With the birth of her first child, Retired Army Col. Anita Raines’ had the “typical Army story”: “your child is born, baptized and, literally, the moving van is showing up the next week.”

Her first experience with the military chaplaincy having begun with the baptism of her son at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, this relationship would continue well into her career, from the pastoral care of her family at home to the spiritual needs of soldiers serving beneath her on the front lines — and now in her role as the new chancellor for the Archdiocese for the Military Services (AMS). 

Known for her military leadership and commitment to ensuring the spiritual care of those under her command, she is well-versed in the specific needs of chaplains who serve alongside soldiers in war torn regions. 

“My respect for the Catholic chaplaincy is boundless,” Raines, who served 29 years in the U.S. Army, told the Register. “I am so grateful for all that our Catholic chaplains have done, not only for our soldiers, but for all of our families, and  I am grateful for the opportunity now to serve them as chancellor.”

Raines spoke of the “the generational support of this relationship with Catholic chaplains," beginning with the chaplaincy leading the preparations for the baptism of their oldest child and “having had the blessing of having our first child there, our son.” 

With every new assignment, said Raines, who is married to a civilian Catholic-school teacher, “it was our instinct to first reach out to the Catholic chaplains in our new duty assignments to understand the lay of the land for the Catholic parishes and the schools.”

The chaplaincy relationship for their family shifted over the years, she continued, from helping their family become “established in the new community” with each assignment, to supporting her family during her deployments to South Korea and Desert Storm. When their son eventually joined the Army, the chaplaincy support extended to them now being the “Catholic parents of a son in Afghanistan,” Raines said, centers on “the concerns for his spiritual well-being,” along with “the great relationships he formed with the Catholic chaplains in that deployed setting.”

The vital role of chaplains in the spiritual care of soldiers has been evident in her deployments as well.

“I had soldiers arrayed across eight camps in one of my deployments as a battalion commander in Iraq,” Raines explained. “The Catholic chaplains didn’t hesitate to go with me and my sergeant major on convoys or via helicopter to provide that comfort of celebrating Mass for them in quite uncertain circumstances.”

Having served as company commander and battalion commander across several combat tours during Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom, Raines is well-versed in the complexities involved in caring for the spiritual needs of soldiers in a war zone. 

“I’ll listen with commander’s ears when interfacing with our chaplains and providing for their needs and assistance,” Raines said. “I have that perspective.”

Raines was announced as the new chancellor in June, following nearly four decades as a U.S. Army commissioned officer and civil servant in the Department of Defense. She succeeds Father Robert Cannon, a priest of the Diocese of Venice, Florida, and retired Air Force chaplain who served as chancellor for the archdiocese for the past eight years.

“As you continue to grow in your military years and experience, you’re also a Catholic leader,” she said, highlighting her career, which has included deployments to Korea and Iraq. “All of those experiences were essential in my understanding — as an Army leader, Army Catholic leader, mother, wife of a military family — of how important the spiritual care of our soldiers is.”

“She’s a woman of deep faith," said Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services. “I’ve gotten to know that and to appreciate that over the years that we’ve known each other. And, of course, that’s fundamental.”

The archdiocese serves around 1.8 million registered Catholics, from servicemen on active duty, to military families, to veterans. Unlike territorial dioceses, the Archdiocese for the Military Services’ geographic reach spans the globe. 

As chancellor, Raines will be responsible for Church documents and archives, as well as oversight of the endorsements of military chaplains. She is set to assume the position in September.

Some of Raines’ previous roles within the Church include being a member of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ National Advisory Council (2016-2020) and serving as the chairwoman of its executive board (2019-2020).

Archbishop Broglio told the Register that Raines was “enthusiastic” and “very desirous to assist the mission of the Archdiocese for the Military Services,” adding that they had been discussing the possibility of her working for the archdiocese for some time.

Among the reasons for appointing Raines, Archbishop Broglio said, were her organizational and leadership skills demonstrated by her achievement of the rank of colonel in the U.S. Army. He also cited her concern for Christians in the Holy Land through her involvement with the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre as Lady Commander with Star.

Having served alongside Raines as an active-duty chaplain in Korea, and again in Iraq, Auxiliary Bishop Richard Spencer of the Military Services Archdiocese described the appointment as “the right person at the right time.”

“She offered great leadership to the Catholic community, both as an individual Catholic, but also as a leader, as a battalion commander,” Bishop Spencer told the Register. 

He noted Raines’ commitment to ensuring the soldiers serving under her had access to chaplaincy services, even amid the challenging logistics that come with the dangers of war. 

“She demonstrated great leadership by providing the resources and the personnel to make the chapel program vibrant, but also allowing individuals to attend.”

Father Cannon, who has held the position of chancellor since 2016, will assist Raines during her transition. Archbishop Broglio called Father Cannon an “excellent collaborator” who “contributed very much to the life of the archdiocese.” 

Following his tenure as chancellor, Father Cannon intends to complete his doctorate in canon law. 

In response to the appointment of Raines, Father Cannon told the Register that “she has so many refined professional skills from the Army,” adding that the archbishop has “an eye for talent.” 

“It’s important that she brings the talents that she has,” said Archbishop Broglio, “but also she brings the perspective of a laywoman who, incidentally, has benefited from the ministry of the archdiocese during her time in the military.”

“I have the perspective of a Catholic mom and wife and military family,” Raines said. “I look forward to collaborating and serving with all of our great chaplains and the AMS staff to advance the mission.”

For his part, Father Cannon’s advice to the new chancellor is: “Be ready for the unexpected.”

Bishop Spencer’s advice to Raines as she takes on this new role is to take it “one day at a time,” with the reminder that “Jesus is in control.”