In an interview with EWTN News Nightly, Timothy Broglio, Archbishop for the US Military Services, cautiously welcomed the two-week ceasefire agreement between the United States and Iran, while raising concerns about the path that led to it.
“Anything that might lead us toward peace” is reason for hope, the archbishop said, noting that even limited dialogue between opposing sides is a positive step. The fact that negotiations are taking place, he added, may help reduce tensions and prevent further escalation in a region long marked by instability.
At the same time, the archbishop pointed to the Church’s longstanding moral framework on war, suggesting that key criteria were not fully met before military action occurred. Catholic teaching requires careful consideration of proportionality, legitimate defense, and last resort. In this case, Archbishop Broglio questioned whether those standards were adequately observed.
“The dialogue that’s taking place now should have taken place before any sort of military action,” he said. He also raised the question of direct threat, noting that the United States had not been directly attacked — a factor traditionally weighed in evaluating the justification for the use of force.
While the ceasefire offers a pause, Archbishop Broglio emphasized that it does not ease the burden on military personnel. On the contrary, such moments can heighten uncertainty. Troops remain on alert, aware that tensions can quickly reignite.
In this context, the role of the Church takes on particular importance. The Archdiocese for the Military Services, he explained, continues to support service members and their families through its network of chaplains deployed in the Middle East. These priests provide not only the sacraments but also pastoral care, addressing fears, questions, and moral concerns that arise in times of conflict.
“They’re working very hard,” he said, describing chaplains who accompany troops on the ground, often in difficult conditions. Meanwhile, many military families previously stationed in the region — including those in Bahrain — have been relocated, either back to the United States or to safer areas in Europe.
Looking beyond the immediate ceasefire, the prelate stressed that authentic peace must be broader and more inclusive. He expressed particular concern about Lebanon’s uncertain inclusion in the current agreement, warning that partial solutions risk prolonging instability.
The Middle East, he noted, has long been “a tinderbox,” and any serious effort toward peace must involve all affected parties. Leaving out key actors or regions can undermine the durability of any agreement and fail those most vulnerable to renewed violence.
For Archbishop Broglio, the moment calls for a renewed commitment to dialogue before conflict, not after it begins. Only such an approach, grounded in both prudence and moral clarity, can move beyond fragile ceasefires toward a more lasting peace.
