Catholic soldiers firing squad concerns took center stage Monday as the U.S. Catholic archbishop who leads pastoral care for service members advised troops to seek religious accommodation if assigned to the planned execution by firing squad of Nidal Malik Hasan, which the Pentagon has proposed livestreaming.
Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who leads the Archdiocese for the Military Services, objected to the unprecedented plan to publicly broadcast the execution of Hasan, the former Army psychiatrist convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others in the 2009 Fort Hood massacre. Hasan, 56, uses a wheelchair after being shot by responding officers during the attack.
Catholic soldiers firing squad objections and religious accommodation
The Army has scheduled Hasan’s execution for Dec. 3 at 1 p.m. CST at Fort Hood. If carried out, it would be the first U.S. military firing squad execution since 1945 and the first military execution by any method since 1961. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth has said he wants soldiers to carry out the sentence at the same time, weekday and location of the shooting, arguing a public broadcast could deter future attacks.
Broglio, who presided over the funeral of Michael Grant Cahill, the only civilian killed in the 2009 attack, said he grieves the victims but questioned whether the United States should “make a public spectacle” of the killing. He stated that any Catholics assigned to the firing squad should request to be excused, citing Church teaching. Army policy allows service members to seek religious exemptions or accommodations. It remains unclear how the military plans to select members of the firing squad.
The archbishop also warned that a broadcast could harm the military’s global reputation, asking whether there is value in showing the world the execution of a man in a wheelchair. No U.S. government execution has ever been televised, and the proposal has drawn swift criticism from political and religious leaders.
Wider Catholic response to the planned livestream
Archbishop Paul Coakley, who leads the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said he was “shocked” and “sorrowful” over the plan and urged the government to reconsider, calling it a “barbaric” step that would damage the nation’s moral fabric.
At the Vatican, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, secretary of state, labeled the proposed broadcast “truly incomprehensible” and said it is unacceptable to turn death into a spectacle. He reiterated the Church’s opposition to capital punishment as incompatible with human dignity and ineffective as a deterrent.
Pope Leo XIV echoed that stance in a post marking the World Day Against the Death Penalty, describing the death penalty as “inadmissible” and emphasizing that modern detention can protect the public while preserving the possibility of redemption. He did not specifically mention the Pentagon’s plan.
Political pushback and uncertainty over livestream
President Donald Trump said Saturday he had not decided whether to allow a livestream, though he has privately voiced doubts about broadcasting the execution, according to officials. Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, questioned whether the Pentagon would proceed and said he would not watch if it did.
Several lawmakers, including Republicans, have objected to the idea of a public execution. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said such broadcasts are associated with oppressive regimes and should not occur in the United States.
Hasan’s conviction stems from the Nov. 5, 2009, shooting at Fort Hood that killed 13 people and injured 32 others. As the execution date approaches, debate continues over military procedure, religious liberty for service members, and whether the Pentagon should attempt a first-ever public broadcast of a U.S. government execution.
