After serving at the chapel at Tinker Air Force Base for more than 39 years, Father Patrick McCool, O.S.B., retired June 3. The assignment, which started as “helping on weekends,” turned into a full ministry to help soldiers and their families.
In 1979, Father McCool accepted the assignment at Tinker to provide Mass at the base chapel. It soon grew into a full ministry to the Tinker community as military chaplains were called to be with the troops away from the chapel, Father McCool said.
Tinker AFB, located in Midwest City, is home to the 72
nd Air Base Wing and the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex. More than 27,000 military and civilian personnel are assigned to the base, and approximately 45,000 dependents and retirees make use of services provided at Tinker. The chapel provides a wide range of services to persons of all faith backgrounds.
Although Father McCool served many years at the base, he was not part of the military chaplaincy corps. Rather, Saint Gregory’s Abbey holds a contractual agreement with the U.S. Air Force to provide a Catholic priest to assist at the chapel, and Father McCool served as the monk assigned to fulfill this commitment.
“Whenever the Catholic chaplain was there, we worked together on taking care of the Catholics, and when the Catholic chaplain was deployed, I took care of all the liturgy and individual counseling,” he explained. “Since there is a shortage of Catholic chaplains in the military, we often were without a Catholic chaplain, and when I retired, there wasn't one. Now, the chapel is using other monks from Saint Gregory's.”
Father McCool said he had the support of the abbey during his ministry, along with several people at Tinker, both Catholic and Protestant, through the staff and some of the retired.
Reflecting on his many years of service, Father McCool said, “It is good to run into people years later who remember occasions of ministry. I felt I was helping a lot of people.”
On June 3, Abbot Lawrence Stasyszen celebrated a special Mass to recognize Father McCool’s service. During his homily, Abbot Lawrence said, “On this occasion, I wish to thank you for your dedicated ministry as a priest in this very special community at Tinker AFB. The men and women in our armed forces, along with their families, have been comforted and strengthened and filled with the life of Christ through you. May you forever find great satisfaction in knowing that you have made a positive difference here through your steadfast presence and ministry.”
Most Rev. Timothy Broglio, Archbishop for Military Services, sent a special message to be read during Mass.
In it, he said, “Thank you for unselfish and dedicated ministry. No one will ever document all the graces received and shared through your ministry, but the lives you touched always will reflect the presence of divine grace. The conclusion of a pastoral assignment is truly an occasion to look back with gratitude and to remember how the Lord has worked through you. It is never easy to serve in the military environment, but you have persevered.”
Father McCool now spends his time living at Saint Gregory's Abbey, following their daily schedule and serving as the abbey’s librarian. Visitors are welcome.
Jolene Schonchin is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.