About Tinker AFB Chapel · Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Tinker AFB Chapel is the Catholic worship community serving Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City (Midwest City), Oklahoma, under the pastoral care of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. It ministers to active-duty Airmen, their families, civilian employees, and retirees through Sunday and weekday Mass, the sacraments, religious education, and a robust slate of family and resilience programs. The chapel operates as part of the 72nd Air Base Wing Chaplain Corps, whose mission is "to engage units, strengthen families, and shape a resilient warrior culture through faith-based care, spiritual fitness, and strategic partnerships," with a vision of "every Team Tinker Warfighter… spiritually ready and mission focused." In 2023 the chapel welcomed its first active-duty Catholic priest in nearly a decade, signaling a renewed Catholic presence on the installation.
- Established
- 1942 (Tinker Field established 1942; Catholic ministry continuous since WWII era)
- Rector
- Chaplain (Capt.) Roberto Padilla
- Diocese
- Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA
Why belong here
Tinker AFB Chapel is the spiritual home for Catholic Airmen, family members, retirees, and civilians on the installation, with weekly Sunday Mass, weekday Masses on Tuesday and Thursday, and ongoing faith formation for children and adults through OCIA and children's religious education. The chapel couples liturgical life with strong family and resilience programs — marriage retreats, men's and women's Bible studies, weekly community meals, the Latté Lounge junior-enlisted center, and Catholic Women of the Chapel — so every stage of military life has a place here. Pastoral counseling is 100% confidential, anonymous prayer requests are welcomed, and the Blessed Sacrament Room is available throughout the week for personal prayer.
Mass times at Tinker AFB Chapel
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday: 8:30 AM (30 minutes before Mass)
- Tuesday: 11:00 AM (30 minutes before Mass)
- Thursday: 11:00 AM (30 minutes before Mass)
- By appointment (call 405-734-2111)
Adoration times
- Blessed Sacrament Room available during the week (open for personal prayer)
About Tinker AFB Chapel
Tinker AFB Chapel is the Catholic worship center for Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City/Midwest City, Oklahoma, under the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. It serves active-duty Airmen, families, civilian employees, and retirees through Mass, the sacraments, religious education, and family-resilience programs. The chapel community also shares the installation with a Protestant congregation and a wider 72nd Air Base Wing Chaplain Corps.
History
Catholic life at Tinker dates back to the World War II founding of the field and Midwest City in 1942. For decades, ministry was sustained in large part by Benedictine monks from Saint Gregory's Abbey under contract with the Air Force — most notably Father Patrick McCool, O.S.B., who served 1979–2019. In July 2023, Chaplain (Capt.) Roberto Padilla became the first active-duty Catholic priest at Tinker in nearly a decade, restoring a permanent active-duty Catholic chaplaincy presence on the installation.
- 1942 — Tinker Field and Midwest City established; Catholics served by the base chapel and Sacred Heart Church
- 1979 — Father Patrick McCool, O.S.B. (Saint Gregory's Abbey) begins weekend Masses that grow into a full ministry
- June 3, 2019 — Father McCool retires after 39+ years; Archbishop Broglio sends farewell message
- 2019–2023 — Other Saint Gregory's monks continue to cover the Catholic ministry
- July 26, 2023 — Chaplain (Capt.) Roberto Padilla arrives; first active-duty Catholic priest at Tinker in nearly a decade
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Formation programs for both children and adults are held in the Religious Education Facility (Building 5715 / 5701) immediately after Sunday Mass, making faith formation accessible to families who attend the 9:00 AM liturgy together.
- Children's Religious Education (Grades 1–6): Sundays 10:15–11:30 AM, Religious Education Facility Bldg. 5715
- OCIA / RCIA (Becoming Catholic): Sundays 10:30–11:30 AM, Religious Education Facility Bldg. 5701
- Rosary Guild: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2:00 PM, Chapel Rooms 1 & 2
Ministries & Community Life
Beyond the liturgy, Tinker Chapel runs a wide range of family, fellowship, and resilience programs. Many are intentionally designed for the pressures and rhythms of military life, with confidential counseling, marriage and family retreats, and dedicated space for junior enlisted Airmen.
