There is a place in my assigned Province of Logar, Afghanistan that sees combat on a nearly daily basis.  The town of Charkh is a hotbed for insurgent attacks aimed at the soldiers maneuvering from the austere Combat Outpost there.   The company-sized band of soldiers press on under tremendous pressure from the enemy.   Some have already made the ultimate sacrifice. 

It is hard to imagine the emotional struggles these men face each day.  For my part, I am apprehensive about merely travelling to Charkh for a 24-hour trip.  Please try to place yourself in the shoes of a Catholic soldier there: how much would the Holy Eucharist mean to you?  Under those conditions, how would you feel if you had not received the precious gift of Christ's corporal presence since August?

That's how long it had been since Chaplain (Major) James Peak of Spokane had been able to travel there -- until he was able to go on December 10th.  (This was not for lack of trying on Fr. Peak's part.)  The Army put out a nice article with photographs here.  It was a great answer to prayer that the logistics of this trip worked out. 

The Catholics at Charkh are not alone in their need for a priest.  Catholic Chaplains in Afghanistan are stretched gravely thin even to distribute the Blessed Sacrament; you can imagine their availability to administer Last Rites is worse still.  My Brigade of about 3,500 people, which is spread over three Provinces, has to share Fr. Peak's time with several other similarly-sized Brigades.  (I am blessed to live on a base with a group of Czech soldiers who brought their own priest!)

So please remember to pray that God would bless His Church with more priests, and that there could be enough priests to serve Catholics in the military.  There is a tremendous need, since these young people leaving home for the first time and into such stress and peer pressure walk away from the faith all too often.  Pray for Father James Peak, a wonderfully orthodox priest, for his safety in travelling to the most dangerous places where soldiers live, and for his strength as he shoulders the pains of our most pained young men.  He models so well the role of priest as alter Christus -- another Christ.

And more, please recall to mind during this Christmastide how precious a gift it is to receive the incarnate Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.  Recall how precious it is to have priests who have dedicated their lives to serving you.  Merry Christmas!