MANAMA, BAHRAIN — His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, and President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), on Saturday wrapped up a nine-day pastoral visit with U.S. Military members and Catholic clergy stationed on the Persian (Arabian) Gulf. During his Jan. 27-Feb. 4 visit, Archbishop Broglio spent five days in Kuwait at Camp Arifjan, Camp Buehring, and Ali Al Salem Air Base. Later he flew to Manama where he spent four days at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain.
While in Kuwait, Archbishop Broglio called on the Apostolic Nuncio to Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar, the Most Reverend Eugene Nugent originally of Ireland. The two brother bishops are former colleagues in the Holy See’s diplomatic service, where Archbishop Broglio once served as Apostolic Nuncio to the Dominican Republic and Apostolic Delegate to Puerto Rico after completing assignments as Secretary of the Apostolic Nunciature in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, the Apostolic Nunciature in Asuncion, Paraguay, and Chief of Cabinet to Angelo Cardinal Sodano under Pope Saint John Paul II.
Over the course of his mid-winter visit, Archbishop Broglio met with priest-chaplains deployed to Catholic U.S. Military communities in the Gulf region, including Fathers Sojam Parappilly, CH (CPT), USA, the Catholic chaplain at Camp Arifjan, Brendan Mbagwu, Ch, Capt, USAF, the Catholic chaplain at Ali Al Salaam Air Base, Gregory Louis Lesher, CHC, LT, USN, the Catholic chaplain at Naval Support Activity Bahrain, and Keith Wolfe of the Special Operations Joint Task Force Central. His Excellency celebrated Mass, heard confessions, and administered confirmations for U.S. Military personnel and their families, and he spent time mingling with senior U.S. Military leaders and rank-and-file Catholics alike.
On Monday, Jan. 30, in a noon Mass at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Archbishop Broglio told U.S. Air Force members, “It is a joy to be with you at this Air Base where I have spent many a Christmas Holiday. You are obviously committed to the service of others, hence your sacrifice to serve your country and to contribute to the wellbeing of the host nation.” Archbishop Broglio encouraged those gathered in the Rock Chapel to maintain their spiritual health, which “is part of being a person, it is a human element. It affects our relationship with almighty God, and it affects our relationships with others. It is important to be well-anchored in that realm.”
