Father Gerald Murray decried on Newsmax that it was "unconscionable" for the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to cancel a longstanding two-decade-long contract at the military medical facility a week before Easter that provided pastoral care.
Father Murray tells "Spicer & Co." that it's "unconscionable that you would deprive people who are, who have served in our military, or are currently serving, of the pastoral care that's been provided so well for the past 20 years by the Franciscan priests. I mean why would you terminate that and then give it to another company, it seems, who can't really do the job?"
According to America Magazine, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center ended its longstanding contract with the Franciscan Friars of Holy Name College Friary, which provided Catholic pastoral care to service members and veterans, in advance of Holy Week.
The center issued a "cease and desist" order to the Franciscan friars, directing Catholic priests to halt religious services on the center’s grounds. The contract was then awarded to a secular defense contracting firm. According to the archdiocese, the award violates service members’ and veterans’ right to the free exercise of religion.
Concluding the interview, Father Murray maintained that the military medical center should return the contract to the Franciscan priests.
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