OFFICIAL HONORED

MSGR. DONALD RUTHERFORD, a priest of the Albany Diocese who retired in 2015 as the U.S. Army's chief of chaplains, has been made one of the inaugural members of the Army's Order of St. Martin of Tours.

The award, given to Army chaplains and religious affairs specialists, honors those who embody the legacy of St. Martin. The fourth-century saint was an officer in the Roman army who gave half his military cape to a shivering beggar; later, Christ appeared to Martin in a dream, wearing the cape, which led to Martin's conversion. St. Martin founded a monastery and became bishop of Tours, France. He is identified with military chaplains.

Msgr. Rutherford, a two-star general, was chief of chaplains from 2011-15 and also served at the Pentagon, as a command chaplain in Germany and Iraq, and in many other roles. He served in Operations Iraqi Freedom, Desert Thunder, Hurricane Andrew Relief, Desert Storm and Desert Shield.

He is currently the Diocese's moderator of the curia, ensuring diocesan departments' accountability, collaboration and fulfillment of tasks. He received the Order of St. Martin of Tours July 26 in a ceremony at the Pentegon, along with several other retired chiefs of chaplains and other noted military personnel.

Pictured here, Army chief of chaplains Maj. Gen. Paul Hurley presents Msgr. Rutherford with his award.