Proposal on chaplains' prayers could hurt military, archbishop says

Published: 2006-10-04

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- A congressional proposal that would have guaranteed the right of military chaplains to pray according to their conscience could also have had an "adverse effect on unit cohesion" and even result in a ban on all public prayer in the military, according to the head of the U.S. Archdiocese for the Military Services. Archbishop Edwin F. O'Brien said in a Sept. 21 letter to U.S. Catholic chaplains that a proposed amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of 2007 "would seek to impose a legislative mandate for military chaplains without considering the religious needs of all military members." He added, "We believe this legislation may well result in less public prayer and marginalization of military chaplains." Although the House approved the mandate, the Senate did not. House-Senate conferees agreed Sept. 29 to replace the House language with a section overturning current Air Force and Navy regulations that restricted prayers specific to one faith at public military ceremonies.

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