Archbishop of Military Services expresses 'pain and solidarity’ with Ft. Hood victims

Washington D.C., Nov 8, 2009 / 14:49 pm

Recalling the tragedy last week in which one man opened fire on his fellow soldiers at Ft. Hood in Texas, the Archbishop of Military Services, Timothy P. Broglio, issued a statement of prayer for all involved in the shooting.

Causes for the shooting have not yet been established, but the shooter Maj. Malik Nadal Hasan is currently on a ventilator in stable condition following a shootout with the police.

Archbishop Broglio commended the two Ft. Hood chaplains, Fathers Edward McCabe and Raphael Eke, and said he was “grateful for their service” and that he prays “that the consolation they have so generously offered might also touch their wounded hearts and replenish their sapped strength.”

The Archbishop’s message of consolation also bears witness to the importance of creating a society of peace and understanding. “We cannot allow violence to engender more violence.” It is everyone’s task to establish a different tone in the world from our daily interactions with families and coworkers to the international level.

Noting “the shadow of death and suffering has struck the innocent who were at the service of our country,” Archbishop Broglio also remembered the perpetrators of the crime, saying, “may the Almighty and Merciful Lord look upon them with clemency.”