Catholic Military Bishops Express Concerns Over Planned Execution of Fort Hood Shooter

<p>WASHINGTON— Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who leads the Archdiocese for the Military Services, called on Catholic service members assigned to the firing squad for Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan to request to be excused from this duty. Broglio made this statement on Monday, criticizing the Pentagon's plan to live-stream Hasan's execution. He stated, "I oblige any Catholics assigned to the firing squad to request to be excused from this action contrary to the teaching of the Church.”</p><p>Bishop Joseph Coffey, auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese for the Military Services, supported Broglio's stance, stating, "It’s a terrible idea. There’s a good reason why the US Military has not executed a prisoner since 1961. It’s barbaric. I’m hoping and praying that the SecDef and President Trump change their minds and do not go through with this.”</p><p>The Catholic Church traditionally allowed capital punishment under specific conditions, including the necessity of a legitimate judicial process and the punishment serving the common good rather than revenge. However, modern views within the Church have shifted, with Pope John Paul II stating that execution should be reserved for cases of absolute necessity, and Pope Francis revising the Catechism in 2018 to declare the death penalty inadmissible.</p><p>Pope Leo XIV reiterated this teaching in a recent social media post, emphasizing that the death penalty violates human dignity and that justice can be served without it. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on October 8 that Hasan's execution is scheduled for December 3, coinciding with the anniversary of his 2009 attack that killed 13 people and injured 32 others.</p><p>Hegseth stated, "We’ll make sure that people are able to watch it. That it’s public. Because people need to understand that there’s serious consequences for these types of things!” The War Department declined to comment on the matter.</p><p>Broglio condemned Hasan's attack as an act that disregarded human dignity and noted that he presided over the funeral of one of the victims. He reiterated the Catholic Church's opposition to capital punishment, questioning the moral implications of broadcasting the execution and its potential impact on the military's reputation.</p><p>Broglio also raised concerns about the psychological effects on members of the firing squad and the appropriateness of exposing the public, especially young individuals, to such an event. He urged for reconsideration of the decision and for measures to limit exposure to the live-streaming of the execution.</p><p>Vice President JD Vance expressed skepticism about the planned public execution, stating he would not watch a livestream and questioning whether it would actually occur. He acknowledged the severity of Hasan's actions but maintained his personal stance against watching the execution.</p>