National Prayer Breakfast continues military tradition

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Abigail Klein
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing public affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan. --  Continuing a national tradition established in 1953, more than 160 members of McConnell observed the National Prayer breakfast at the Robert J. Dole Center Ballroom, March 9.

Inspired by the "prayer breakfasts" established by members of the Senate, U.S. House prayer groups and then-president Dwight D. Eisenhower, the National Prayer Breakfast is meant to unite United States leadership and formally acknowledge the moral and spiritual values foundation of the nation's founders.

"The Pilgrims came to this country seeking religious freedom," said Chaplain (Col.) Conrado Navarro, U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command chaplain and the guest speaker for the breakfast. "This tradition anchors us to who we really are and reminds us of the spiritual foundation our country was founded upon."

The event opened with a prayer by Rev. John Hotze, 22nd Air Refueling Wing auxillary priest, who prayed for guidance on how to use the gifts given to each person, to better serve the nation and its neighbors.

The theme for this year's breakfast, "If We Only Knew," chosen by Chaplain Navarro, was echoed in his speech, which discussed the importance of remaining resilient and positive despite the locations in which people may find themselves, particularly military members.

"The theme means that we never know what God has in store for us, we don't have the foresight but if we are not where we are, then we are nowhere," he said.

This was Chaplain Navarro's first visit to McConnell since being appointed as the AMC command chaplain in 2009.

"I can tell from being here that the people genuinely like it here," he said. "I look forward to coming back in the future."

Chaplain Navarro also acknowledged the importance of continuing the tradition of the National Prayer breakfast.

In times of crises, personal or national traditions like the prayer breakfast help people know there is something greater than themselves that they can seek comfort and assistance from, he said.

The luncheon concluded with closing remarks by Col. James Crowhurst, who presented Chaplain Navarro with a Father Emil Kapaun coin and the book, "A Saint Among Us," by the Father Kapaun Guild.

The gifts presented were chosen because Father Emil Kapaun, a United States Army chaplain who died in the Korean War at a prisoner of war camp, Chaplain Navarro's message, paralleled Father Kapaun's message.

The event closed with a benediction by Chaplain (1st Lt.) Quentin Genke, 22nd ARW Protestant chaplain.

For more than 50 years, the National Prayer Breakfast has drawn together the presidents, members of the Cabinet, the Supreme Court, Congress, the Diplomatic Corps, leaders in the fields of business, labor, education and science from every state in the Union, the Armed Forces and military leaders from each service.

In some form or fashion, this idea has spread to more than 70 countries and to every continent on the planet, which also hold the breakfasts annually.