Chaplains ask ‘who cares for the carers?’

The AGM of the Church of Scotland Military Chaplains Association was held recently at the Royal Scots Club in Edinburgh.

This was the 77th AGM of the group which represents serving and retired regular, reserve and cadet chaplains for the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force. The Association has recently welcomed the chaplaincy team of Veterans Chaplaincy Scotland into membership.

The group of 17 chaplains ‘on parade’ (all known as ‘Padre’ during their military service), included two past Moderators of the General Assembly and two former Chaplains General, and represented a wide range of operational experience including Northern Ireland, the Falklands, the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq.

The Rev Stephen Blakey, honorary secretary of the CSMCA, said: “An important item in the agenda was the on-going pastoral care for our serving and retired colleagues. It is sometimes asked, ‘Who cares for the carers?’ Our chaplains are there in the midst of operations to support our service personnel in traumatic and challenging situations. Chaplains are not immune to the disturbing results of such experiences, and we need to care for each other.” The CSMCA will next gather during the General Assembly in May when they will hold their Annual Service of Remembrance in St Giles Cathedral. This takes place on ’Chaplains Day’ – the day that the Committee on Chaplains to HM Armed Forces delivers its report to the Assembly.