Archbishop of the U.S. military says Catholic soldiers should not serve on firing squad

The Associated Press

Updated Mon, October 12, 2026 at 2:04 PM EDT

FILE - Military Services Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, speaks during a press conference at a plenary assembly in Baltimore on Nov. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough, File)

Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who oversees the Catholic Church's pastoral services to Catholics in the U.S. military, is condemning the proposed livestream of the firing squad execution of Nidal Hasan.

Broglio, in a statement Monday, also stipulated that any Catholic soldier assigned to the U.S. Army firing squad should ask to be excused from that duty, which he described as contrary to the teachings of the church. He joins other Catholic leaders in speaking out against the death penalty and the livestream plans.

Hasan, an Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people in 2009 at Fort Hood in Texas, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad on Dec. 3.

Broglio recalled that he presided over the funeral of Michael Grant Cahill, the only civilian killed in that attack.

The crime committed by Hasan "was heinous, but does exposing the public to his execution serve any purpose?" Broglio asked.

"The US military generally enjoys a good reputation in the world," Broglio added. "Is there really a value to throwing them in the same boat with terrorists by broadcasting the image of the execution of a man in a wheelchair to the whole world?"

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Full interview: U.S. Military Archbishop Timothy Broglio on Iran

 

 Full Transcript

Archbishop for U.S. Military Says It’s ‘Morally Acceptable’ for Troops to Disobey Orders Amid Escalating Trump Threats

by
Connor Greene

Editorial Fellow

Archbishop Timothy Broglio conducts an Easter Sunday Mass at Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, Sunday, April 12, 2020.Jose Luis Magana—AP Photo/File



The archbishop for the U.S. military services said that it “would be morally acceptable” for troops to disobey orders that go against their conscience as the Trump Administration ramps up its military actions and threats, joining other prominent Catholic leaders in sounding alarms over President Donald Trump’s aggressive foreign policy moves.

“It would be very difficult for a soldier or a marine or a sailor to by himself disobey an order,” Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio told the BBC Sunday. “But strictly speaking, he or she would be, within the realm of their own conscience, it would be morally acceptable to disobey that order, but that’s perhaps putting that individual in an untenable situation, and that’s my concern.”

When asked if he was “worried” about the troops in the archdiocese he oversees, Broglio responded: “I am obviously worried because they could be put in a situation where they’re being ordered to do something which is morally questionable.”

Broglio, who has served as the head of the Washington, D.C.-based archdiocese of the U.S. military since 2007, specifically pushed back against Trump’s repeated threats to annex Greenland.

“Greenland is a territory of Denmark,” the archbishop said. “It does not seem really reasonable that the United States would attack and occupy a friendly nation.”

Read more: Trump Warns There’s ‘No Going Back’ on Greenland and Accuses U.K. of ‘Act of Great Stupidity’

A number of other high-ranking Catholic bishops and Pope Leo XIV have also raised vocal concerns in recent weeks as U.S. forces deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the President has levied threats against several other countries and territories, including in his renewed push to acquire Greenland. The Pope, who—along with a number of U.S. bishops—has also challenged Trump’s immigration crackdown, recently condemned a “diplomacy based on force” in an annual speech at the Vatican.

Supreme Court Justices attend annual Red Mass

Sep. 30, 2012 1:00 PM ET

By STACY A. ANDERSON, Associated Press  

Cardinal Archbishop of Washington Donald Wuerl, bottom center, speaks with U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, left, as Justices Elena Kagan, center right, and Stephen Breyer, top right, all talk on the steps of the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle after the 60th annual Red Mass at in Washington on Sunday Sept. 30, 2012. The Red Mass is held traditionally in Washington the day before the Supreme Court’s new term opens. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)

WASHINGTON (AP) — An American archbishop has reminded a congregation that included six Supreme Court justices Sunday to be open to the spirit of God, beg for his blessings and "strive to be instruments of a new evangelization."

The Archdiocese of Washington says Justices John Roberts, Antonin Scalia, Elena Kagan, Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas and Stephen Breyer were at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle for Red Mass, celebrated the Sunday before the Supreme Court begins its new term.

The Most Rev. Timothy Broglio, archbishop for the military services, said the Mass was also "a moment to pause and pray for those who serve our country and foster justice for all."

The John Carroll Society, a group of Roman Catholic Washington professionals, has organized the Red Mass at the cathedral since 1953.

