Chaplains

The Chaplain's Office

The Center for Faith and Spirituality hosts two spiritual leaders, Reverend David Keck and Father Karl Bergin, on campus. The Chaplains support all students, faculty, and staff regardless of their religious beliefs. Students can visit the Chaplains when they want to discuss spirituality, moral questions, or life's challenges.

Reverend David Keck

Greetings!

As the Chaplain of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, I get to work with young men and women at a critical time in their lives. They have discerned a calling in aviation, engineering, or business, and they are here to study. And they learn not only about mathematics or science but also about their own beliefs and what is truly important to them. Some come from a specific religious tradition (or traditions), while some come from none at all. My goals are for students:

• To deepen their appreciation of their own religious and spiritual background
• To learn about the religions of the world (aviation and aerospace is a global field, after all)
• And to make critical decisions about their own personal religious commitments

Although I am an ordained Presbyterian minister, I work with students regardless of their religious background or affiliation. Some of the best conversations are with students whose experiences of worship are very different from my own!

I have pastored churches in addition to serving as a chaplain, and I’ve taught history, theology, and pastoral care. I’ve written three books: Forgetting Whose We Are: Alzheimer’s Disease and the Love of God; Angels and Angelology in the Middle Ages; and Healthy Churches, Faithful Pastors.

Students here are thoughtful, curious, engaged, and eager. They are discovering what it means to assume responsibilities as professionals and as young adults. I thank God that I get to be a part of their lives for a few years.

Father Karl Bergin

Hello, my name is Karl Bergin, I am a priest of the Diocese of Orlando, Florida. I was ordained in 2004! Currently, I am the pastor at the Catholic Church of the Epiphany in Port Orange, a little south of ERAU! Bishop Noonan assigned me as the Catholic chaplain of ERAU in the fall of 2022.

I have joined a wonderful group at the Catholic Student Union, and beyond. We celebrate Mass every Sunday at 7 pm during the school term. It’s a vibrant celebration with much participation from our group. Monthly, we have Adoration, Benediction, and Confessions (ABCs). I meet with students by appointment as needed. To help me to get to know the students better I have cooked dinners at our church rectory over the year and to date, no one has been poisoned! And some wonderful faith-sharing has taken place.  

This past Easter, five students from ERAU came into full communion with the Catholic Church, and four celebrated the Sacrament of Confirmation. I believe my assignment and ministry is to be a sacramental presence on and off campus to the ERAU community.

My first year has been truly blessed in so many ways but mostly by the community and faith of those I have encountered. My contact information is kbergin@ccepiphany.com

Blessings always.