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Fr.
Paul's Letters From Iraq
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Fr. Paul Meets Marmion Alumni in Iraq
August 21, 2008 Dear Family & Friends, I'm currently in the process of coming back to the States. The "hub" for all soldiers and DOD civilians/contractors is Kuwait, which is where I am right now. It is the same base that I came to when I deployed back in June. How things have changed since then! Interestingly, I'm running into soldiers here that I met when I was in Baghdad. They are either going on R&R leave or coming back from it. It's always good to see familiar faces! My last few weeks in Baghdad were filled with sacramental missions to various Bases, counselings, writing articles for the Division newspaper, preparing homilies, and saying goodbyes. I feel now how I felt when I deployed: I'm excited to go but I dread leaving. I've built some very good relationships here and I'll miss them now that I'm leaving. I may have confused some folks by mentioning that I will be back stateside soon. This is true, but I have to go back to Ft. Benning, GA first to turn in gear, fill out paperwork, outprocess, etc. before I fly back home. I won't be back at Marmion until next week sometime, depending on how fast/slow my time goes down at Ft. Benning. Thanks for the support, prayers, and everything else you all have done to make this deployment easy and fruitful. God bless and be with you, Fr. Paul August 7, 2008 Dear Family & Friends, This is the second time I'm writing this email - the first email was lost because the power went out - it's Iraq. I was just one step away from sending it too. Ugh! In any case, I hope life is well with y'all and you're enjoying your summer with its heat and humidity. The beginning of another school year is coming up for a lot of you. I hope you're prepared and excited for another year on either side of the desk! I have two or three more weeks here in Baghdad before I fly back to the States. It really has gone by fast. The Lord has gradually moved me deeper into military ministry, starting from being at the division level for a couple weeks to see how things work at the top, being at a medium-sized base for a month, and now, moving me all around the city to small bases of soldiers. The division I'm assigned to has done a great job coordinating all of my movements around the area of operations (including the dreaded transportation logistics!). With their help I've been able to bring the sacraments to bases that haven't had them in months. I'm going on about 5 or 6 missions per week (with the tours of several small bases on a single day counting as one). Right now, I'm spending the night at a base of a few hundred soldiers after visiting three bases today that had about 100 at each. They haven't had a priest visit in 11 months, but they can't say that anymore! If everything goes right, from today to the end of Sunday, I will have celebrated 14 Masses in 4 days at 13 different bases. The enthusiasm of the soldiers and their devotion and reverence at Mass motivate me a lot. I usually travel to these small bases by convoy. Contrary to popular opinion, they actually are pretty safe. With the number of roadside bombs decreasing, the chances of me getting hit by one is slim. The soldiers, chaplains, and commanders are so eager to have a priest visit that the units send their personal security detachment to convoy to the division base where I stay, pick me up, and take me to their soldiers, and then bring me back to my base. It's special treatment for sure, but it's not for me; it's for the sacramental presence of the One I bring with me. Traveling by convoy has giving me a great opportunity to see more of the city, including the Tigris River. It's neat seeing a landmark that's been around since the Old Testament. It's still running strong. I've driven by some huge mosques, markets, and a wide variety of people of all economic backgrounds, from beautifully landscaped properties to houses in garbage dumps that are literally made from garbage. On one convoy, when we were stuck in traffic, the gunner (the soldier who stands in the turret) bought a couple kid's toys from the roadside vendor. The soldier paid him a dollar (which could've paid for his who collection) and told him "Merry Christmas" - I enjoyed the humor! A friend of mine who's a blackhawk pilot took the "airborne" pictures of the city and the River.
That's about it - just thrilled about doing ministry and bringing sacraments to soldiers. I'll be home by the end of the month. I'm not sure of the exact day because it depends a lot on weather, visibility, paperwork, etc. I do look forward to seeing you all again! Pro Deo et Patria - For God and Country, Fr. Paul July 27, 2008 Dear Family & Friends, Happy Sunday to you all! I wanted to keep you up to speed about my wanderings around the desert. I made the move back to my first base about 10 days ago and have gone out to several small outposts and a couple larger bases since then. Bringing the sacraments around to places that haven't had them in months motivates me to keep trying to go to as many of these small outposts as possible. So many outposts, so little time! Probably my most interesting visit was to a small base in Sadr City, which is where a lot of community rebuilding is going on. The Soldiers there are going out five or six times a week visiting with the Sadr City community leaders about what we can do to renew & improve the life, structure, education and facilities of that area of Baghdad. It seems to be working. At that outpost I was given the chance to meet local Iraqis and try authentic Iraqi food! I particularly enjoyed the chicken kabobs and the warm pita-style bread - yummy! Nothing's pre-packaged here - for sure! Hospitality is big in this country - Iraqis love to feed ya! What's definitely frustrating is the transportation complications that go along with getting personnel and equipment from point A to point B. Soooo much planning and replanning goes into it; so much so that a trip that might take 15 minutes in the States takes multiple people and multiple hours and days to prepare. And even when they're planned, the weather or the security of the mission can change, and it'll be cancelled. That's happened to me a few times and it's been maddening to say the least. When people ask me when and where I'm going, I like to end with: "God-willing and the dust don't rise!"
