“[Hegseth] definitely wants to return the chaplaincy to responsibility for religious services, religious instruction, and advising the commanders,” Broglio said in a speech at the Catholic Information Center in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 28.
In December, Hegseth ended the use of the official spiritual fitness guide, which he said never mentions virtue and only references God once but makes 11 references to “feelings” and nine to “playfulness.” He said the guidelines were “pushing secular humanism” and were a disservice to military service members who have religious faith.
“Our chaplains are chaplains, not emotional support officers, and we’re going to treat them as such,” Hegseth said at the time.
Broglio noted in his speech that when George Washington set up the chaplaincy, he wanted the chaplains to do two primary things: “He wanted them to meet the spiritual needs of the faithful and he wanted them to tell him the truth [in advising the command], and that is still the function of the chaplaincy in the United States military.”
“Our priests who are chaplains have very clear ideas about what their responsibilities are,” he said. “They know what a priest is supposed to do and they understand the needs of Catholics in the military.”
The archbishop echoed Hegseth’s sentiment about the prior spiritual fitness guide and the effort to “reduce the chaplaincy to either … social work or cheerleading, none of which is really the chaplain’s job.”
He said the defense secretary’s shift will “reduce the notion of them being social workers — because we already do have social workers on military installations, who do their jobs very well.”
Broglio said he is “very hopeful” about the shift, which will allow chaplains to focus on their spiritual ministry “above and beyond everything else that they might ask the chaplains to do.”
Chaplain contract situation, priest shortage
The archbishop also reported improvements to problems that arose last year, when the U.S. Army canceled contracts for religious educators, administrators, and musicians, saying in his speech “the contracts are gradually being reestablished and we’re getting people to fulfill those roles.”
In October, the archdiocese warned that the contract cancellations were staining the Catholic ministry in the Army. Although the Army said the needs would be filled with federal employees, such as religious education directors, the archdiocese said this would be inadequate, because the Catholic ministry requires Catholics who are properly trained by the archdiocese.
Broglio said in his speech that Hegseth and the White House had been interested in resolving the issue and bringing the contracts back. Broglio told EWTN after the speech the archdiocese is waiting to formally declare that the issue has been resolved but that things are moving in the right direction.
The archdiocese, however, is still facing a priest shortage, similar to what the broader Church in the United States and globally is facing. He said there are about 190 priests in the archdiocese, but “we should probably have about 500 to actually meet the needs.”
“We don’t have enough priests,” the archbishop said, noting that the archdiocese is “global” because “the United States has troops all over the world.”
One way in which they’ve tried to respond is by establishing Team Saint Paul, which is present on four military installations so far. He said the group, which was established in 2021, “they just invite Catholics to practice their faith — so almost an extension of what happens in the chapel.”
“They do that with Bible studies, they do it with meals, outings, invitations to come to Mass, and it’s very much on its first leg, but it is a great sign of hope … and hopefully [it] will grow,” Broglio said.
Just war doctrine in the military
Broglio also expanded on the role of chaplains advising the military command and noted it is important to advise decision-makers about when military action can be just and when it would not be just.
Commenting on Catholic just war doctrine, he said the doctrine focuses on three main areas: the criteria to start a war, conduct during a war, and justice after the war.
“It dictates that conflict must be a last resort, [it must be] declared by a proper authority, [it must be declared] for a just cause, such as self-defense, [it must have] a reasonable chance of success, and [use] proportional force,” the archbishop said.
During President Donald Trump’s second term, Broglio expressed concern about some military actions and rhetoric from the administration, specifically on the destruction of alleged drug boats off the coast of Venezuela that killed 126 people and threats to annex Greenland from Denmark.
In an interview with BBC earlier this month, Broglio spoke about “morally questionable” orders, saying that for some soldiers, “within the realm of their own conscience, it would be morally acceptable to disobey that order.” Yet, he said doing so would be “putting them in an untenable situation.”
