Many of us know Fr Greg Barker as our Vicar General and Newcastle Parish Priest. What we may not fully appreciate, is the life he lived before taking on that role. Fr Greg served six years with the Royal Australian Air Force as a chaplain, a commitment that carried him far from home and into some of the most dangerous places on Earth.

In 2004 he was deployed to Iraq, spending six months moving throughout the Middle East alongside Defence personnel who were navigating the daily realities of war. Through all of it, he did not carry a weapon. What he carried instead was a willingness to stay close to people in their hardest moments, to sit with them in their fear and grief, and to remind them that they were not alone.

Fr Greg speaks about his time in the military with a quiet pride, and it is well deserved. His role demanded something particular of him. A chaplain does not lead from the front or direct operations – although he did have opportunity to do this throughout his training. He walks alongside. He is present when others are falling apart, when the noise of conflict has faded for a moment and a person is left alone with what they have seen and done. That kind of accompaniment is harder than it sounds. It asks a lot of a person, and Fr Greg gave it freely across six years of service.

At our recent Called to Know More session, Fr Greg didn’t talk about war in a way that glorified it. He spoke honestly about what it does to people, and about the responsibility we share, as a faith community, to care for those who serve and their families.

Fr Greg’s session was very well attended, drawing staff and parishioners who came ready to listen and, in many cases, to share. He was not the only one in the room who had known military life firsthand. A number of those present had served in their youth, carrying with them their own memories of conflict. His openness gave others permission to reflect on their own experiences. The questions that followed were genuine and considered.

The timing of the session was significant. With ANZAC Day ceremonies taking place just days later, Fr Greg’s reflections offered perspective. As we prepared to gather and honour those who have served, his words gave us something to bring to that moment, a fuller understanding of what service truly demands of a person, and of the importance of faith in supporting those touched by war.