By BARBARA SIMPSON
The news of the decision hit with a big punch. Just before Easter this year, the U.S. Defense Health Agency (DHA) announced that the Franciscan priests and friars of Holy Names College Friary of Silver Spring, Maryland, would no longer minister to patients at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
The news of this was a shock to all concerned. The Franciscans had served military members and veterans at the medical center as chaplains for nearly twenty years. When this move was announced it meant that all Masses, sacraments, and other ministry would be discontinued on March 31.
Instead of continuing the agreement with the Friars, the Medical Center then contracted with Mack Global, LLC. It’s a firm which supplies industrial machinery, raw material, and training equipment. They have no means to provide spiritual ministry to Catholic patients at the facility.
Needless to say, the move got a huge reaction. Twenty-six congressmen wrote to the U.S. Secretary of Defense to demand to know why this happened — “Why was a contract with Catholic priests dropped in favor of a for-profit defense contractor?”
LifeSiteNews reported on the issue fully and it turns out that the reason for the situation was that the original contract had expired and, for whatever reason, was not renewed in a timely manner which would have avoided such a situation.
The situation got national headlines, as well it should have, but at first, there was nothing made public as to how this might be rectified.
The Archdiocese for Military Services was scathing in its response, calling it an unconstitutional move. It went on to say that it would cause “untold and irreparable harm to Catholics who are hospitalized.” It called them “a captive population whose religious rights the government has a constitutional duty to provide for and protect.”
But now, there is good news — it was revealed this week that Catholic priests will be returning to the military hospital. The announcement was made by Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. He said that a new five-year contract has been issued, and it is renewable annually to the Franciscans.
He thanked the Army Chief of Chaplains, Chaplain Thomas L. Solhjem, MG, USA, for his personal intervention in resolving the dilemma. Broglio wrote that the chaplain chief moved quickly to ensure additional priests would be at the hospital temporarily until a new contract was signed — and they were.
Now that that legal matter is resolved, priests have returned to Walter Reed on June 14, under the new contract. It provides the same service as before — a team of five friars taking turns on-site, six days a week, ministering to those who are hospitalized.
Archbishop Broglio rejoiced that Catholic priests are once again ministering to the spiritual needs of our veterans. He said, “It is a source of great joy that the Franciscans have returned to the medical center and care for patients and staff there.”
Here is the complete text of Archbishop Broglio’s statement, as it appears on his website:
“In a statement, Archbishop Broglio expressed his gratitude to the U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains for his role in resolving the controversy. Archbishop Broglio said:
“ ‘I am very grateful to the Army Chief of Chaplains, Chaplain Thomas L. Solhjem, MG, USA, for his personal intervention and interest in resolving the question of Catholic pastoral care at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He moved quickly to assure the presence of additional Catholic priests from the Army Reserves as soon as the contract with the Franciscan Friars ended. He also made certain that the needs of Catholics were addressed in the renegotiation of the contract.
“ ‘Of course, it is a source of great joy that the Franciscans have returned to the medical center and care for patients and staff there’,” he concluded.
That this incident got national attention is important for most people had no idea that such religious care is provided to military in the hospital facility and under what circumstances. Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is one of many such centers in the Department of Defense and the Defense Health Agency whose pastoral care is within the ecclesial jurisdiction of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. It is the only Catholic authority for endorsing and granting faculties to Catholic priests and chaplains to serve in the U.S. Military.
One can only hope that the new contract will be followed to the letter and properly renewed when the time comes, so that this snafu doesn’t ever happen again.
As a sidenote, the Archdiocese for Military Services also saluted Religious Freedom Week, now underway:
“Religious Freedom Week takes place June 22-29. The Week begins with the Feast of Saints John Fisher and Thomas More, ends with the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, and includes the Feast of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist. This year’s Religious Freedom Week has the theme ‘Life and Dignity for All.’
“The Catholic Church in the United States celebrates Religious Freedom Week to highlight the importance of defending religious liberty. We are called to follow Christ as missionary disciples by seeking the truth, serving others, and living our faith in all that we do. Let us take a few moments each day to pray, reflect, and take action on religious liberty, both here in this country and abroad.”
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