Archbishop of the U.S. military says Catholic soldiers should not serve on firing squad
- Archbishop Timothy Broglio orders Catholic soldiers to request exemption from firing squad duties.
- Church leadership slams planned livestream of Nidal Hasan's execution as a moral stain on the military.
- Execution of Fort Hood mass shooter set for December 3rd.
- Broglio questions the optics of broadcasting state-sanctioned death to the world.
Brief Summary
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the head of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, has issued a stark directive to Catholic soldiers: stay away from the firing squad. Following the scheduled execution of Nidal Hasan—the Fort Hood shooter who slaughtered 13—Broglio is demanding that Catholic military personnel request exemptions from the death squad, citing church doctrine.
Why This Matters
This clash highlights a growing tension between military duty and religious conscience that could complicate staffing for high-profile state executions. By questioning the public broadcasting of the event, the Archbishop is forcing a national conversation on whether the military’s reputation is compromised by turning justice into a digital spectacle. You should pay attention because this sets a precedent for how religious objections might be used to challenge standard military orders, potentially creating a legal and logistical headache for the Department of Defense.