Denver Newsroom, Jul 7, 2020 / 15:07 pm
The US Navy is reportedly loosening some restrictions on some sailors attending "off-base indoor religious services," which it had promulgated in late June and which the archbishop for the military service had called "particularly odious to Catholics."
The Navy had issued an order June 24 stating that "service members are prohibited from visiting, patronizing, or engaging in...indoor religious services," according to First Liberty Institute, a religious freedom advocacy group.
Timothy Broglio, Archbishop for the Military Services USA, had on Sunday lamented the Navy's policy, noting that the orders also add that "civilian personnel, including families, are discouraged from" indoor church services.
Broglio said upon learning about the order, he had immediately contacted the Navy Chief of Chaplains' Office, which he said was not able to offer any relief from the Navy's provisions. His attempt to contact the Chief of Naval Operations had not been acknowledged as of July 5.