I should be back home in about a month (God-willing and the dust don't rise!). Thank you again for all of your prayers and support. Y'all are great!!!! Surrounded by Grace, Fr. Paul July 15, 2008 Dear Family & Friends, Hello to you all from Baghdad. Here's another update: It's actually not as hot here as some may think. Because of the low humidity (almost zero), the heat index here is lower, not higher, than the temperature - the exact opposite from what it's like in Chicago. For instance, when it's 110 here, the heat index will be around 90-95. It's really not that bad, but...the 125 degree days are something special:-) I've enjoyed being at the same base for the past 4 weeks. It's given me a chance to get to know people, build some friendships, and get into a rhythm of life. Mass numbers has gone up from a half dozen on my first Sunday here to 22 last Sunday. A priestly presence here is comforting to Soldiers - it's nice to know that Father is around just in case! I've run into a couple soldiers from my hometown in Richmond, IN as well as three alumni from Marmion Academy: Dan Feehan ('01), Dan Gregorio ('02), and Alec Meade ('05). There was also another soldier who visited the monastery several times that I happened to meet. What a small world! These men have made home feel not so far away. With that being said, I will be moving back to my former base by the end of the week (where I was for the first couple weeks of deployment). I will be moving around the city on an almost daily basis (usually by Blackhawk) to offer Mass for soldiers. This is what I was expecting to be doing since I got here. "Have Mass...will travel!" However, the move is bitter-sweet because I'll be leaving the soldiers that I've gotten to know for the last month. I will probably have a chance to visit them though a few times before I leave Iraq. Here's my new address (same one as the first): CH (CPT) Paul Weberg
This should be my last address change (I hope!) until I leave Iraq. Attached (shown right) is a picture of myself and a couple other soldiers before we got on the Blackhawk (aka "the bird"). Army Strong! Things are going well here, so morale is good. Thanks for all the emails, packages, prayers, etc. etc. I along with the soldiers appreciate them all very very much! United in Prayer & Love, Fr. Paul
July 2, 2008 Dear Family and Friends, Greetings from the land of the Old Testament! Well, it's still hot (120-130 degrees) - thank God there's a/c (when it works). When there's dust, it cuts down on the heat, but it's hard on the eyes. Protective glasses are required for everyone walking outside. The gentle hum of generators lasts 24/7. Ministry is starting to pick up after being at this base for a week. More conversations with soldiers and better attendance at Mass. There's a GreenBean Coffee shop which is a favorite for soldiers and a good place for talks - we're never too far from a latte! We had double digits for Sunday Mass, which may sound low, but for a new time and with the high operations tempo here, not all can come. Often the soldiers' military schedules don't allow them the chance to come more than once a week. So in combat, everyday is Sunday! It's nice to know that they can receive the Eucharist at least occasionally. They deserve that opportunity. I've been on a couple convoys and have seen the city from the ground. (They always ask for prayer before rolling out.) There's a touch of irony when I see an Iraqi walking down the street with his donkey and wagon being past by a BMW. As is the case with any city, there's a wide spectrum of rich and poor, it just seems a bit more obvious here. There's also tons of multi-colored plastic bags all the sides of the road - it almost looks like Madi Gras! It's cute seeing the Iraqi children coming up to the convoy asking for chocolate and footballs! The soldiers here are doing a GREAT job keeping the city peaceful. A soldier from our base was killed last week while on patrol - the horrible affects of war are ever present. After hearing from them, I'm amazed and inspired by the brotherhood of these troops to be able to help and support each other in their grieving and in the preseverance of their mission. On a much lighter note, they feed us very well - once a week it's "surf and turf" - steak, crab legs, and shrimp, etc, etc. They have a great variety of food bars everyday - Indian (which is like home-cooking because the cooks are Indian), Italian, salads, soup, sandwiches, short order, main entre, meat, and desert. We definitely don't go without. If you're a midnight snacker, there's also midnight chow from 12-2am. I haven't gone to that one...yet:-) I get a kick out of the Coke and Pepsi cans being written in Arabic! Here they require us to fill a sandbag before you eat to reinforce the bunkers. It's living out what St. Paul says: Those who do not work, should not eat! It's hard to believe it's been a month of deployment already. I've learned a lot about ministry, soldiers, and myself during this month. Thank you for all of your support, love, and prayers for me and especially for the soldiers I work with. United in Prayer, Fr. Paul June 22, 2008 Dear Family & Friends, Life is good here in Iraq - well, good enough. It's been peaceful here, but it's getting hotter. Yesterday it was 117 and I had no a/c for about 6 hours - yaow!!! A/C is definitely "mission essential" here. It's hard to believe that I've been in the sand for over 2 weeks now. I've had many interesting opportunities to do ministry and to learn about army life in combat. Working at the division level has been interesting to see the brains behind the brawn! You would be impressed and inspired by the technology, mental energy and time that goes into pulling this war all together. We have great leaders here who