1st Lt. Marjana Mair is confirmed as a Catholic at Tigris River Chapel in a ceremony presided over by Chaplain Maj. Tyson Wood.
Posted on 12/27/2009, 7:37:29 PM by NYer
1st Lt. Marjana Mair is confirmed as a Catholic at Tigris River Chapel in a ceremony presided over by Chaplain Maj. Tyson Wood.
You could call it something of a religious trifecta for Marjana Mair.
The soldier from Albany was among seven service members with the 1st Air Cavalry Brigade who just six days before Christmas were confirmed as Catholics while serving in Iraq. 1st Lt. Mair was also baptized and received her first communion.
She was a Muslim for many years but wanted to become Catholic after studying the faith.
"I grew up (Muslim) for 18 years, but when I started studying (Catholicism) I found I related to it ... there was something beautiful about it and I wanted to be part of it," Mair said.
Before being confirmed in a Mass at Tigris River Chapel at Camp Taji, Mair and the others had to take the required classes.
"Over the 20 weeks I learned about the religion through the Bible; what it means to be a Catholic and the way they do things" Mair said. "I felt I had a good grasp of it after that."
Despite being nervous, Mair said she found her baptism to be a moving experience.
"Once Father Wood was up there with me it felt right, I knew I was doing the right thing," Mair said. "It was a beautiful ceremony and will be one the biggest things I take from this deployment."
Chaplain Maj. Tyson Wood presided over the ceremony after getting special permission because of the location and circumstances.
"It was an awesome privilege to do this and I've had the chance to do this every time I've been deployed, which you don't get to do often as a priest ... it was an honor," Wood said.
No mention of the obligatory fatwa that her family issues as a coversion “gift?”
NYTimes: Army Priest Forces Muslim Soldier to Convert!
Wonderful! A very beautiful picture, too; she looks so happy, and so does the priest.
Honor killings can be a bit more difficult if the target has weapons training.
Lt Mair, it is the biggest thing you do in your LIFE!
Very brave of her. I pray she knows the Islamic punishment of apostasy and understands she has been “outed” by whatever media outlet published this story.
Again very courageous of her and in spite of being deployed to an Islamic hot zone.
She’s smiling because she knows she’s free.
Lamh Foistenach Abu!
Welome home Lt. !!!!!!
God is great !!!!
Welome home Lt. !!!!!!
God is great !!!!
This kind of thing always makes me tear up a bit.
Me too. God bless the new converts and God bless Father Wood!
Thanks be to God!!!
Thank you for posting this beautiful story. God bless her always.
Great story!
God Bless Lt. Mair, and all those who were received into the Church!
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