However, he told EWTN after his speech that a soldier would need “to do a lot of studying and a lot of preparation” to conclude an order is unjust. He said when advising on matters of just war, that is a matter chaplains should be discussing with the military commanders.
By 
Yes, yes, but about the fourth criterion for a just war—weighing the likely outcome—St. John Paul II offers a sobering and inspiring insight on patriotism and national identity. At the front end of the Second World War an isolated Poland accepted the solitary burden of going to war against Hitler “despite the clear inferiority of her military and technological forces. At that moment the Polish authorities judged that this was the only way to defend the future of Europe and the European spirit” (John Paul II, “Memory and Identity,” Rizzoli, 2005, p. 141).
And, about the rest of the five just-war criteria, what exactly is a first strike in a war versus a pre-emptive action against a very likely(?) future war? The calculus today is not five-siloed, but possibly must deal with convoluted, interactive, and split-second circumstances, as even in a seemingly isolated, domestic, street-level assembly/ demonstration/ protest/ disruption. Surely, the moral and institutional lenses for a just war MUST BE soundly respected, but quickly, especially when the layered and global concoction is so volatile, and cross-wired, and slippery-sloped as today— but what are we really looking at?
SUMMARY: What is a contemporary and allegedly preventive “police action,” and what is a “war” in the less tactical and more mobilized, and more historical sense?
Yes, being a Pole particularly, I have always questioned the “likelihood of success” component of just war thought. There are other historic situations where it would seem the better choice also might have been to go down fighting for a doomed cause rather than not fight. I’ve always respected the nobility of the Sioux warriors of the northern plains who chose to go on fighting rather than follow Sitting Bull onto the reservations. That is not a criticism of Sitting Bull or those who followed him, they sought to save their women and children, but given the sort of life that has prevailed on many reservations, I still wonder which path was best. The general rule of likelihood of success may apply in many cases, but not all.
St. John Paul II offers a sobering and inspiring insight on patriotism and national identity. At the front end of the Second World War an isolated Poland accepted the solitary burden of going to war against Hitler “despite the clear inferiority of her military and technological forces. At that moment the Polish authorities judged that this was the only way to defend the future of Europe and the European spirit” (John Paul II, “Memory and Identity,” Rizzoli, 2005, p. 141).
Today the war against against Europe is being waged by the transnational bureaucrats of the EU, who criminalize patriotism and use unlimited invasion as a way to extirpate national identity and culture.
“Broglio also expanded on the role of chaplains advising the military command and noted it is important to advise decision-makers about when military action can be just and when it would not be just”, as assigned by the founder of the military chaplaincy Commanding Officer George Washington.
Thank you for posting this article.
After listing criteria for a just war the Catechism of the Catholic Church, #2309 states, “The evaluation of these conditions for moral legitimacy belongs to the prudential judgment of those who have responsibility for the common good.”
It is possible that those making that determination might make a mistake. But, I believe that chaplains have just as much chance of getting it wrong.
In the six month lead up to the first Gulf war there were many articles written in religious publications quoting bishops’ opinions on whether a war with Iraq would be just – some bishops saying yes and some saying no. My position was that surely whether a member of the military was fighting a just war or an unjust war could not depend on what diocese he was from.
The position of the Church is that clergy can provide the moral principles, but the laity have to apply them to particular situations.
Crusader. The most definitive clerical voice condemning both the first Gulf War 1991 and vehemently the second Gulf War 2003 was John Paul II.
Father, not sure what your comment has to do with chaplain recommendations or with what the Catechism says, or the differing statements of the bishops.
Pope’s make prudential judgements, “prudential” judgements being episcopal speak for what we laymen know as personal opinion, sometimes worthwhile and sometimes not, i.e. see Pope Francis – 2013 to 2025.
A chaplain can and should offer advice when warranted to officers. When I was with the military as a simple infantryman, a Catholic chaplain with officer’s rank gave a talk to the battalion addressing moral issues. One, at that time, was his direct reference to prejudicial treatment by the officers corps toward Blacks and Italian Americans. I can assure you Crusader this was quite pertinent to me.
