A US military archbishop, Timothy Broglio, calls on Catholic service members to recuse themselves from the firing squad scheduled to execute Nidal Hasan, the convicted Fort Hood shooter. Multiple outlets report that Broglio says Catholics should ask to be excused from the duty, arguing it conflicts with Catholic teaching on the death penalty.
Several reports also highlight that the Pentagon plans to livestream the execution in December. CBS and The Guardian note Broglio’s criticism extends to the proposed broadcast, describing the planned participation and livestreaming as contrary to church teachings. Other outlets focus primarily on the instruction to Catholic soldiers, citing Broglio’s role overseeing pastoral care for Catholic members of the US armed forces and military chaplains.
While all accounts centre on Broglio’s statement and the execution plan, they vary in emphasis: some stress the livestream element as “unprecedented,” while others focus on the religious-ethical directive for soldiers in the firing squad.
