BETHESDA, MD – The Franciscan priests and friars of Holy Name College Friary of Silver Spring, MD, are back on the job ministering to patients at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center after a two-month interruption in pastoral service due to a now-resolved contract issue.
His Excellency, the Most Reverend Timothy P. Broglio, J.C.D., Archbishop for the Military Services, USA, today announced the U.S. Defense Health Agency (DHA) has awarded a new five-year contract renewable annually to the Franciscans, who had served the medical center as chaplains for nearly 20 years before their contract expired and was awarded to a secular defense contractor without the means to provide Catholic clergy in April, just days before Holy Week, prompting Archbishop Broglio to call the move an encroachment on service members’ First Amendment Right to the Free Exercise of Religion.
Confronting these concerns, the DHA reopened bidding in May and on June 8 awarded the Franciscans a new contract. The Franciscans returned to Walter Reed on Tuesday, providing the same service as before with a team of five friars taking turns on-site six days a week to minister to those hospitalized.
In a statement, Archbishop Broglio expressed his gratitude to the U.S. Army Chief of Chaplains for his role in resolving the controversy. Archbishop Broglio said:
“I am very grateful to the Army Chief of Chaplains, Chaplain Thomas L. Solhjem, MG, USA, for his personal intervention and interest in resolving the question of Catholic pastoral care at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He moved quickly to assure the presence of additional Catholic priests from the Army Reserves as soon as the contract with the Franciscan Friars ended. He also made certain that the needs of Catholics were addressed in the renegotiation of the contract.
Of course, it is a source of great joy that the Franciscans have returned to the medical center and care for patients and staff there.”
Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is one of many medical centers within the Department of Defense and the DHA whose pastoral care lies within the ecclesial jurisdiction of the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, the only Catholic authority for endorsing and granting faculties to Catholic priests and chaplains to serve in the U.S. Military.
