The archbishop who leads Catholic ministry for the U.S. armed forces says Catholic soldiers should not take part in the planned firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan.

In a statement released Monday, Archbishop Timothy Broglio of the Archdiocese for the Military Services said Catholics assigned to the firing squad should ask to be excused, calling the plan "contrary to the teaching of the Church."

A Rare Military Execution

Hasan, a former Army psychiatrist, is scheduled to be executed by firing squad at Fort Hood, Texas, on December 3 at 1 p.m. Central time. He was convicted of killing 13 people and wounding 32 others in a 2009 shooting at the Army post, and a military jury sentenced him to death in 2013. He has spent years on military death row since then.

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, according to Fox News.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly wants soldiers to carry out the execution at Fort Hood, where the attack took place. He has argued that a public execution would help deter future attacks. It remains unclear how members of the firing squad will be chosen.

Archbishop Questions the Livestream

Broglio also sharply criticized plans to livestream the execution. He questioned whether broadcasting the death of "a man in a wheelchair" to the world served any purpose, and asked whether the government wanted to "imitate the terrorists of this world."

While he acknowledged that Hasan's crime was "heinous," Broglio asked, "does exposing the public to his execution serve any purpose?" He warned that broadcasting it could link the U.S. military with terrorists in the eyes of the world, KSL reported.

Hasan, now 56, uses a wheelchair after being shot by officers who responded to the 2009 attack.

Broglio has led the Archdiocese for the Military Services, which serves Catholics in every branch of the armed forces, since 2008. The issue is also personal for him. He presided over the funeral of Michael Grant Cahill, the only civilian killed in the Fort Hood shooting.

Catholic Leaders Speak Out

Broglio is not alone. Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, called the decision a "barbaric promotion of a culture of death" and urged officials to reconsider.

At the Vatican, Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin called the plan "truly incomprehensible" and said it is "unacceptable to turn death into a spectacle."

On Saturday, which was World Day Against the Death Penalty, Pope Leo XIV called capital punishment "inadmissible" in a social media post, though he did not mention Hasan or the Pentagon's plan by name. The Catholic Church teaches that the death penalty is an attack on human dignity.

Pushback From Washington

Army regulations allow soldiers to seek religious exemptions or accommodations, which could give Catholic troops a path to step aside.

The plan has also drawn criticism from some Republicans. Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina said public executions are what "oppressive dictatorships" do. Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, questioned whether the public execution would go forward and said he would not watch it.

President Donald Trump has said he has not decided whether the livestream will happen, though he has reportedly expressed private doubts about it. The controversy adds to tensions between the White House and the Vatican, which included a public feud with the pope earlier this year.

Curious for more stories that keep you informed and entertained? From the latest headlines to everyday insights, YourLifeBuzz has more to explore. Dive into what’s next.