About FRONTLINE FAITH

“The more intense the combat, the more likely the soldier is to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder....Of the 508,000 veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan who have gotten medical help from the VA, almost 130,000 are being treated for PTSD, according to the VA.”

~ Ann Woolner

"Making an effort to bring peace to our troubled veterans"

Bloomberg News

Mary’s Touch™ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Catholic ministry based in Austin, Texas. In 2009, we started The FRONTLINE FAITH™ Project to assist in providing for the unmet spiritual needs of our troops.

The FRONTLINE FAITH Project delivers MP3 players preloaded with Catholic content, especially as it pertains to military service, to members of our armed forces currently deployed or returning from deployment, with special emphasis on injured troops and troops stationed in Iraq or Afghanistan.

For a tax-deductible donation of $24,

you can put a FRONTLINE FAITH player

in the hands of one of our troops.

The FRONTLINE FAITH Players provide almost 7 hours of spiritual content, including an audio rendition of the Mass; various homilies; prayers just for those serving, a recitation of the Warrior Rosary; Christian music; prayers from children; and testimonies from soldiers in their own words about their own struggles and victories in their faith journeys...

...Like the story we heard from Air Force Captain Guy D. Gruters.

During the Vietnam War, Captain Gruters flew over 400 missions and was shot down twice. The second time, he was held captive for five years and three months in Communist POW camps, including the infamous Hanoi Hilton. He and his fellow prisoners of war experienced unspeakable torture and hardship—deprived of even the most basic human needs. Reflecting on those experiences, Captain Gruters, says:

“We were fighting under hopeless conditions, fighting when they had all the physical force, and we had nothing. But our commanding officers were very God-fearing men, and their first orders were that we have a church service every Sunday at noon.

Every Sunday, we prayed an Our Father and recited the Pledge of Allegiance and Twenty-third Psalm. Of course, we prayed all the time because God was our help in every way; but at 12 noon on Sunday, we knew that every other POW, even those in the torture cells, were praying that church service…and this was a source of tremendous strength.”

The times have changed since Captain Gruters served our country, but the spiritual needs of our military brothers and sisters have not.

"As a priest, I travel to many Camps and FOBs (Forward Operation Bases) to offer Mass. I do my best to let the Patrol Bases and FOBs have Mass within 30 days. It will be awe-inspiring to our Soldiers, Airmen, and Navy to listen to their faith (on the MP3s) when they have no possibility of attending Mass. I assure you that our military personnel derive strength from your love and prayers.

May God bless you and your ministry to our military. I find it a privilege to serve with these fine young men and women in uniform; and I will continue as long as God gives me the strength. Blessings. Once again, thank you for all you do."

~ Fr. Simon K. Obeng

Serving with the 10th Mountain Division, Afghanistan

We intend to make a FRONTLINE FAITH Player available to every Soldier, every Sailor, every Airman, Guardsman, and Marine who wants one.

Help us bring our faith to the frontlines.

Your donation is tax deductible.

For more information and to help, please contact

Cheri Lomonte

Director of Mary’s Touch and the FRONTLINE FAITH Project

info@frontlinefaithproject.org

(800) 682-1729

For a donation of $24, you can put a FRONTLINE FAITH player in the hands of one of our troops.

Your donation to The FRONTLINE FAITH Project is tax deductible.

Photo: Father Rocheford celebrates Mass for Marines at Al An, May 2007. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Shane S. Keller.

Photo: Chaplain John Quinn distributes Holy Communion in Iraq.

All military photos courtesy of CatholicMil.org and/or the U.S. Department of Defense.

Mary's Touch is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to advancing Our Blessed Mother’s “YES.” Our work includes production of Mary’s Touch, an award-winning, inspirational radio program designed to bring a greater understanding of Mary, to remind us of Our Blessed Mother’s loving presence in our lives, and help us recognize the healing grace she still brings to this world. The FRONTLINE FAITH Project is an extension of this work. Please keep us in your prayers.