Posted on 04/19/2023 6:51:01 PM PDT by marshmallow
WASHINGTON (OSV News) — A leading Catholic lawmaker and religious freedom advocate has called on the Biden administration to support the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services in a dispute over a long-running Catholic pastoral care contract that a leading U.S. military medical center awarded to a secular defense contractor.
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, issued an April 4 “cease and desist” order to Holy Name College Friary, a community of Franciscan priests and brothers in Silver Spring, Maryland, who have served service members and veterans at Walter Reed for nearly two decades. The military archdiocese told OSV News it had tried to get Walter Reed to extend the contract with the Franciscans beyond the March 31 expiration date to cover Holy Week observances, but without success.
“This letter was issued during Holy Week, five days before Easter — the most sacred period for those who practice the Christian faith,” Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., said in an April 14 letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
Walter Reed is one of several major medical centers operated within the U.S. Department of Defense and the Defense Health Agency, so it falls within the pastoral jurisdiction of the military archdiocese. Because the contract with Franciscans expired March 31, Walter Reed directed the Franciscan priests to halt religious services on its grounds.
Smith noted the Franciscan priests and brothers “have a strong record of providing pastoral care to military patients and veterans at Walter Reed” prior to being barred “from providing any form of religious services.”
(Excerpt) Read more at thetablet.org ...
Ping
Good luck with that.
As if.
A Biden cabinet official, going to bat for a Catholic prelate, number one—not going to happen—and moreover, defend a prelate who is clearly so weak and feckless he can’t even defend himself—he’s almost asking DOD to tell him to take a hike.
Not sure it’s just Catholics.
Prior to Covid, I volunteered with a Methodist church group at W.R. and we are STLL not allowed to return!
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