MOSAIC, Winter 2010

 

Seminarians Anthony Lazcano, left, and 2nd Lt. Brian Wood are pursuing military chaplaincy training.

We know God gives us different gifts according to his will. In the case of Brian Wood and Anthony Lezcano, they may have the gift of a vocation to the priesthood – and to the military chaplaincy, too.

 

Brian is a second-year theologian studying for the Diocese of Lubbock. He joined the Air Force in 1994 right out of high school, eventually becoming a technical sergeant. "Military life was the only life I had ever known," he says.

 

At times, Brian felt called to the priesthood, but it wasn't until 2005 that he acted upon the inclination. Supported by his mother, Carolyn, and father, Richard, who is a deacon, Brian sought the guidance of his military chaplain and parish pastor. Ironically, the chaplain was Msgr. Robert Sable, a priest with the Archdiocese of Detroit.

 

Brian decided to pursue the call, but that is not all. At the same time, he was discerning a double-call—to be an Air Force chaplain.

 

"Two things are really on my heart," Brian says, "the military and the Catholic faith. What better way to put these together than as a ¬military chaplain?"

 

The Lubbock diocese accepted Brian and he entered Assumption Seminary in 2006 (transferring to Sacred Heart in 2007). He received permission from his bishop, Most Rev. Placido Rodriguez, and the Archdiocese for the Military Services, to enter the Air Force chaplain candidacy program. Pope John Paul II created the military archdiocese in 1985. It is the sole endorser of Catholic chaplains for all armed services branches.

 

The Air Force commissioned Brian as a Second Lieutenant, since all chaplain candidates must be officers. He then switched to the Inactive Ready Reserves so he could continue seminary studies.

 

Brian will begin his fourth year of candidacy training this summer. He spent three weeks during each of the past three summers training at different Air Force bases. The training is similar to a parish internship. He "shadows" the base chaplain, observing his work with the service men and women and assisting the chaplain.

 

Upon ordination, scheduled for 2012, Brian will become a certified military chaplain in the Air Force Reserves. As required by the Archdiocese for the Military Services (which co-sponsors the seminarian with his home diocese), he will return to the Lubbock diocese for three years of parish work. Then he will begin active duty as a chaplain for ten years. He could be assigned to a veterans hospital, military base or be deployed to a battle zone.

 

Anthony Lezcano's road to becoming a military chaplain is less advanced than Brian's, but his desire to become one is just as intense.

 

Anthony is a first-year theologian for the Archdiocese of Seattle and a self-described "army brat." Both Juan, his father, and Karen, his mother, are Army veterans. His father served at Fort Lewis in Washington State as a staff sergeant and assisted the base's military chaplain as chaplain's assistant.

 

"Having my Dad as a chaplain's assistant exposed me to the ministry early on," says Anthony. "I saw how much chaplains loved their work. It left an impression on me."

 

After high school, Anthony spent almost four years at Mt. Angel Seminary in Portland discerning the priesthood for the Seattle archdiocese. He left the seminary in 2008 and moved to Alaska to "start all over, to grow into a man."

 

After working as a youth minister and parish handyman, Anthony returned to Washington, reentered the seminary and earned his college degree. His bishop, Most Rev. Alexander Brunett, sent Anthony to Sacred Heart this past fall to begin theological studies.

 

Anthony also received permission to apply to the Archdiocese for the Military Services and to the Navy's chaplain candidacy program. He will discover if he is accepted this spring, but all indications from his Navy recruiters are positive.

"That will be a wonderful day for me," Anthony says.

 

He credits his father and mother, both Secular Franciscans, as inspirations to serve God and country. He also credits the example of Servant of God Fr. Vincent Capodanno, who died attempting to save fellow Marines in Vietnam, and whose cause for sainthood has been accepted by the Vatican.

 

"His is a story of bravery and honor," says Anthony. "Part of me wants to be in the field with those men, like Father Vincent, and also follow God's will which is to be a priest.

 

"The characteristics of the military are the same characteristics of what it means to be a priest for Jesus."