---

SEEKONK - The Rev. John Amaral, who officiates at Christian Assembly Church on Fall River Avenue, also serves as the chaplain for the Seekonk Fire Department.

Amaral, 51, won the job after meeting Fire Chief Alan Jack, who felt Amaral "would be a great asset to the department."

Previously, Amaral had worked with the members of the Rehoboth Fire Department.

The experience has been a positive one for Amaral, who is well respected by the men and women he has worked with.

"They are real people," Amaral said. "They love doing what they do." Amaral, who was born in Portugal, immigrated to the United States in 1969. After living in Fall River for a few years, Amaral and his family relocated to a small town in Texas. A brief stint as a missionary in Brazil followed, and Amaral experienced a spiritual awakening of sorts.

Amaral was ordained as a reverend in 1985, got married, returned to Brazil with his wife to perform more missionary work, an then settled in Seekonk in 1987.

Amaral is a member of the Massachusetts Corps of Fire Chaplains, an organization of ministers from different denominations and backgrounds. Amaral has training in crisis management, and has had to comfort firefighters suffering from serious injuries.

"We're there to help them," Amaral said of the chaplain's responsibility to the firefighters.

Amaral works with the Red Cross to find housing for fire victims, and also provides counseling for families who have been affected by disasters.

Amaral said his mission is simple.

"We're there when you need us," Amaral said. "That's what the ministry is all about."

Joseph S. Siegel covers Seekonk for The Sun Chronicle. He can be reached at joesiegel@cox.net.