- Weekly Community Meals — 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 5:00–6:00 PM, Chapel Fellowship Center (free)
- Confidential Pastoral Counseling — 100% confidential; call 405-734-2111 duty hours; Duty Chaplain via Command Post 405-734-7313 after hours
- Prayer Support — anonymous prayer requests submitted through 'Pray for Me Chaplain'
- Family Focus — marriage retreats, men's and women's Bible studies, small groups for couples
- Latté Lounge — Airman Ministry Center (junior enlisted, E-4 and below), internet café and recreation area in Bldg. 5715, open Thursday–Sunday afternoons and evenings
- Catholic Women of the Chapel (CWOC) — First Fridays, 10:00 AM refreshments and meeting in Fellowship Hall
- Music Ministry — vocalists and instrumentalists invited for Catholic Mass
Volunteer Opportunities
Tinker Chapel hosts resilience events throughout the year supporting marriages, families, single Airmen, leaders, and spiritual communities, and welcomes volunteers to its music, fellowship, and family programs.
- Music volunteers (vocalists / instrumentalists) for Catholic Mass
- Latté Lounge volunteers — email [email protected]
- Contact the chapel to request or help lead a squadron resilience event
Sacraments & Pastoral Care
The Catholic chaplaincy offers the seven sacraments of the Church as well as confidential pastoral care, with Anointing of the Sick, marriage preparation, and counseling available on request. OCIA prepares adults for full initiation into the Catholic Church.
- Reconciliation (30 minutes before Mass or by appointment)
- Eucharistic Adoration / Blessed Sacrament Room (open during the week)
- OCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Sundays during the formation hour
- Anointing of the Sick and pastoral counseling (by request through the chapel office)
Staff
Pastoral leadership of the chapel is provided by the 72nd Air Base Wing Chaplain Corps, with the Wing Chaplain overseeing multi-faith ministry and a dedicated active-duty Catholic priest and lay coordinator serving the Catholic community day-to-day.
- Chaplain (Capt.) Roberto Padilla — active-duty Catholic priest (since July 2023)
- Chaplain (Col.) Andy Peck — Wing Chaplain, 72nd Air Base Wing (since July 2024)
- Jim Black — Coordinator, Tinker AFB Catholic Chapel community (since January 2012)
- Father Patrick McCool, O.S.B. — retired June 3, 2019 after 39+ years of ministry
Visit, Address & Contact
The chapel is centrally located on base in Building 5701, with the Religious Education Facility and Latté Lounge next door in Building 5715. Access to Tinker AFB requires standard military-installation entry; current badge or pass requirements should be confirmed before visiting.
- Address: Tinker Chapel, Bldg. 5701, 6170 Arnold St, Tinker AFB, OK 73145
- Phone: 405-734-2111
- Email: [email protected]
- After-hours: Duty Chaplain via 72nd Air Base Wing Command Post, 405-734-7313
- Facility Use: requests submitted via the Tinker AFB Chapel Facility Request Form ([email protected])
- Invocations: requests submitted via the 72 ABW/HC Chaplain Request Form ([email protected]), 10 duty days in advance
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Patrick McCool, O.S.B.1979 – June 3, 2019
Benedictine monk assigned through Saint Gregory's Abbey's contractual agreement with the U.S. Air Force; served more than 39 years; first active-duty Catholic chaplains often deployed, so he carried much of the liturgy and counseling ministry.
- Other monks from Saint Gregory's Abbey2019 – July 2023
Per Father McCool's retirement remarks, Saint Gregory's continued to supply Benedictine priests after his retirement while the Air Force sought an active-duty Catholic chaplain.
- Chaplain (Capt.) Roberto PadillaJuly 26, 2023 – present
First active-duty Catholic priest to serve Tinker AFB in nearly a decade; originally from Colombia; previously ordained for the Diocese of Trenton, New Jersey.