Archbishop Timothy Broglio, who oversees Catholic pastoral services for the U.S. military, has urged Catholic soldiers to refuse participation in the upcoming execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist convicted of the 2009 Fort Hood mass shooting. The Pentagon's plan includes a firing squad execution at Fort Hood on December 3, and a proposal to livestream the event.
Broglio expressed concern that the military's plan to broadcast the execution would turn a legal proceeding into a public spectacle, potentially imitating the methods of terrorists. "I oblige any Catholics assigned to the firing squad to request to be excused from this action contrary to the teaching of the Church," he stated, noting that Army regulations permit soldiers to seek religious exemptions.
Hasan, who was shot by responders during the 2009 attack and now uses a wheelchair, is scheduled to be the first person executed by firing squad by the U.S. military since 1945. The execution would also be the first by any method since 1961. The proposed location at Fort Hood, the site of the massacre, and the timing are intended by proponents to serve as a deterrent.
Broglio recalled presiding over the funeral of one of Hasan's victims, Michael Grant Cahill, the sole civilian killed in the attack. He questioned the purpose of exposing the public to Hasan's execution, asking, "But does exposing the public to his execution serve any purpose?"
Concerns about the execution plan have been echoed by other Catholic leaders. Archbishop Paul Coakley, head of the U.S. bishops conference, called the plan "shocking" and urged reconsideration, stating it promotes a "culture of death." Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican secretary of state, described the proposed broadcast as "truly incomprehensible" and "unacceptable to turn death into a spectacle."
Pope Leo XIV, on the occasion of the World Day Against the Death Penalty, reiterated the Catholic Church's stance, declaring the death penalty "inadmissible because it is an attack on the inviolability and dignity of the person." Citing revised Catholic doctrine, Leo emphasized that effective detention systems can safeguard citizens without resorting to capital punishment.
President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that he had not yet made a decision regarding the livestream proposal. Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, expressed skepticism about the plan proceeding and indicated he would not watch a livestream if it occurred. Several lawmakers, including Republicans, have also voiced opposition to public executions, drawing parallels to the practices of authoritarian regimes.