know what they're doing. We're in good hands. I've had the chance to visit other bases to say Mass for them and to visit with troops. Hearing the Muslim call to prayer when I get done with Mass makes me feel like I'm really in Iraq! My usual form of transportation is helicopter (Blackhawk). It's a great way to see the city of Baghdad from a bird's eye view. Contrary to popular belief, the city doesn't look all blown up. Things are looking up for them and people are moving back, which is good for commerce and morale. Plus the Iraqi soccer team has brought a boost to the city! At the end of last week, I moved to a smaller base - it's in between a sewage plant and a trash dump - it's all about location, location, location! The smell isn't too bad. Actually when they burn the trash, it reminds me of the campfires my family used to have when we would go camping - without the marshmallows of course! There's no priest here, and one hasn't been able to get here lately because of the dust/sand storms. I'll be here for several weeks. My main mission is to provide catholic religious support for the base. I've set up Mass and confession times every day for the soldiers, plus I carry the Blessed Sacrament with me just in case a solider can't get to Mass, but wants to receive Holy Communion. They have a large catholic population here, so I hope to be busy. My new address is: Paul Weberg Phones are a bit sketchy where I'm at, so email is the best way for me to stay in contact with y'all. Don't be offended if you don't hear my voice for awhile. Please drop me an email, pics, etc. and let me know how you're doing. I hope you all are enjoying your summer and are staying above all that water! You are in my thoughts and prayers:-) Peace & Love, Fr. Paul June 11, 2008 Dear Family & Friends, Thanks for all your emails and prayers - they are definitely appreciated! I'm currently in Baghdad after spending a few days in Kuwait. It's hot here, but it is a "dry heat" which helps a lot. There have been a few sand storms already, which makes it seem like you're walking into a hair dryer with sand thrown in. The unit I'm attached to is the 4th Infantry Division. I've spent the last couple days doing paperwork, getting to know the base, how and where to get things, getting introduced to the soldiers here, paperwork, and getting settled into my room. I even took a tour of Saddam Hussein's palace and used his bathroom! That was enjoyable:-) The rooms here are basically a trailer broken down into four rooms, which are shared by a couple soldiers. My roommate is a 1LT from California, also newly arrived. Thank God the rooms are A/C'ed. The bathrooms are about 50 yards away, so you need to plan ahead! The Headquarters, dining area, laundry, water supply aren't far away - a pretty nice setup for combat, if I do say so myself! I'll be going out to other bases to minister to catholic soldiers on a regular basis. Some haven't seen a priest for a couple months. In the next week, I'll be flying by blackhawk helicopter to a couple bases. Here's my address if you'd like to send me mail or a care package (food
is always welcome, but nothing that easily melts): CH (CPT) Paul Weberg I'll try to keep you updated on my travels and experiences here. So far, it's been good, but I'm looking forward to getting my boots dirty (or sandy!). Peace & Joy, Fr. Paul June 9, 2008 Dear Brothers, I'm in the sandbox now. It's hot here, but what's really bad is the sand storms. They're like blowing a hair dryer in your face with sand thrown in! Definitely not a good place for contact lenses. Why do people want to live here?!?! Maybe they don't but they don't have any choice. It makes me appreciate Christ coming to the worst part geographically of human existence not middle class suburbia of the USA! I miss y'all and life in the US a lot. I'm well, just tired and a bit jet-lagged. I should be starting more priestly ministry very soon after they allow me to get adjusted. Peace, Paul May 31, 2008 Dear Friends & Family, I arrived at Ft. Benning, GA this afternoon to start my training for deployment. The heat, humidity, and sand remind me a lot of my summer last year at Ft. Jackson, SC. It even smells the same! The housing is good - air conditioned and a pharmacist roomate who's catholic and is leaving for Germany tomorrrow (hopefully I'll have the room to myself after that!). For those of you who are familiar with Ft. Benning, I'm at the 641st Mobilization Troop Command just off of Sightseeing Road & Way St. The training shouldn't be too intense since I did some of it already. Thank you for your support and prayers. It means a lot - more than you know. I'm excited about the next three months - definitely something new! Peace & Love, Fr. Paul |
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I'm
experiencing now a wide spectrum of the war here in Iraq - from the Division
level to the small outposts. I work with the division chaplain who is
a great man, full of positive energy and the Holy Spirit! He's the one
who coordinates my missions - I usually do about four per week. When I'm
here, I write chaplaincy articles for the division newspaper, prepare
homilies, read & answer your emails (thanks for them by the way!), attend
battle update briefings and other various meetings. The priest chaplains
meet a couple times a month here (see picture). When I'm out at the bases,
things are much more primitive and hands on - hanging out with soldiers,
listening, smiling:-), saying hello, etc. (see picture). Nothing like
portapotties to build community! The saying is very true: it takes an
army to win a war, but if you asked me to choose, I'd pick the outpost
- at least for the ministry.
I
still have my room there and I know my way around, so I won't be starting
completely over again.