Walter Reed National Military Medical Center mentioned Wednesday its choice to rent a secular agency to interchange the Franciscan clergymen who oversee pastoral care within the Bethesda, Maryland, facility is underneath assessment.

The announcement got here after days of pushback from congressional Republicans and Catholic leaders, together with Timothy Broglio, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and archbishop for the Military Services.

The Defense Health Agency, the DOD unit that oversees the Walter Reed facility, issued an announcement Tuesday saying the contract, which had been awarded to a secular enterprise that can't make use of clergymen in accordance with Catholic Church guidelines, “is under review to ensure it adequately supports the religious needs of our patients and beneficiaries.”

Archbishop Broglio, who earlier declared that the DHA exhibited “disdain for the sick” by ending the Franciscan relationship, mentioned the archdiocese “has been assured that the situation will be rectified, and waits to learn of the outcome” of that course of.

Neither the archbishop nor his spokesman would title the supply of that “assurance,” nevertheless.

The medical middle final week — some 48 hours earlier than Catholics marked Holy Week within the run-up to Easter Sunday — despatched a cease-and-desist order to the Franciscan friars at Holy Name College Friary in Silver Spring, ejecting them after a 20-year relationship with the power.

The Defense Health Agency, the DOD unit that oversees Walter Reed, mentioned it had awarded the chaplaincy companies contract as a substitute to Mack Global, a non-public agency. Critics mentioned the contractor wouldn't have the ability to present the identical companies because the Franciscans as a result of clergymen serving as chaplains should work for a bishop, not a non-public firm.

Mack says on its web site that its primary enterprise traces serving its authorities and private-sector purchasers embrace “telework consulting services, administrative and religious staffing, transportation and roadway services, [and] professional development and training.”

Contacted by a reporter after information of the award broke, Robin Mack, Mack Global’s CEO, mentioned, “We’re still in the process of getting all that worked out” when requested how they may provide Catholic clergymen for the power.

The authentic choice to sever ties with the Franciscans introduced a pointy rebuke from Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida Republican, who together with 10 Senate and House GOP colleagues, despatched a letter to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

The lawmakers argued that the transfer reveals the DHA is underprioritizing applicable pastoral take care of Roman Catholic service members — particularly when the company is, on the similar time, embracing controversial therapies corresponding to gender transition care.    “DHA doctors are advocating for minors to receive experimental gender transition procedures, but no one seems to be advocating for the right of our service members and veterans to receive the most important sacraments during this most sacred time of year,” the letter mentioned.

Republicans signing the letter included Sens. Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran of Kansas and James Lankford of Oklahoma; and House Reps. Doug Lamborn of Colorado; Michael Waltz, Cory Mills and Carlos Gimenez of Florida; Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin; Jim Banks of Indiana and Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa.

The archbishop’s assertion got here hours after a publication from the Military Chaplains Association indicated the contract would “be corrected by the end of the week.”

The MCA, a nonprofit that helps chaplains within the navy, mentioned the DHA “contracting officer — not located at Walter Reed — was provided the specific technical information needed to select an appropriate provider of services by the senior chaplain at Walter Reed. Sadly, the contracting officer chose to disregard the requirements.”

In his feedback, Archbishop Broglio mentioned the contract award “clearly … was an error, probably caused by not consulting a subject matter expert.”

Sandy Dean, a regional spokeswoman for the DHA informed The Washington Times, “Our team is currently reviewing the contract,” and wouldn't focus on specifics at this level.

Also on Thursday, one other non-public group, the Chaplain Alliance for Religious Liberty and Michael Berry, its lawyer at First Liberty Institute, wrote to Secretary Austin to protest the contract award as “both legally and morally wrong.”

“It is beyond inexcusable for the Biden Administration to deprive America’s sick and wounded service members the lifesaving care they need just to save a few dollars. And to make this decision during Holy Week only pours salt into the wound,” Mr. Berry mentioned in an announcement.

The facility has 244 inpatient beds and dealt with 7,400 affected person admissions in 2022, Mr. McNamara mentioned. 

There are additionally 7,100 workers personnel at Walter Reed each for its hospital and the quite a few clinics on the facility, all of whom may entry chaplaincy companies if desired.

The Holy Name Friars mentioned the abrupt termination of their relationship with DHA was “certainly disappointing … after building trust and so many wonderful relationships and friendships,” however they “respect the process” of awarding contracts.

“It has been an incredible privilege — and, really, a very powerful ministerial experience — for the Franciscan Friars to be invited into the lives of these true American heroes who have sacrificed so much for our country,” the friars mentioned.

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