Burma’s first military chaplains offer spiritual support and sacraments to front line soldiers

“People are tired, sad, and disoriented because of the violence that never ceases,” said Bishop Nyunt Wai of Mawlamyine in southern Burma (Myanmar), referring to the war that has ravaged the country since 1948 and intensified dramatically following the 2021 coup that overthrew the democratic government. “But amid the ordeal, the faithful offer a strong testimony of faith; they continue to come to churches and pray intensely.”

The bishop’s diocese provides daily humanitarian assistance to more than 700 children displaced by the war, now sheltering in St. Mary of the Assumption Parish. Additionally, hundreds of other children receive support through 14 other parishes across the diocese, according to Bishop Nyunt Wai.

Christians comprise about 6% of Burma’s population, the vast majority of whom are ethnic minorities living in conflict zones. These areas experience the fiercest fighting, the highest rates of displacement, and a greater likelihood of ethnic resistance soldiers being Christian, whether Protestant or Catholic. Soldiers, civilians, and displaced people in these regions often need spiritual guidance.

For the first time in history, a dedicated chaplain corps will accompany pro-democracy, ethnic resistance troops, offering spiritual support to both frontline soldiers and internally displaced people affected by the war.

In the midst of war, they carry peace; in the face of despair, they bring hope. Military chaplains embody a long and courageous tradition of faith and service. St. John of Capistrano serves as the patron saint of military chaplains. A 15th-century Franciscan friar, John is remembered for his ability to rally spirits and ignite hope during one of Europe’s most critical battles—the defense of Belgrade in 1456. As Christian forces faced overwhelming odds against the Ottoman Empire, it was John’s fiery sermons and unwavering faith that unified and emboldened the defenders. Today, Catholics celebrate the feast day of St. John of Capistrano on October 23.

For military chaplains, St. John’s legacy is a powerful reminder that spiritual resilience can be as vital as physical strength. In modern conflicts, where battles are often as much internal as external, chaplains follow his example by offering prayer, comfort, and a steadfast presence to those they serve.

Despite having hundreds of years of history, the presence of a chaplain is not a given in militaries around the globe. American soldiers are uniquely blessed with the most developed and extensive chaplaincy in the world, beginning with the U.S. Army Chaplain Corps, which dates back to 1775 when the Continental Congress authorized one chaplain for each regiment of the Continental Army. Today, U.S. Army chaplains are trained at the U.S. Army Institute for Religious Leadership (USAIRL).

For the hundreds of thousands of Catholics serving in the U.S. military—representing roughly 20% of all personnel across the five branches of the armed forces and the Coast Guard—spiritual care falls under the jurisdiction of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS). The U.S. military chaplaincy includes Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist chaplains, all of whom embody the chaplaincy’s Latin motto, “Pro Deo et Patria,” which translates to “For God and Country.”

In Thailand, where most of the Christian aid missions to Burma are based, the Royal Thai Armed Forces is one of the very few armies in Asia with a chaplaincy. Roughly 92.5% of the Thai population is Buddhist, and religious education and guidance are typically provided by monks. Thai military chaplains hold a unique position in Thai society, as they are required to have been ordained as monks before joining the military. However, they must disrobe to serve as chaplains, placing them in a role that straddles monastic and lay statuses.

Across the border from Thailand in Myanmar, where the civil war is raging, the Burmese army has no chaplains. Among the ethnic resistance armies fighting against the junta, several have significant Christian populations but there was no chaplaincy until the Free Burma Rangers (FBR) a faith-driven, frontline aid organization based in the USA established a chaplain corps and began training Christian chaplains.

“Not only does the Burma Army not have chaplains, they don’t even have the concept of a chaplain. They didn’t even have a word for it,” said Ross Pospisil, a former U.S. Marine Corps officer and Annapolis graduate, now serving as a chaplain for Free Burma Rangers. “Even the ethnic chaplains trained by FBR now use the English word ‘chaplain’ when speaking Burmese.”

Technically, the chaplain corps are not the first chaplains to serve in the Burma conflict. For decades, FBR has had chaplains, both ethnic and American, serving alongside its rangers. However, the newly established chaplain corps marks the first time chaplains will serve in a formal, full-time capacity, dedicated solely to spiritual support after completing specialized training.

As Burma’s first dedicated chaplain corps, Pospisil explained that one of the initial challenges was defining what a chaplain is and what their role should be. He said, “A chaplain is someone who serves and may act as a spiritual director, shepherd, or nurturer outside of the church. In our context, FBR combines all of those roles into one.”