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On DC's Red Sunday, A Call "To Look For the Good"

In the 60th edition of a classic rite of Washington autumn, this morning saw six of the nine Justices of the US Supreme Court fill the front pew of St Matthew's Cathedral for the capital's annual Red Mass, held as ever on the Sunday before the first Monday of October, when the Supremes' new term begins.

Led by Chief Justice John Roberts – the second Catholic ever to hold the post – the top-bench delegation was rounded out by Associate Justices Anthony Kennedy, Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan. 

Organized by the District's venerable John Carroll Society of Catholic lawyers – named for the founding bishop of these States – and always celebrated by the city's archbishop, given the crowd, the DC Red's guest preacher could well be considered American Catholicism's most prestigious annual speaking gig.

Along those lines, following in the recent footsteps of Tim Dolan, Gus DiNoia, Dan DiNardo, Peter Sartain, Seán O'Malley and the Venerable Ted, this year's pulpit honors have fallen to the capital-based Archbishop of the Military Services, the Cleveland-born Timothy Broglio, a career Vatican diplomat now charged with the spiritual welfare of some 1.5 million American Catholics either in uniform or on government service abroad, a flock far younger than practically any other in the Stateside church.

In the midst of a heated election season and an epic church-state showdown over the parameters of religious freedom on these shores, here below is the full text of Broglio's homily, as prepared for delivery.

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No Homosexual “Marriages” at West Point Chapel

11 October 2011

While homosexual ceremonies may be permissible on military institutions according to the Pentagon, it appears that ruling may not extend to the Catholic chapel at West Point.

Taylor Henry, spokesman for Archbishop Timothy Broglio — who oversees all Catholic chaplains in the US military — said

the Holy Trinity chapel at the famous military school is a Catholic parish, unlike the non-denominational chapels that are found on other military installations, and that the only services held there are Catholic services.

Since the Roman Catholic Church “does not perform the sacrament of matrimony for same-sex couples,” no such ceremonies will take place at that institution, Henry said.

In addition, consistent with the military’s message on the matter, Henry explicitly said no Catholic chaplain would be performing similar ceremonies of “unions between individuals of the same gender resembling marriage.”

Broglio also noted what some are saying is an inconsistency between the military’s recent policy and the Defense of Marriage Act:

“The Pentagon’s new policy, as outlined in these two memos, appears to ignore the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which was signed into law 15 years ago and remains in effect.”

Similarly, Chaplain (Col) Ron Crews (USA, Retired) said

“I do not understand this administration’s lack of appreciation for law,” he says emphatically. “And Congress has already sent messages to the Department of Defense to remind them that federal installations are federal property and therefore subject to federal law.”

Frequent pundit LtCol Bob Maginnis (USA, Retired) went a step further:

He stresses that such officials are paid by the federal government, and he believes that even if the ceremonies are conducted by chaplains as private citizens, they will still be violating the law, “because a chaplain is on duty 7/24; they’re never off duty — just like every soldier, sailor, airman, and marine in the armed forces today. So that’s important to understand when you put this particular issue in context,” he says.

His step further may be a step too far, as the military generally recognizes a distinction in what military members do in their private versus official capacities. (For example, servicemembers can attend political rallies, but only apart from their official capacities.)

For his part, Chaplain Crews represents the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty, which reportedly represents 2,000 of the approximately 5,000 chaplains in the US military. Along with the Catholic chaplains, they will also not be performing homosexual ceremonies in military chapels.

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Catholic Archbishop Tries to Stop Pro-Gay Military Policy

Catholic Archbishop Tries to Stop Pro-Gay Military Policy

By Cliff Kincaid June 7, 2010

Although some news organizations have suggested that repeal of DADT is a done deal, the repeal legislation has passed the House and the Senate Armed Services Committee but must still be acted upon by the full Senate.

Reacting to passage of pro-gay military legislation in the Congress, the Catholic Archbishop for the Military Services says repeal of the Pentagon’s homosexual exclusion policy would sanction “immoral activity” and “jeopardize morale, good morals, unit cohesion and every other factor that weakens the [military] mission.”

In a late-breaking development that could imperil the ultimate passage of legislation to open the military to open and active homosexuals, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the chief shepherd of Catholics in the United States Armed Forces, has issued a powerful statement saying that the Bible demands disapproval of homosexuality and that “Under no circumstances can they [homosexual acts] be approved.”