Military chaplains receive officers rank generally first lieutenant or captain. Although they don’t exercise military authority. And it’s not unreasonable as said to expect that there may be instances when they offer advice on moral issues when warranted.
Although, to you point whether there should or can be opinions on a just war you’re correct. That level of advice should be left to the Military Ordinariate, and not to his subordinates. Archbishop Broglio was within his competency to express his views.
Crusader: While your basic premise is correct, that a nation’s government has responsibility for ‘implementing’ the common good, the magisterial Church [the Military Archbishop in conjunction with the Roman pontiff] has the responsibility for defining the common good in respect to the conditions of a just war – regardless of mistakes made by previous churchmen. What is true does not lose its validity due to error.
Furthermore, it could be argued that the destruction of Iraq as a viable state ushered in ISIS, and upsetting the balance of power it regionally empowered Iran. That second Gulf War also resulted in the disintegration of the thriving ancient Christian Churches in union with Rome. Catholicism was integrated within Iraq some holding key positions.
Attacking Greenland would be an illegal order. It should be disobeyed. Absolute loyalty to a corrupt leader is intellectually and morally bankrupt. Just ask Field Marshall Keitel, General Jody, etc.
Another non-sequitor. Who’s talking about attacking Greenland?
Trump implies the use of military force. He employs veiled threats against our allies. The epitome of insanity.
It’s well known (or should be) that Trump, for decades, has used a simple tactic in pursuing negotiations: make outrageous (even morally problematic) demands, and then work back to the middle. I’m not defending it; just describing it. He’s not going to invade Greenland.
Yes, I understand this. It’s one thing to operate this way with Russia, but not Denmark or Canada. It smacks of gangster tactics, threatening people’s families to get what you want. We already have bases in Greenland, so this whole episode was unnecessary. I do not appreciate the whole gangster schtick. Of course, his mentor was Roy Cohn, mob lawyer and immoral man.
Carl. When I served in the military, our chaplains were very available. Bishop Brogilo’s efforts to restore the number of priest chaplains in today’s moral landscape can be daunting.
Between 1970 and 2024, there were about 25,000 fewer priestly vocations, a drop of 40%, according to Georgetown University.
I wouldn’t trust Trump not to invade Greenland. He is obsessed with TACO insecurity.
See my article on his flip/flop on Greenland and on his serious impact on our NATO mission and world order .
During his speech at the Davos World Economic Forum, Trump ranted off topic, ingratiating himself in the presence of startled world leaders. This event, and many others, proves he is in mental decline and can’t be trusted.
Godspeed.
It’s classic Donald Trump shtick. Aim high, settle in the middle.
William, your mention of refusing to execute illegal military orders reminds me of DOD Secretary Hethseg causing turmoil when he wanted to re-up and demote astronaut and retired Navy Commander Mark Kelly and other retired military who followed the UCMJ. Uniform Code of Military Justice.
“Attacking Greenland would be an illegal order. It should be disobeyed. Absolute loyalty to a corrupt leader is intellectually and morally bankrupt.”
Hegseth is totally under Trump’s control and unfit to serve. “since 2015 when combat arms standards were changed to ENSURE FEMALES could qualify, must be returned to their original standard.
Last year, he called all 800 4-star and below flag officers to DC for a pep talk.
Also, last year, in his continued trek for power, Trump ordered trans soldiers to be isolated and purged from the military. A senior officer did the investigation and found a well tuned force. “The Department of Defense under Secretary Pete Hegseth has ORDERED military officials to “immediately’ review MEDICAL RECORDS for TRANSGENDER service members to begin removing them from service.” Will they be classified as UNDERSIRABLE on their discharge papers???
The investigation showed most TG military personnel had exemplary service records.
