A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY
|
|
|
| Volume 6 Number 28 - Tuesday, July 13th, 2004 |
A Publication of the ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN LAITY |
|
• Search Engine
•
OCN
Website
|
The Orthodox Christian News Service |
|
|
New police chaplain has military backgroundBy Michael Hirtzer (Chicago, IL) - The Rev. Andrew Harrison, a retired chaplain of the U.S. Air Force and a rector at St. Luke Orthodox Church in Palos Hills, was named chaplain of the Lemont Police Department last week.
Harrison will provide spiritual counsel to police, victims and members of the public in times of crisis, Chief Kevin Shaughnessy said.
Harrison will replace the Rev. Noah Panlilio, who had been chaplain since 2001. The chaplain is an integral part of the police force, Shaughnessy said.
"The officer has needs aside from those that are obvious," Shaughnessy said. "How do you deal with aftermath? How do you deal with death? How do you deal with seeing people at their worst? That's what the chaplain program is all about." Harrison, 64, said one of the most important things he has learned in his more than 30 years as a chaplain is simply being there in times of need.
"Part of being a chaplain is to be available ... to bring a spiritual element to whatever is going on.”
"Police have a dangerous job. Having a chaplain around makes their job easier," Harrison said in an interview last week from his Lemont home.
Harrison said he provides spiritual guidance regardless of denomination. He carries around cards with prayers from different religions, he said.
"It's a tremendous resource for the police department, officers and members of the community," Shaughnessy said. "He deals with the intangibles."
Before Harrison retired from the air force in 2000, he served at bases in California, Colorado and, most recently, Milwaukee, where in 1998 he gave counsel to the family of a victim who died in a Nicaragua plane crash.
Harrison also is
trained in disaster preparedness and as an alcohol
and drug counselor. |
|
Home • Archives • Search • Submissions • Support Us |
||
|
Orthodox News, PO BOX 6954 |
