Archbishop Timothy Broglio Speaks on Faith, Service, and Moral Responsibility to Gulf Coast Troops

By Terry Dickson

WASHINGTON D.C.  – Catholic service members face unique challenges in living out their faith while fulfilling their duties, says Archbishop Timothy Broglio, Archbishop for the Military Services USA. In a recent interview in his office in Washington, D.C., Archbishop Broglio discussed how Church teaching intersects with the realities of modern warfare, as well as military life on the Gulf Coast.

Born in 1951 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, Archbishop Broglio attended Catholic schools in Cleveland before earning a Bachelor of Arts in Classics at Boston College, and advanced degrees in theology and canon law from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Ordained a priest for the Diocese of Cleveland in 1977, he served in parish ministry and as a theology lecturer, followed by diplomatic service in the Apostolic Nunciatures in Ivory Coast and Paraguay.

From 1990 to 2001, he worked at the Vatican as Chief of Cabinet to Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Secretary of State to Saint Pope John Paul II. He was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico in 2001 and was named Archbishop of the Military Services USA in 2007. Fluent in English, Italian, Spanish, and French, he has served in leadership roles with the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and on the boards of numerous Catholic institutions.

On the question of how Catholic teaching on just war resonates with today’s service members, Archbishop Broglio emphasized the practical difficulties. “It is always a concern. It’s taught in all the academies, but obviously then it has to be interpreted for each concrete situation, which is certainly what we try to do as pastors,” he said.

He further noted that rank-and-file service members face the dilemma of being unable to selectively opt out of military operations: “You can’t selectively disassociate yourself from an activity,” he continued. “It has to be an objection to all war. So that does create a problem for you.”

Regarding guidance for Catholics navigating the morality of modern warfare, the archbishop offered clear counsel: “Try and do as little harm as possible and obviously not to do anything which would be grossly immoral.” On remaining faithful to Church teachings in complex global conflicts, he said, “You have to apply the moral law in every concrete situation…My advice would always be to avoid excessive harm.”

Archbishop Broglio also spoke about the collaboration between the Military Archdiocese and local dioceses, including Biloxi. “We have at least two installations in the Diocese of Biloxi: Keesler Air Force Base and the Naval Construction Battalion Base,” he said. At some locations, such as the Seabee Base, the Archdiocese relies on local priests to provide ministry due to limited Navy chaplain resources. At Keesler, military chaplains generally provide support, with occasional contracts for additional coverage.

Clarifying the Guard’s role, Archbishop Broglio explained, “The Guard is my responsibility in terms of endorsing who can serve as a Catholic priest in the guard, but they don’t really depend on me until the Guard is federalized.”

Local parishes play a key role in supporting military personnel and families. “A military member is always free to go to a local parish for the sacraments, for religious education,” he explained. “We depend very much on the welcome that they’ll give and also that understanding and support because sometimes the military member might be deployed.”

On integrating military families into parish life, he said, “By taking into consideration their specific needs, by welcoming them, by recognizing that they’re only going to be there for a short time…those are the kinds of ways that they can help.”

On cultivating a consistent prayer life in high-pressure training environments, the archbishop observed, “Perhaps when the going gets particularly intense, that perhaps also intensifies the prayer as well. Yes. People want to survive, and they want to look for the support that Almighty God offers.”

Archbishop Broglio also addressed the issues of burnout, anxiety, and moral injury, noting, “That is a tremendous concern, and we try to by provide counseling. We’ve also tried, as an archdiocese, to offer training to our priests on moral injury and also on post-traumatic syndrome. Those are things that we have to address constantly.”

He discussed new forms of warfare, including the latest technology that has changed its dynamics. “If you’re operating a drone, and at five o’clock you go home, after perhaps even eliminating someone, you don’t have the same kind of support that you have in a deployed location,” he said. “You go back almost as if you came back from, you know, a job in the bank. And so, I think that makes us all the more intentional about trying to help soldiers, airmen, sailors in those situations.”

To support military families facing frequent relocations and separations, he recommended practical help. “Sometimes even helping a parent watch [their] children as they attend to some sort of need,” he said. “Those things can all be great, great, great help for military families.”

Looking at the faith lives of today’s service members, Archbishop Broglio, is encouraged.

“I’m given hope by the kinds of questions they ask,” he reflected. “Certainly, by the willingness…young service men and women going into the priesthood or a religious life. Those are tremendous signs of hope. And I think the commitment that they have not only to serve the country, but also to grow in that faith life…those are all good signs of hope.”

He concluded with gratitude for local troops: “I’m very grateful for what they do…[and] wish them well and thank them for the service that they render to the country. And also, I hope, their contributions to the local communities, the local Catholic communities as well.”