Excerpt: U. S. Department of War.”This administration has done a great deal from day one to remove the social justice, politically correct, and toxic ideological garbage that had infected our department, to rip out the politics. No more identity months, DEI offices, dudes in dresses. No more climate change worship. No more division, distraction or GENDER DELUSIONS. No more debris. As I’ve said before and will say again, we are done with that shit. It’s completely unacceptable to see FAT GENERALS and ADMIRALS in the halls of the Pentagon.”
AT HIS DIRECTIION, No more beardos. No more fags.
The following URL gives Hegseth’s full text. It is exhausting and fraught with “at my direction”.
https://www.war.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/4318689/secretary-of-war-pete-hegseth-addresses-general-and-flag-officers-at-quantico-v/
Trump renamed the Department of Defense to the Department of WAR. I would argue that the return to the word WAR is an aggressive word and not uniting with our allies.
Seems there is no decision with Trump’s flip-flop of using force on Greenland. In arguing in favour of seizing Greenland, Trump has mentioned the threat of Chinese and Russian vessels around the island, even though Denmark says there is no threat “today”.
Watch this space.
“Trump renamed the Department of Defense to the Department of WAR. I would argue that the return to the word WAR is an aggressive word and not uniting with our allies.”
Nothing like a sanctimonious soliloquy.
We don’t have “allies”. Alliances are formed by similarly oriented, similarly situated peers. We don’t have peers, we have dependent parasites who use their welfare states to attract mass invasion in order to oppress their native citizens.
Just a week ago, in “The Hill”:
NATO chief wishes ‘good luck’ to those who think Europe can defend itself without US help
by Associated Press – 01/26/26 9:26 PM ET
And today, a Spanish politician open discussed replacing native Spaniards with unlimited immigration.
“Trump renamed the Department of Defense to the Department of WAR. I would argue that the return to the word WAR is an aggressive word and not uniting with our allies.”
Nothing like a sanctimonious soliloquy.
We don’t have “allies”. Alliances are formed by similarly oriented, similarly situated peers. We don’t have peers, we have dependent parasites who use their welfare states to attract mass invasion in order to oppress their native citizens.
Just a week ago, in “The Hill”:
NATO chief wishes ‘good luck’ to those who think Europe can defend itself without US help
by Associated Press – 01/26/26 9:26 PM ET
And today, a Spanish politician openly discussed replacing native Spaniards with unlimited immigration.
As a former professional soldier, I greatly appreciate Bp Broglio’s sensitivity about advising soldiers about just war. It shows that he appreciates the situation of someone who, by sworn oath, has given up some of the liberty natural to a civilian. I think “just cause” and “post conflict” analyses are best directed to the political leadership which gets us into the wars and determines their courses. Only in extreme cases would these be germane to the individual soldier. Political, ideological and personal opinions are not extreme cases. The most relevant advice to an operational commander would be “jus in bello”; ie just conduct of the war. Especially today when modern armies are so incredibly lethal and decision making is pushed down as far as possible (there are compelling operational reasons for this so don’t start any conspiracy theories). Note: almost everyone on a modern battlefield is an “operational commander” of some kind. Much more can be said about this; glad to see that people are thinking constructively about it.
Archbishop Broglio sounds very positive. Indeed there are cases where governments or their laws should not be obeyed (where they seriously contravene natural law, for example). Individual soldiers ultimately ought to follow guidance from the Church if a serious doubt arises. Archbishop Brogolio appears to be giving good advice concerning recent events.
So military personnel should be defying orders because the Obergefell decision created a state imposed a counterfeit of marriage that seriously contravenes natural law?
I do look to Archbishop Broglio for spiritual counsel, but I don’t turn to Pete for it. The SecWar’s staff failed to prepare him. The Army’s chaplain manual deserves an overhaul; however, anyone who reads it critically (actually reads it) knows the Sec statement is misleading & it’s important to consider the Army supports a pluralistic community—the manual doesn’t tie the hands of priests, but it does avoid embracing explicitly any one faith, which shouldn’t surprise anyone living in the US or anyone who’s ever donned the uniform. Virtue & playfulness were total red herrings. Consider the title of the late great James Schall, SJ: On The Unseriousness Of Human Affairs: Teaching Writing Playing Believing. Playfulness is actually a virtue for crying out loud. We even pray with these words, traditional Benedictine monks write about the essential nature of play, and Thomas does too.
