Bringing faith to the frontlines, the Apostolat Militaire International (AMI) supports Catholic military personnel worldwide. Established 60 years ago to promote reconciliation after World War II, the Apostolate remains a steadfast beacon of hope and guidance.
Leadership and Mission
Admiral Matthieu Borsboom leads AMI with a wealth of military experience and profound Catholic faith, faithfully advancing the organization’s mission.
Admiral Borsboom explains, “We deliver strategic advice on the big questions. The questions on just war, on the ethics in the military domain concerning, for example, lethal autonomous weapon systems, killer robots, artificial intelligence. So these are the big issues. At the strategic level, these are the two pillars: individual Catholic military and the strategic advice level.”
Catholic Military Connect App
To stay connected and spiritually nourished, AMI developed the Catholic Military Connect app. This tool offers prayers, testimonies, and answers to faith-related questions.
“We constructed this app, which contains, say, the direct questions, very fundamental questions and short answers,” Borsboom continues. “And besides that, young military are looking for idols, icons, influencers. So who are the influencers in the Catholic Church? The Saints.”
“We selected military Saints like Francis of Assisi and Joan of Arc,” Borsboom explains. “We also have prayers for military, specifically for military. To give you an example: a prayer for the enemy. You could say, it’s very strange because we are fighting the enemy, but they are our brothers and sisters of the worldwide people of God.”
Global Reach and Impact
AMI’s reach continues to grow, with resources translated into multiple languages and initiatives addressing conflicts like the war in Ukraine.
Borsboom notes their efforts for the war in Ukraine, saying, “What we did for the Ukrainians was to translate the app into the Ukrainian language. It’s now launched for Ukrainians as well. And we also are starting up programs to see if we can assist them in helping to deal with moral injury.”
Annual Conferences and Family Support
The Apostolat Militaire International hosts annual conferences that tackle the unique challenges of military life. This year’s event in Kenya will focus on the impact of military service on families.
With the Catholic Military Connect app and annual conferences, AMI stands as a pillar of support for Catholic military personnel, guiding them through the challenges of military life with faith and resilience.
Adapted by Jacob Stein
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