The next is the total transcript of the interview with Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Navy Companies U.S.A. a portion of which aired on “Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan” on April 5, 2026. The interview was taped on April 2, 2026.
ED O’KEEFE: We flip now to Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Navy Companies U.S.A, which oversees greater than 200 Catholic monks serving as chaplains in the US navy. Thanks a lot for being right here. We actually recognize it, and a part of the explanation we wished to listen to from you is yours is a singular ministry within the sense that you do not oversee a geographic area or any actual vital church actual property, you basically minister on bases and the battlefield. And so given ongoing operations proper now within the Center East, within the Caribbean, in different elements of the world, I am curious, what’s your non secular steerage to a service member who comes searching for it?
ARCHBISHOP TIMOTHY BROGLIO: Nicely, thanks very a lot for the chance, and it’s- it varies relying on, on the place the particular person is. We’re coping with a scenario within the Center East now, for instance, the place the chaplains are nonetheless in place, however most of the dependents have been moved to Europe or again to the US. So that they discover themselves in a scenario the place the devoted to whom they had been ministering are both gone or they’re in motels. In order that adjustments the entire actuality. After which there are others, in fact, who’re with the troops that are- have been moved in. And naturally, their minister- ministry, in a sure sense, is slightly more- slightly extra common, however it’s nonetheless a problem due to the scenario.
ED O’KEEFE: Given that you are a priest ministering to individuals within the navy, I think about a lot of your work, a lot of your focus, is constructed round St Augustine and the thought of simply battle, or when is battle justified, the concept that it is solely waged as a necessity and so that peace could also be obtained, and extra broadly, maybe, that the response is proportional.
ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO: Appropriate.
ED O’KEEFE: That is to gloss over fairly deep teachings, however basically, that is the foundation of it. I do know that after the president, for instance, threatened to take Greenland by power, you had stated in an interview, it does not appear acceptable to invade a pleasant nation, and that such rhetoric tarnishes the pictures of the US. You stated it will be an unlawful and immoral order to kill intentionally the survivors aboard an alleged Venezuelan drug boat if they do not pose a right away deadly risk to our armed forces. So given what is going on on within the Center East, I am curious. Is the battle with Iran justified?
ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO: I might assume underneath the justify- underneath the simply battle concept, it isn’t as a result of whereas there may be a- there was a risk with nuclear arms, it is a- it is compensating for a risk earlier than the- the risk is actually- is definitely realized. And I feel there I might- I might line myself up with Pope Leo, who has been urging for negotiation. I notice additionally that you possibly can say, nicely, with whom are you going to barter? And that, that is- that could be a downside. However within the meantime, lives are being misplaced, each there and in addition amongst our- our troops. So it is, it is- it’s a concern.
ED O’KEEFE: And so if you happen to’re listening to from a service member who says, in case your teachings, in case your steerage is this isn’t justified, what am I to do as a Catholic who’s within the service?
ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO: And that- that is an excellent query, as a result of clearly, the way in which conscientious objection is ready up in the US navy, you can’t object to a particular battle or a particular motion. You’ll be able to solely object to, I am against battle. So I might assume it will depend on the place you’re in the- within the chain of command. Clearly, you already know, the Marine who’s given an order, he isn’t ready actually, to withstand that order. I imply, he has to obey except it is, it’s- except it is clearly immoral. After which he would in all probability have to talk to his, you already know, to his chaplain, to his chain of command. The query is likely to be, would, you already know would- would- would generals or admirals have house to maybe say, can we take a look at this a special approach? However having spoken to a few of them too, they’re- they’re additionally within the same- in the identical dilemma. So I suppose my counsel could be to do as little hurt as you- as you may, and to attempt to protect harmless lives.
ED O’KEEFE: And also you’re approaching this from an ethical perspective. This is not a partisan factor. This is not ideological for you or geopolitical. It is- you are an ethical chief, so clearly somebody within the service who grapples with it will search steerage from you and your brother chaplains. How usually do they arrive to speaking about learn how to search forgiveness, maybe for being a part of this?
ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO: That’s really one thing we have carried out lots of work on as an archdiocese, the entire query of ethical damage. So, I imply, even if you happen to obey a reliable command, however you need to kill somebody, that is going to go away some- some traces in, you already know, in your- in your coronary heart or- or in your soul. And so there we have tried to supply constructions and- and assist to- to individuals in that scenario, to attempt to assist them heal from those- from these conditions. And that is not a query of creating a judgment. It is only a query of therapeutic the person who finds himself in that, or herself, in that- in that scenario.
ED O’KEEFE: Yeah, you clearly, and- and your- and your brother monks are on Pentagon property taking orders clearly via the navy chain of command. There’s been lots of dialog in current weeks, separate from the precise battle itself, concerning the rhetoric of say the Secretary of Protection, Pete Hegseth, who overtly invokes Jesus repeatedly when speaking in regards to the battle with Iran particularly, and has prayed overtly from the Pentagon press room for blessings upon American service members. Clearly his proper to hope in public and nevertheless he sees match. However what do you make of- of that form of focus and- and form of attempting to solid this battle as one thing that maybe Jesus would justify?
ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO: It is- it is slightly bit problematic within the sense that the Lord Jesus definitely introduced a message of- a message of peace and- and in addition, I feel battle is at all times a final resort. Now, you already know, they might have info that led them to assume that that was the one alternative that they had. I am not making a judgment about that as a result of I actually do not know, however I do assume that it is laborious to- to solid this battle, you already know, as- as- as one thing that may be sponsored by- by the Lord.
ED O’KEEFE: And that is definitely one thing the Pope has steered himself, proper? Not- not commenting on the secretary, however commenting on battle typically, that this concept that- that, you already know, if you happen to’re praying for the success of the battle, what’s it he stated not too long ago, he stated, “God doesn’t take heed to the prayers of those that wage battle, however rejects them.” That would appear to place lots of what is going on on proper now in battle.
ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO: It certainly- it definitely would. And I- I flip again to- simply to Paul VI, who- who made only a few journeys exterior of- of Italy, however when he did come to the U.N. he made that dramatic attraction, which- which I noticed reside on tv as a- as slightly child. You understand, j’aime pas la guerre, j’aime pas la guerre, by no means once more battle, by no means once more battle. And- and but, that was in 1965, I feel. Now, so a few years later, we’re still- we’re nonetheless on this scenario. So I feel- I feel I might be in- I feel Pope Leo would undoubtedly assist saying that, you already know, we’ve to discover a scenario the place women and men can sit down and- and- and discover avenues of peace
ED O’KEEFE: In our remaining moments, you clearly minister primarily to Catholic service members, however it is a holy season, Passover underway, Ramadan not too long ago having ended, and in the end on the battlefield, it does not matter to your brother chaplains, whether or not they’re Catholic or Protestant or Jewish, what is the interfaith dialogue like today, particularly at a time of battle?
ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO: I feel it’s- it’s- it’s totally wholesome within the sense that there’s a real want to collaborate. Really, I do know many of the rabbis within the providers, as a result of we often journey on the same- the identical time. For us, Christmas and Easter. For them, Passover and Hanukkah. And so they’re fewer in quantity, so I definitely get to fulfill them, however there’s a real spirit of- of collaboration, and there is a want to facilitate the work of- of chaplains. And I feel that is a very- that is a really wholesome factor.
ED O’KEEFE: Nicely, thanks for being right here on this Easter weekend, and thanks clearly, to your service, not solely to the nation, however to the religion. We recognize you spending a while with us.
ARCHBISHOP BROGLIO: Thanks. Thanks very a lot for the chance.
