What's Going On At Walter Reed?

I've been following the news releases on the Walter Reed National Medical Center terminating its contract with Holy Name College, a community of Franciscan priests and brothers that had provided pastoral care to service members and veterans there for nearly two decades. Frankly, most of the accounts seem to leave important information out. The most complete is the news release from the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA. I also found the Archdiocese's statement of its mission very helpful. It says in part:

The Archdiocese serves as the sole endorser (certifier) of Roman Catholic chaplains to the United States government. A Roman Catholic priest cannot serve within the United States Military as a priest without the express permission of the Archdiocese.

. . . The Archdiocese is the sole endorser of chaplains for the Veterans Administration hospitals. In 2008, 242 priests were endorsed for service in the Veterans Administration.

. . . Unlike a conventional diocese, the Archdiocese has no parishes or parish registries. Chapels are property of the United States government. Although the Archdiocese exercises jurisdiction over the religious education programs and the celebration of Catholic Liturgy, it maintains no legal jurisdiction over the physical property of the chapel.

What seems to have happened is that the contracting officers at Walter Reed terminated its contract with Holy Name College as of March 31 and substituted a new pastoral services contract with a secular, for-profit company. It then issued a "cease and desist" order to Holy Name to stop providing Catholic pastoral services as of that date, which was just before the start of Holy Week. In response to criticism, Walter Reed told the press on Saturday, April 8,

"Tomorrow, Catholic Easter Services will be provided to those who wish to attend. Services will include a celebration of Mass and the administration of Confession by an ordained Catholic Priest," the statement said. "For many years, a Catholic ordained priest has been on staff at WRNMMC providing religious sacraments to service members, veterans and their loved ones. There has also been a pastoral care contract in place to supplement those services provided."

The Archdiocese's press release, dated Friday, April 7, said in part,

The Franciscans’ contract for Catholic Pastoral Care was terminated on March 31, 2023, and awarded to a secular defense contracting firm that cannot fulfill the statement of work in the contract. As a result, adequate pastoral care is not available for service members and veterans in the United States’ largest Defense Health Agency medical center either during Holy Week or beyond. There is one Catholic Army chaplain assigned to Walter Reed Medical Center, but he is in the process of separating from the Army.

In other words, past the date on which the current Army chaplain leaves the Army, there will be no Catholic chaplain available to Catholics at the largest Defense Health Agency medical center. Without the endorsement of the AMS, no Catholic priest can serve as a VA hospital chaplain. This isn't a service a secular contractor can provide. Separately from the press reklease, AMS Archbishop Timothy Broglio on April 7,

faulted those overseeing contracting at Walter Reed “for not doing their homework on what it takes to ensure Catholic coverage.”

The text of a statement from Walter reed quoted by CNA went on to say,

“Although at this time the Franciscan Diocese will not be hosting services on Sunday at WRNMMC, parishioners of the Diocese while patients at WRNMMC may still seek their services,” the statement concluded.

Clearly there's confusion at Walter Reed about what a diocese is and more particularly the canonical status of the AMS, which has no parishes and thus has no parishioners. The Archdiocese's press statement linked above says,

Ms. Elizabeth A. Tomlin, Esq., General Counsel of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA (AMS), has reached out to the contracting officers at Walter Reed numerous times throughout Holy Week asking for the Franciscans’ Catholic ministry to be reinstated at least through Easter. Walter Reed National Military Medical Center has not responded to these requests from the Archdiocese.

While Walter Reed’s chaplain office claims Catholic care is being provided during Holy Week, the AMS maintains that without Catholic priests present at the medical center, service members and veterans are being denied the constitutional right to practice their religion.

The bottom line seems to be that only the AMS can endorse a Catholic chaplain for a Veterans Administration hospital. Catholics must have Catholic priests to perform key sacraments for the practice of their religion, including the eucharist, confession, and anointing of the sick. A secular contractor has no ability to supply a Catholic priest to a VA hospital. At best, Walter Reed didn't do its basic homework in this matter, especially since about 25% of US service members are Catholic.

Abp Broglio was also elected president of the USCCB last November. At the time, The National Catholic Reporter denounced him as a "culture warrior" and called his election "a mistake". But I think the archbishop is giving the politest possible interpretation to Walter Reed's action in calling it "not doing their homework". I tend to see its action as more of a piece with COVID-based restrictions on religious observance, something that needed to be fought at the time, and something that needs to be fought now. There are people in influential positions who think it's time to wean the human race off religion.

I'll be following developments with great interest.