military unit has a priest, whose parish is located near the garrison.

‘We often think that army is a closed society that has its own objectives and interests different from interests of the rest of society, but it is not true. The same people are in the army, at school and in the university. Soldiers are mostly school graduates and they have the same interests as their ‘civil’ equals in age do. So we do not have to invent anything special’, the priest noted.

According to him, ‘it is important to explain to a person how the Church can help him in his life and how he can help to the Church. If members of our society understand that above all they are Christians, our life will change for better’.

Interfax-Religion