BOSTON -- Rev. Paul Shaughnessy's ministry these days is a long, long way from the St. Peter's parish neighborhood in Worcester, Mass., where he grew up.

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Now, on any given day, the Jesuit priest's typical "day at the office," involves traveling over 30,000 square miles across Iraq, serving the U.S. Marines stationed there.

Shaughnessy, 58, is a priest, but his rank is commander, and his duties range from saying Mass to hearing confession and everything in between.

"It's a great opportunity to practice the priesthood in a very challenging and interesting environment, and I knew there was a great need for priests, so I was very happy to come into the chaplain corps," Shaughnessy said.

What he loves about the mission?

"The travel, the variety of situations and the opportunity to minister to a cross-section of the country," Shaughnessy said in a phone interview from Iraq.

The work, he said, is "challenging" but also "great."

The Holy Cross graduate is on his fourth deployment to Iraq as a Marine chaplain, this time with Regimental Combat Team 5 based at Camp Ripper, Al Asad, Iraq.

Most of the troops to whom he ministers are young, many between 18 and 30 years old. Many are newly married and wrestling with separation issues. Shaughnessy teaches them catechism, helps with marriage preparation, conducts services and counsels on any number of issues, the range of which is limitless. The troops he serves, however, genuinely seem to want and need his help.

"Usually young Marines, the newly married, making sure that their marriage life is healthy and, you know, the separation it causes some Marines some difficulties. It's their first deployment. They're young and they're married. You try to keep their morale up," Shaughnessy said.

"They're interested in spirituality and religion," he said. "You get all sorts of inquiries about life, religion, about your belief system ... they have a lot of great questions about life, your philosophy of life."

They're interested in baseball, as well. A true son of Massachusetts, Shaughnessy has been following the Red Sox' pursuit of another World Series this year, along with all the troops who, he says, have been avidly watching to see which teams take home the pennants this fall.

He knows the Sox have a tough opponent in the Tampa Bay Rays, but he has faith.

"It's going to be difficult," he said. "The Red Sox have really hung in there."

His prediction? The Sox will win, of course. It almost goes without saying he'll be saying a prayer for them.

Not only does Shaughnessy work with the troops, he's also had opportunities to meet with local religious leaders, the imams, exchanging viewpoints and experiences with them. He said one of the biggest differences between imams and priests is how deeply involved the imams are in the region's politics.

"We're so used to the separation of church and state and here that's an unknown concept. They're an integral part. Any time you go to a city council meeting or any kind of government meeting, they always have their imams with them and it's very integral to their society and their culture," he said.

He notes that in all his travels across the country, he has seen a universality among the people to whom he ministers -- the troops -- and the Iraqi people they seek to protect.

"The love of their children. Their concern for their future, I think, is a really universal aspect of all societies and cultures. They want peace, they want to be able to have some type of existence where they can live in their villages and their communities in peace and harmony," he said. "I really believe that's a common thread of all humanity."

His deployment has not been entirely harmonious. He has seen his share of bloodshed and injuries during his service, especially in the early years when there was intense fighting.

"It was very important to have a priest there. Men were seriously injured and a few were dying in Ramadi, and I really felt that it was imperative that a priest be there," he said.

Overall, he said, he has been impressed by life and events in the "Cradle of Civilization," where he has been able to visit biblical sites from Babylon to Ninevah.

He confirms that it's been "relatively quiet" there recently and said the Iraq war may be winding down to the point where U.S. troops can return home.

"In due course I think we'll be able to leave. It's very quiet right now. The villages are all open. You can go to the markets. You see them selling and buying. Life is returning. And it seems relatively quiet. I think in due course, that will be a distinct possibility," he said.

Shaughnessy's home base is Miramar, Calif., but he said he likely won't be coming back stateside to stay any time soon. Although scheduled to return in early 2009, he said he may request to go to Afghanistan next.

"They need priests in the area," he said.