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Kusala Ratana Karuna is only the second Buddhist
police chaplain in the U.S.
Police Chaplains: Faith On the Beat
When
the Rev. Kusala Ratana Karuna gets ready for duty as a police chaplain
in Garden Grove, California, he puts on his bulletproof vest and stuffs
two items into a pocket over his heart: an extra slice of body armor and
a photo of Kwan Yin, a religious figure beloved by Buddhists. "Using
both the body armor and Kwan Yin," he says, "I thought was the
way to go. You can never have too much protection."
Kusala, a Buddhist monk, is part of a 10-member volunteer force which
also includes a Muslim, a Mormon, a rabbi, pastors and priests.On call
24 hours a day, the chaplains offer comfort, advice, spiritual support,
or just a shoulder to cry on when lives are affected by crime or tragedy.
They spend many hours riding in cars with police officers, ready to put
their training into action to help save a life, intervene to resolve conflicts,
pray with accident victims and their families, help troubled citizens
such as runaways, or simply provide a calming influence when tensions
arise. Though they come from specific religious backgrounds, when chaplains
are working, each is "chaplain" for any person, regardless of
faith or religion.
God loves men and women who put everything on the line for others. Police
chaplains across the nation are fine examples of selfless, courageous
service. Spirituality has its place in every corner of society. God bless
those who risk their lives to bring light into even the darkest of corners.
More info about police
chaplains
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