CHARLOTTE — Honeymooners, refugees, mourners and vacationers can all have at least one thing in common: air travel. Occasionally these travelers need a friendly face, a listening ear, a shoulder to cry on – or just a smile and directions to the food court in the airport.
Airport chaplains provide an essential ministry for these sometimes confused, weary or overburdened travelers. Their work is somewhat hidden in the rapid-paced environment of the world’s airports. But they are there.
Two of their associations came together for the 51st annual conference of the International Association of Civil Aviation Chaplains Sept. 4-8 at the Omni Hotel.
Sixty-two members of the IACAC and the National Conference of Catholic Airport Chaplains from 10 countries and eight declared denominations had four days to form friendships, share best practices and learn more about how they can minister to world travelers.
“We are a mobile nation. Think of how much we move in basically a given year and how important those airports are and how important those airport chaplains are as beacons,” said Archbishop Jerome Listecki of Milwaukee, who serves as the airport chaplains’ liaison with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Both Archbishop Listecki and Bishop Peter Jugis were present at the conference’s opening Sept. 4 at St. Peter Church in Charlotte.
Archbishop Listecki shared that he believes people approach a chaplain, priest or deacon in the airport because there is a longing to affirm something that they know in their hearts: “There is a longing to address a problem that they might have. You never know what that problem is going to pique.”
Local conference host, Deacon George Szalony, executive director of airport chaplaincy at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, served as emcee for the opening ceremonies. He has worked in airport ministry for the past 10 years.
“We are thrilled to do it. This is a tremendous bunch of people to be with. We all do the same thing. We all hang out on the fringes. We respond to people when people need help,” he said.
Australian airport chaplain Mary Holloway, who traveled the greatest distance to attend the gathering, said, “Attending the conferences is really part of being a chaplain because it is really quite a unique ministry and it can be quite lonely. When we come to the conference, we are very connected to people who are doing similar work to us. It is important to come, no matter how far it is.”
Holloway’s father was the first chaplain in the southern hemisphere. He began his ministry at the Melbourne Airport in 1969.
“It’s been in my blood for a long time,” she said.
Holloway said what she loves most about serving in the airport chaplaincy is interacting with people.
“Because that is what it is about. It is about people. You do have to like people. You need to be able to develop relationships with people, to be open to them. Because we are multi-faith, we deal with people whomever they are; we make no distinction for race, or religion or culture. You have to be sensitive to those things. They know you are there.”
She said that some of the people who look to airport chaplains more consistently are Muslims, which she finds interesting.
“They know you are Christian but they also know you are there for everybody,” she noted.
A recent study conducted at the airport in Melbourne where Holloway serves has yielded positive comments about the airport chaplaincy.
“The value of the chaplaincy has come up repeatedly: that we are there for everybody, that we don’t make distinctions. That is a great accolade for us,” she said.
Holloway shared that some of the challenges that arise in airport chaplaincy are loneliness, especially because many chaplains serve in ministry by themselves. “You have to have a good support network of your own. You have to be grounded in your own faith.”
Marieke Meiring is an airport chaplain from Amsterdam attending the international conference for the third time. Her airport welcomes over 68 million passengers a year.
“I enjoy being able to help people who are not able to continue with their journey literally or sometimes emotionally,” Meiring said. “Sometimes they miss their family and they are in a strange environment and they don’t know where to go.
“Certain problems can be solved themselves, but some are not possible to solve themselves or they just need a listening ear or someone to assist practically. Just to (help them) connect to the next step. It’s very helpful. When they don’t know how the day was going to end and (you help them) to see a little bit of light,” she explained.
People come to the meditation center in the Amsterdam airport sometimes just to focus on something peaceful or to enjoy a quiet moment with God, she said. “It helps them to leave a lot of stress behind.”
Being the face of God for travelers is at the heart of Father Michael Zaniolo’s airport ministry. He is the president of the National Conference of Catholic Airport Chaplains and serves at Chicago O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport – two of the busiest airports in America.
An airport chaplain for 17 years, Father Zaniolo said he has learned that people are usually happy to see a chaplain.
“Everybody’s happy, because of the 45,000 people who work there, they know they can see me anytime they want because they know my hours. Especially if it is something difficult – somebody gets killed on the job in an accident, or someone going through something difficult, I tell the managers to have them see me.”
Father Zaniolo spends a lot of time wandering around inside the airport, encountering people where they are, and that makes his ministry different from other kinds of priestly ministry.
“Generally as a priest you wait for the people to come to you – they come to church, they come to fill out wedding paperwork. But at the airport you have to go out and search for everyone,” Father Zaniolo said.
“Whether they are Catholic or not, they see me dressed like this (in my clerics) and my airport badge and they know I am someone they can talk to. I hear a lot of confessions. It’s just a great place to be a priest.”
Deacon Patrick Devine and his wife Michelle of the Diocese of Charlotte have been serving in airport chaplaincy for several years. Michelle recalled how just this past weekend a gentleman passed away unexpectedly from a heart attack at another airport and his family came to the Charlotte airport to receive his body.
“That was one of the first times that I have had a sense of the importance of having a chaplain at the airport,” Devine said.
“I have enjoyed working at the airport with my husband for the services. People are so appreciative. They are so happy to have the resource of the Church, whether it is the Catholic Mass or a Communion service… It has been very inspiring to me,” she noted.
IACAC’s president Father George Lane lit a candle at the opening ceremony signifying the beginning of the conference, and he thanked all those responsible for welcoming the chaplains to Charlotte.
“As airport chaplains we know the transforming power of hospitality and welcome,” Father Lane said. “I pray that we will grow further together, recognizing one another as members, one of another. I will light this candle to celebrate that despite and because of our differences and distinctiveness, we can shine with the reflective light of God’s truth, God’s mercy and God’s hospitable and transforming love for God’s people everywhere in every corner of our world.”
The chaplains were treated to a concert by the Perpetual Hope Gospel Choir of Our Lady of Consolation Church during the conference opening ceremony Sept. 4.
Their closing number was “This Little Light of Mine” – which the airport chaplains, beacons of light and comfort to travelers around the world, greatly enjoyed and expressed their appreciation by giving the choir a standing ovation.
— SueAnn Howell, senior reporter
Learn more about the airport chapel at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport: https://cltairportchapel.org/