FBR chaplains accompany their teams into combat, providing spiritual guidance and counseling to the troops, offering aid and encouragement to the wounded, and bringing hope to the displaced. The war has already displaced 3.3 million Burmese, forcing many to live in makeshift camps after losing their homes, farms, and often family members. These camps are frequently targeted by junta forces with airstrikes, adding to the fear and suffering of the displaced. Reaching these people and ministering to them often requires a military chaplain traveling alongside the troops.

FBR chaplains are not pastors, but facilitators and nurturers, focused on empowering local leaders and building capacity among Burmese ethnic groups. “We envision our chaplains coming alongside villagers and resistance armies, asking, ‘Who’s the local spiritual leader? How can I build into them, encourage them, or provide resources for discipleship or evangelism?’” said Pospisil. The chaplains’ mission aligns with FBR’s broader goal of fostering leadership within ethnic communities, whether through medical training or spiritual guidance. “We’re going to leave,” Pospisil explained, emphasizing the temporary nature of a chaplain’s presence in a village or camp. “So let’s build relationships and grow over time.” Rather than leading services themselves, chaplains work alongside local elders to ensure that spiritual needs—such as worship, funerals, or weddings—are met by the community’s own leaders, thereby strengthening the local body of Christ.

As noted, only about 6% of Burma’s population is Christian, but the percentage is significantly higher among some ethnic armed resistance groups. Among the Chin ethnicity, roughly 90% are Christian, predominantly Protestant denominations, with Baptists as the largest group, followed by smaller numbers of Anglicans and Methodists. Catholics make up a very small minority among the Chin, a pattern also seen among the Kachin, where approximately 85% are Christian, and the Karen, where about 20% identify as Christian.

In contrast, among the Karenni ethnic group, Catholics form the majority, making Karenni State the most heavily Catholic region in Burma. This area is currently experiencing some of the most intense fighting in the country, with an estimated 80-90% of the population displaced. In the Diocese of Loikaw, located in the state’s capital, even Bishop Celso Ba Shwe was forced to abandon the cathedral after it was shelled and overrun by Burmese junta soldiers, who turned it into a military base. Similar incidents occurred in more than half of the diocese’s 35 parishes, with priests and nuns fleeing to the jungle alongside their congregations.

Since 2021, the Bishop has been traveling between the 20 refugee camps that have emerged, as well as visiting war-torn civilian villages within the diocese. In these places, he celebrates the sacraments, blesses families, and offers consolation to those suffering from the devastation of the war. While the Bishop continues his pastoral mission, there are as yet no Catholic chaplains in Burma, leaving a significant gap in spiritual support for those on the front lines.

Pospisil explained that the intent behind the chaplain corps was to remain ecumenical, “staying as cross-denominational as possible within the Protestant track. That’s been our focus: to really define a core set of beliefs that we rally around, ones accepted by Anglicans, Baptists, Methodists, and Seventh-day Adventists. It’s about finding these core essentials so we can have unity around Jesus, while also holding an open hand to create room for discussion.”

FBR is a relatively small organization tasked with responding to the overwhelming challenges of an entire nation of over 54 million people. As a result, they focus on core Christian beliefs, such as the divinity of Christ and Jesus as the only path to salvation. However, for Burma’s Catholic minority—just 1.2% of the population, roughly 700,000 souls—this leaves significant needs unmet, such as baptism, confession, marriage, and participation in the sacraments, which require the involvement of Catholic priests from Myanmar’s 16 dioceses. Unfortunately, due to widespread displacement, not all internally displaced persons (IDPs) and soldiers have access to a Catholic priest.

The Catholic Church in Burma walks a delicate line, striving to provide aid while avoiding actions that could violate Burmese laws or risk being shut down. Priests and nuns offering assistance to internally displaced people risk being falsely accused of supporting the revolution, which could lead to imprisonment. This reality means that even if the Catholic Church in Burma were to dispatch chaplains to the front, they would be unable to travel with ethnic resistance armies or minister to resistance soldiers, effectively making it impossible for them to serve in such a capacity.

Both Pospisil and FBR founder David Eubank have expressed openness to greater Catholic participation in their work, including aid contributions and involvement in the chaplaincy. However, this raises a broader issue of what form Catholic participation could take, especially in a context where priests and nuns face severe restrictions and risks. While Catholic laypeople could play a vital role in providing spiritual support and coordinating aid, their involvement would still fall short of meeting all the sacramental needs of Catholic soldiers and displaced people. Essential rites such as confession, Holy Communion, and last rites can only be administered by ordained priests, highlighting the urgent need for creative solutions that balance practicality with the Church’s mission to serve its faithful in the war zone.

(Note: Those interested in helping are invited to contact the author.)