Did the Vaticans opposition to the Iraq war cause complications for Catholics in uniform?
Archbishop O’Brien: The Vatican’s opposition to the war in Iraq certainly was noted by everyone. Our people were aware of the general statements of the Holy See and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in posing questions relative to the just-war theory and in coming to grips with those answers — always allowing for prudent judgment in the application of the just war theory to this specific situation. Q: What percentage of the military is Catholic? Besides offering the sacraments to the troops, do the chaplains do any catechesis or continuing education? Archbishop O’Brien: We figure Catholics to be 25% to 30% of the military. The Military Ordinariate serves military personnel and families at 220 installations in 29 countries, patients in 172 Veterans Administration hospitals, and is responsible for federal employees serving in 134 countries. Counting full- and part-time priests in uniform, about 1,000 chaplains serve more than 1.5 million Catholics a year, including 375,00