Appointed as Archbishop of the Military Services on November 19, 2007, by Pope Benedict XVI, Broglio is in charge of certifying Roman Catholic chaplains to the United States government.
Refusing to beat around the bush in regard to the Bible’s condemnation of homosexuality, Broglio says in his statement that, “Basing itself on Sacred Scripture, which presents homosexual acts as acts of grave depravity, tradition has always declared that ‘homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered.’ They are contrary to the natural law.”

Broglio’s June 1 statement has been ignored by the pro-homosexual media, which want to create the public perception of overwhelming public support for the presence of homosexuals in the military. But his statement, issued just a few days ago, is starting to get the attention of Catholic news organizations and bloggers.

The authoritative statement not only has the potential to stop repeal of the policy known as “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” (DADT) in its tracks, but it puts Catholic politicians such as Rep. Patrick Murphy of Pennsylvania on notice that they are promoting an immoral policy that jeopardizes their standing in the Catholic Church.

Murphy, the main sponsor in the House of the repeal legislation, has claimed that, as an Iraq war veteran, he knew gays who have served the military and that they should be able to do so openly.

But Broglio, issuing his statement in response to chaplains and commanding officers expressing “concerns about the effects of a change,” makes it clear that a vote for repeal violates church teaching and would put Catholic chaplains and troops in a situation in which their own rights to religious freedom would be violated.

The implication is that Catholic chaplains who remain true to the Bible and church teaching could be forced out of the services or silenced if DADT is repealed.

In this regard, Broglio is raising an issue that was highlighted in a letter to President Barack Obama and Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates from more than 40 retired military chaplains. Their letter asserts that DADT repeal would not only threaten the religious liberty of chaplains but service members as well.

We saw how the pro-gay policy would be exercised in practice when Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, an ordained minister and a Marine Corps veteran, was disinvited to a military prayer breakfast because of his opposition to homosexuals in the military.

Perkins asked, “If I was blacklisted merely for supporting existing law, what will happen to those who oppose the new, politically correct law?”

Despite what may be required under repeal of DADT, in terms of discrimination against Christians and the banishment of Biblical notions of morality, Broglio warns political authorities that “unions between individuals of the same gender resembling marriage will not be accepted or blessed by Catholic chaplains” and that “no restrictions or limitations on the teaching of Catholic morality can be accepted.”

He adds, “First Amendment rights regarding the free exercise of religion must be respected.”
The statement sets up a potential confrontation, if DADT repeal is ultimately adopted, with the 285 Roman Catholic priests serving the active-duty military service.

Broglio is extremely concerned about the impact on the troops themselves and raises concern in his statement about disruptions to military order and readiness if open and active homosexuals are forced into the ranks. He accuses members of Congress voting for repeal of putting the demands of a special interest group, the gay lobby, above the well-being and security of our soldiers.

“The effect of a repeal of the current legislation has the potential of being enormous and overwhelming,” he says, adding that “Sacrificing the moral beliefs of individuals or their living conditions to respond to merely political considerations is neither just nor prudent especially for the armed forces at a time of war.”

Those “political considerations” were an obvious factor when the House voted 234-to-194 on May 27 to repeal DADT. Only five Republicans, including libertarian Rep. Ron Paul, voted for gays in the military. In a flip-flop, Paul had previously been in favor of the ban on open and active homosexuals. He said calls from gay constituents had changed his mind.

In addition to sanctioning discrimination against Christian chaplains and soldiers, repeal of DADT would give special rights to homosexual, bisexual, and even “transgendered” military personnel. Indeed, there is a “Transgender American Veterans Association” in existence that is devoted to “educating the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department of Defense on issues regarding fair and equal treatment of transgender and transsexual individuals.”

Under repeal of DADT, transgendered soldiers could demand access to therapy, hormone treatment and sexual reassignment surgery.

Although some news organizations have suggested that repeal of DADT is a done deal, the repeal legislation has passed the House and the Senate Armed Services Committee but must still be acted upon by the full Senate. A vote there faces a possible filibuster, while the House bill with the repeal amendment still faces various difficulties in eventually being enacted into law.
Broglio’s powerful statement, if it is given the publicity it deserves, has the potential to turn the debate in favor of supporters of the current policy.

Cliff Kincaid is the Editor of the AIM Report and can be reached at cliff.kincaid@aim.org

Source: http://www.aim.org/aim-column/catholic-archbishop-tries-to-stop-pro-gay-military-policy/

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