Veterans and their family members who are dealing with “soul issues” after returning from Iraq now have a place to go and someone with whom to talk.
Loyola Spirituality Center in St. Paul has added a new ministry called “Welcome Home,” which provides free spiritual companionship with Sheila Laughton, a reÂtirÂed lieutenant coloÂnel in the U.S. Air Force.
Laughton not only served 25 years in the USAF, but she has a husband and son in the Air Force. While her husband, Michael, is stationed in Washington, D.C., and son, Nathan, serves in Minot, N.D., Laughton and son, Sean, 18, take care of the family’s home in Woodbury. They attend St. Thomas Aquinas in St. Paul Park.
“I know what it’s like [to be in the military] from multiple perspectives,” Laughton said. “I know what it’s like to have my life disrupted.”