Chaplains gather to "renew spiritually"

Chaplains from across Kosovo gather at holy site

by Sgt. 1st Class Michael Hagburg

Posted on 2/24/2010

Camp Bondsteel gospel dance team, Heaven's Angels, perform at an ecumenical worship service

CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo - An international group of chaplains visited one of Kosovo's holiest sites Feb. 19 as part of the monthly KFOR chaplains' conference.

Multi-National Battle Group-East's chaplains hosted the conference, which featured a worship service, luncheon and a bus trip to the Church of the Black Madonna in Letnica.

"Many of the chaplains had never seen the church before," said Staff Sgt. Laton Lohmann, Dickinson, N.D., an MNBG-E chaplain's assistant. "Making a pilgrimage to such a sacred site was a great way to start Lent and to set the tone for the season."

The Church of the Black Madonna is said to be the place where famed humanitarian Mother Teresa received her calling.

Twenty-eight chaplains and chaplain's assistants from 10 countries attended the conference, said Chap. (Maj.) Maury Millican, Bismarck, N.D., command chaplain for MNBG-E. Countries represented included the United States, Ireland, France, Italy, Poland, Germany, Ukraine, Hungary, Slovenia, and Sweden.

Millican said the conferences help build camaraderie among the international chaplaincy.

"It helps the chaplains from each country feel that the doors of communication are open if we need to reach out and ask for ministry assistance," he said.

The conference started with an ecumenical worship service at Camp Bondsteel featuring the camp's gospel dance team, "Heaven's Angels."...

Read more here. For great pictures of this conference, go here.

H/T Dina