Robbie Boyle Army Chaplain
As the nation pauses on Armistice Day to remember those who served and sacrificed, Army chaplain Robbie Boyle reflects on a ministry lived alongside today’s soldiers – sharing their hardships, earning their trust and bringing faith and hope into some of life’s toughest moments.
Sitting outside a bar in Pittsburgh late at night, the tough sergeant major shared some of the biggest regrets of his life.
“I’m beyond redemption, Padre, aren’t I?” he asked Robbie Boyle.
“Definitely not!” he replied. “We can all be forgiven.”
The man broke down in tears as Robbie prayed with him.
Encounters like this have become a regular part of Robbie’s life as a chaplain with the Royal Army Chaplains Department (RAChD).
Over the almost six years he has been in the role, he has loved the close relationships he has built with his troops across multiple different regiments.
“My main job is to love my people,” he says.
“Whether we’re out in the sunshine, ankle-deep in mud or on a four-mile hike in the middle of the night, I’m there alongside them. Army chaplaincy is a ministry of presence and once they know and trust you they begin to open up.”
As a former pastor, Robbie appreciates how wide and varied the role is, in which he provides pastoral care, spiritual support and moral guidance.
“When I left church ministry I joked to my wife that I’d love to have a job involving travel.
“I’ve been to 15 countries – including the US three times and Mogadishu in Somalia twice. They didn’t tell me until I arrived, that Mogadishu was the most dangerous city in the world!”
... story continues ...
