In addition to his longtime role as a host for the Catholic station Relevant Radio, Taillon is the chaplain for the Narragansett fire and police departments as well as the South Kingston Police Department.
The priest in his new role will be tasked with guiding young men through discernment if the priesthood and U.S. military chaplaincy is God’s call for them.
“The need for military chaplains is profound,” Tallion said. “Most of the soldiers are separated from family, some are separated from their country, from their culture, and the last thing you want to be separated from is your faith.”
A press release from the archdiocese said that Taillon “will have his work cut out for him.”
“The U.S. military continues to suffer a chronic shortage of Catholic chaplains as aging priests retire from all branches faster than they can be replaced,” the release said.
The number of active-duty Catholic chaplains has been cut in half over the past 25 years, with about 190 currently serving. There were over 400 chaplains in September 2001. A quarter of the U.S. military is Catholic, but Catholic priests account for about 7% of the chaplain corps, according to the press release.
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