The Secretary decries that the Army Spiritual Fitness Guide (SFG) mentions “playfulness—whatever that is.” But the glossary defines playfulness, which is actually a virtue, and then immediately laments that the SFG never mentions “virtue,” which is misleading because the term basically means strength or power and “strength” appears 66 times in the SFG and from the start is used in a way interchangeable with virtue. I fear that the Secretary has never read the SFG, but instead relied on a staffer to write his speech divorced of ministerial experience. The SFG is named Fitness, a sign that we want our service members to be strong, ie virtuous. I would totally be ok with reviewing it and even revising it, but this announcement is overly politicized, the tone of a partisan news personality. “Spiritual Fitness is the conditioning of a Soldier’s spirit towards readiness—to fight and win in war and life” (SFG, p7). Sounds like virtue. “A Soldier may possess strength without purpose, but such strength pales compared to that of a Soldier guided by purpose, who then develops strength to achieve spiritual readiness for combat” (SFG, p10). This is an approachable way of addressing the need for a diverse Army to unite for the ultimate purpose, to provide for the common defense, ideally through faith, which is not a requirement to serve in our military. It doesn’t prevent faith, but does signal to the audience — chaplains — that their role is crucial in driving all service members to find their inner purpose, the voice of God, to secure the blessings of liberty. “Spiritual fitness is embodied in the motto’s beginning and ending word: BE. To ‘be’ is to exist” (SFG, pp10-11). Sounds like I AM Who AM without quoting the Old Testament. This is approachable for the uninitiated but easily recognizable as Christian or Jewish to the initiated.
Hegseth is a TV guy and all about appearance. He has never run a large organization, but had a Fox talk show. The quintessential empty suit.
For somebody that provides a regular supply of predictably partisan commentary, you at least made an attempt to cloak this one in verisimilitude. Nonetheless, below a thin veneer is one of your predicable TDS rants.
Any serious student or practitioner of management knows that prior experience with management of large organizations would be beyond useless in an organization that can’t be managed using traditional methods.
The DoW has always been a minefield of internal and external corrupting influences. Outside vendors lobbying legislators, some of whom can’t pass a mirror with imagining themselves themselves behind the POTUS lectern, flag officers looking for C-suite positions or director’s seats post retirement, the list is endless.
And then there’s the mission drift that began with Clinton who used the military as a distraction, Bush who used it an instrument of nation building experimentation and Obama and Biden using it for DEI/CRT social engineering.
And then there’s the long standing inaudibility of the DoW. If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it. But of course as Catholics we are aware of that problem in the form of the Vatican bank.
Hegseth, unlike Austin who went AWOL to conceal his health issues, or others who lacked management experience such as Cohen, Panetta, Hagel and Carter understands the need to reorient the DoW to history, lethality and physicality. He doesn’t just issue orders; he leads by example and goes and does PT with enlisted personnel.
And your management credentials?
I’m thankful our great President has stopped the parts of China’s long march into the Western Hemisphere in Panama and Venezuela. Africa’s already a lost cause with them there. Securing the Arctic area is equally important for our next generations and our long term survival.
The alternative is to simply cooperate with China in their global takeover just as our Vatican has cooperated in their takeover of the Church in China. How’s that working out?
Broglio (I refer to him as Broglio since he is quoted here as referring to the Secretary of War as Hegseth) needs to focus on all the many problems in the Church he is ordained in and has actual responsibility for and presumably expertise in.
No churchman can be said to focus on his duties to the Church without giving guidance on universal principles that civil society must also observe. Civil society must ultimately submit to the Church’s judgement on these principles. The bishop is right to express reserves about the morality of recent military adventures.
Miguel, you’re speaking hysterically again. Calm down. Reason, my friend.
