Religious Advisory Committee to the Services (RACS)

Military Chaplains in Rome for 2025 Jubilee

“Attention to the religious, spiritual and pastoral needs of all Australian Defence Force (ADF) members is a matter of the highest importance.”

The Religious Advisory Committee to the Services (RACS)

(Memorandum of Arrangements between the Commonwealth of Australia, represented by the Chief of the Defence Force, and the Religious Advisory Committee to the Services, 2019)

The relationship between the Australian Defence Force and religious institutions has been in place since the early 1900s leading to the establishment of the Religious Advisory Committee to the Services (RACS) in 1981.

To meet the rapidly increasing divergent faith representation in the ADF, and the various religious needs of the ADF, the RACS has evolved into a multi-faith committee. Its membership represents:

Purpose of the RACS

“The purpose of RACS is to provide religious support, including advice, to Defence so as to ensure that the religious, spiritual and pastoral needs of ADF members are appropriate maintained.” (RACS MOA, para 5, 2019).

RACS Committee

Catholic Diocese for the Australian Military Services

The Objectives of RACS

Provide religious advice.
Lead pastoral care.
Endorse suitable people to become Defence Chaplains.
Monitor content and appropriateness of ADF professional and pastoral education.
Support Chaplains transitioning to civilian life.
Uphold the freedom of all faith groups within Defence.
Support the natural alignment of the various tenants and teachings of its represented faith group to Defence Values.

The Catholic Diocese of the Australian Military Services has been a foundational member of the RACS since its inception, representing not only the Catholic Church but also championing the freedom of all faith groups within Defence alongside RACS’ multi-faith representatives.

RACS in the field

True pastoral leadership requires active presence. Members of the Religious Advisory Committee to the Services (RACS) spend the majority of their time outside the office, deeply engaged in the field. Whether they are advising senior leadership, coordinating retreats, or offering direct pastoral supervision to chaplains, their focus remains fixed on supporting the spiritual readiness of the force.

Our Catholic RACS member remains uniquely dedicated to this outreach, maintaining an active, hands-on presence across faith communities to sustain and inspire our chaplains in their critical duties. Discover examples of our RACS team actively leading and serving in the field below.