Catholic priests issued 'cease and desist' order from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center is being accused of denying Catholic veterans the right to practice their religion after the center issued a "cease and desist" order to a community of Catholic priests, following the expiration of a contract for pastoral care. The center then signed a new contract with a secular defense contracting firm.

According to the Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, days before Holy Week, Walter Reed issued the order against Holy Name College, a community of Franciscan Catholic priests and brothers that has provided pastoral care to service members and veterans at the center for almost 20 years.

With the contract set to expire on March 31, Walter Reed chose not to renew the contract with Holy Name College. Instead, the center signed a new contract with a secular defense contracting firm, Mack Global LLC.

"There is one Catholic Army chaplain assigned to Walter Reed Medical Center, but he is in the process of separating from the Army," the Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services stated in a press release.

"The refusal to provide adequate pastoral care while awarding a contract for Catholic ministry to a for-profit company that has no way of providing Catholic priests to the medical center is a glaring violation of service members' and veterans' Right to the Free Exercise of Religion," the press release continued. "Especially, during Holy Week, the lack of adequate Catholic pastoral care causes untold and irreparable harm to Catholics who are hospitalized and therefore a captive population whose religious rights the government has a constitutional duty to provide for and protect."

The statement added that the Archdiocese attempted to contact Walter Reed several times throughout Holy Week to request that the hospital reconsider the contract cancellation. However, the center has not responded to the requests, it stated.

Archbishop Timothy Broglio explained that the center's desire to secure a contract with the lowest bidder "overlooked the fact that the bidder cannot provide the necessary service."

"It is incomprehensible that essential pastoral care is taken away from the sick and the aged when it was so readily available," Broglio said. "I earnestly hope that this disdain for the sick will be remedied at once and their First Amendment rights will be respected."

A spokesperson for Walter Reed National Military Medical Center confirmed to TheBlaze on Wednesday that Holy Name College was issued a cease and desist order on April 4 after it continued to provide services past the contract's expiration on March 31.

"Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) is a welcoming and healing environment that honors and supports a full range of religious, spiritual, and cultural needs," the center stated. "WRNMMC can provide Catholic services without a contract. WRNMMC has an assigned ActiveDuty Army Catholic Priest in our Department of Pastoral Care, who is currently providing Catholic services to include Pastoral Counseling and Sacramental Rites."

"WRNMMC is part of the National Capital Region Health Market and can leverage Catholic Priests assigned to other Defense organizations within the region," the statement continued. "Currently, three additional Catholic priests in the region are available to provide services to our Catholic beneficiaries. WRNMMC also has access to Red Cross Volunteers and Active-Duty Chaplains Assistants. With the assigned staff, and regional support, WRNMMC has sufficient resources to provide for the religious needs of our Catholic beneficiaries."

"At this time, the pastoral care contract is under review to ensure it adequately supports the religious needs of our patients and beneficiaries," the statement concluded.

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