Why is Catholic teaching hysterical?
I saw the Navy lose its contracts several years ago. The changes were gradual- first it was cost cutting then loss of chaplains due to “up or out” policies for chaplains with seniority. Then loss of contracts with priests who were mostly retired from military service. The problem got worse when the chief of chaplains for the Navy was a female. Secularization took over many chapels including loss the Tabernacles holding the Eucharist. They also “hid’ the Tabernacles in closets in chapels even back on the 1980’s! I am the wife of a retired Master Chief and remember when they no longer allowed an appointed Extraordinary Minister to carry Consecrated Hosts at sea on submarines, then removed all stateside priests from chapels except with deployed or deploying units, on the carriers or overseas. Archbishop Broglio has been a good leader but he himself never served as a chaplain. I do know that the decrease in number of chaplains had a lot to do with ‘up or out” policies and even when in done for promotion, many were not promoted. Most bases were affected greatly by the change in policies towards gay service members and worse still during the Biden years with the acceptance of so called “trans’ policies in the service, as these were downplayed as being an issues for Catholic priests.
Attacking Greenland would be an illegal order, but that does not change the fact that no such order has been given. Thank you, Archbishop Broglio for this uplifting good news!
I’m looking forward to hearing about the illegality of the invasions being launched by Central and South American countries against U.S. Sovereignty.
How about if we were to invade Greenland, we just call soldiers “undocumented immigrants” and insist that are provided with food and shelter.
Natural Law would necessitate a preemptive strike in defense of innocents to thwart a reasonable and imminent threat in response to the question to how much evil should the innocent suffer before defending the innocents.
So, we have to destroy a village to save it? The twisted logic of George W. Bush. Oh yes, “weapons of mass destruction” and other horse manure.
Harry, please!
“I’m thankful our great President has stopped the parts of China’s long march into the Western Hemisphere.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said, “Tell Trump Greenland is not for sale.”
Your Great Leader is awash in illegal and immoral deeds that are impossible to fathom. His enormous capacity to lie and spew hate is beyond the pale that I may run out of ink!
Trump went off the deep end when he placed his name over JFK’s on the Kennedy Center. Now he is shutting the center for two years and costing taxpayers $200M. Some say he is focusing on his legacy. His name on the Lincoln Memorial and his Bust on Mount Rushmore.
Left-wing naysayers argue Trump is the problem. NO! He is the symptom. The sources are his sycophant enablers… GOP congress, unashamed billionaires, and MAGA nuts.
Ink low… How can we ignore Trump’s most egregious crimes? A convicted criminal sitting at the Resolute desk. Incited the January 6th US Capitol riot, causing the deaths of Capitol police, and then pardoning over 1500 convicted criminals of the invasion. He even thought of pardoning himself.
Sorry, I ran out of ink.
Be well.
Harry, really!
“I’m thankful our great President has stopped the parts of China’s long march into the Western Hemisphere.”
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen tells Trump Greenland is not for sale and it will not be taken by military force.”
Your Great Leader is awash in illegal and immoral deeds that are impossible to fathom. His enormous capacity to lie and spew hate is beyond the pale that I may run out of ink!
Trump went off the deep end when he placed his name over JFK’s on the Kennedy Center. Now he is shutting the center for two years and costing taxpayers $200M. Some say he is focusing on his legacy. His name on the Lincoln Memorial and his Bust on Mount Rushmore.
Left-wing naysayers argue Trump is the problem. NO! He is the symptom. The sources are his sycophant enablers… GOP congress, unashamed billionaires, and MAGA nuts.
Ink low… How can we ignore Trump’s most egregious crimes? A convicted criminal sitting at the Resolute desk. Incited the January 6th US Capitol riot, causing the deaths of Capitol police, and then pardoning over 1500 convicted criminals of the invasion. He even thought of pardoning himself.
Sorry, I ran out of ink.
Be well.
“Sorry, I ran out of ink.”
Truly an occasion for rejoicing.
But you misspelled I D E A S.