Chatter about which books are used for first Communion prep in Korea fills one corner of the room. Just a few feet away, several Catholic ladies discuss how post-Mass fellowship is done in North Carolina. The fact that both these conversations happen on a U.S. Army post religious center located in Germany is not extraordinary for a particular group of Catholic women.

The Catholic Women of the Chapel (CWOC) are independent chapel-based groups that serve their local military communities under the guidance of a Catholic chaplain. Each CWOC is connected through the Military Council of Catholic Women (MCCW), composing a truly international network of Catholic women either serving in, or connected to, the U.S. armed forces.

The MCCW is a nonprofit subsidiary organization of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS). Located in nearly 220 military installations and communities across the globe, MCCW Worldwide is recognized and endorsed as the official AMS women’s ministry.

Amanda Fox, the president of MCCW, noted that military families move frequently, typically every two to three years, telling the Register: “My family has moved 10 times. My husband served in combat and non-combat deployments. Our story is not unique, but fairly typical. Our military-affiliated women shoulder extraordinary burdens, women who wear the uniform and women who serve by supporting the uniform. They live out their vocations, hold families together, serve their chapels; they deploy; they become the whole home front. They embody the Gospel in motion.”

In many ways, the character and mission of the MCCW is a reflection of the structural organization and purpose of the AMS, the single archdiocese in the United States that specifically supports worship for those in uniform and their families.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio is the current head of the AMS and is based in Washington, D.C. He will be attending the 2026 Mission Ready Forum in the nation's capital, inviting all members of the women's council to attend recently on social media. 

Military chaplains who are both commissioned military officers and Catholic priests are endorsed by the AMS and then assigned by the respective military service. They serve as celebrants in nondenominational military chapels while also assigned to a military unit.

The MCCW works closely with the Chaplain Corps in supporting the mission of the AMS “to serve those who serve.” It is strictly a volunteer association and finances most activities through private donations.

The historic roots of the MCCW began in the years after World War II, when U.S. service members were trying to reconstruct war-ravaged Europe. Informal chapel groups made up of U.S. Catholic women living in Europe came together. By 1985, the military vicariate, the precursor to the AMS, recognized the vitality of the local efforts and formalized the association.

The mission statement of the MCCW-World is “Faith. Fortitude. Formation.” The goal is to equip women, chapel groups and service members with resources to grow spiritually, as well as in leadership and service, by living their Catholic faith with courage and grace wherever they are called to serve.

The Catholic Women of the Chapel (CWOC), the independent chapel groups in association with MCCW, has a presence in different installations throughout the world. Women gather weekly to pray, study and to receive the sacraments. As most personnel associated with the military are often located far away from their family networks, the CWOC provides a vital function of care, support and concern for members.

In many ways, MCCW is more than a ministry; it’s a lifeline for Catholic women navigating the unique challenges of military life. A true sisterhood is built across bases, continents and military deployments.

MCCW retreats are held throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. These are spirited affairs where women across the globe reconnect with friends made during other assignments. In many ways, they resemble a family reunion of people who have shared similar experiences in a highly mobile and sometimes chaotic life.

This past October, the European chapters sponsored a four-day regional retreat in Santiago, Spain. Volunteers came together to provide seminars on faith, community building and leadership training. Bishop William (Bill) Muhm, the AMS vicar for Europe and Asia and a retired Navy chaplain, along with four other priest chaplains, and several religious sisters, attended the retreat.

Roman Catholicism is the largest single denomination in the U.S. military; 25% of active-duty soldiers and families are registered as Catholic. This highly mobile and constantly moving population requires a unique way to organize to ensure an opportunity to practice the Catholic faith and receive the sacraments.

Territorial dioceses, to which most faithful belong, are based on geographic boundaries and residency. In contrast, the AMS, referred to as a military ordinate, is based on a specific group of people because of what they do and not where they live. The territory for the AMS includes military installations, Catholics serving in the federal government overseas, and veterans receiving care in the nation's VA medical centers.

The faith life of our U.S. fighting forces and their families is vital to the readiness and resilience of our nation’s defense.

Evangelization, the sharing of the Good News of Jesus Christ, is the very purpose of the Church. MCCW is in a distinctive place, both geographically and spiritually, to support those who choose to serve our nation and seek to live and worship in the Catholic faith.

Michele McAloon is a canon lawyer and the host of the podcast Cross Word. She can be reached at her website.