Warden Chaplain: Blessing Moose is All Part Of A Days Work
Maine is one of a handful of states that has a Chaplain as part of the warden service. When you think about the variety of tragedies and rescues that most State Wildlife Agencies are called on to perform it seems to make a lot of sense to have a Chaplain as part of the professional staff.
I came across this CNN report on the Maine Warden Service Chaplain Kate Braestrup and her story while wrapped in tragedy with the untimely death of her husband a Maine State Trooper Killed in the line of Duty and the path she took to become a chaplain.
Her husband, Maine State Police Trooper Drew Griffith, was killed in 1996 when a truck slammed into his cruiser about a mile from home, leaving Braestrup to raise their four young children by herself.
Although he was 15 years from retirement, Griffith’s long-term plan was to attend seminary and pursue a second career as a minister. Braestrup took on that dream and went on to become chaplain of the Maine Warden Service, helping people who find themselves in the midst of sudden tragedy not unlike her own.
The entire CNN Story is a good one and well worth the time to read. This sounds like a worthwhile program that more states might want to look at adding. Maine is a big state and it sounds like she travels where ever the need is. She even has on occasion blessed some of the wildlife as well;
And yes, she did on one occasion bless a moose. It happened when she was in Presque Isle and arrived at the scene of one of Maine’s all-too-frequent car-moose collisions. The motorist was unhurt, but the big animal was mortally injured.
At the driver’s behest, Braestrup placed her hand on the moose as it raised its head and then died.
“I said this little prayer, and then I thought, ‘Oh my God, I just did last rites on a moose!”‘
What a cool story. Talk about taking tragedy and giving it meaning.
I didn’t realize that there were Warden Chaplains, but what a great idea. I bet she provides a lot of comfort for some people who are really hurting.
Not to mention blessing the occasional moose.
Comment by Kristine Shreve — August 22, 2007 @ 6:37 pm