Walter Reed says Catholic pastoral care contract under review amid archdiocese criticism

Walter Reed National Military Medical Center says a Catholic pastoral care contract is under review after criticism from a Catholic archdiocese and lawmakers.

The Catholic archdiocese objected last week after it said a cease-and-desist order had been issued against Holy Name College Friary, a Franciscan community of priests and brothers that had served at the center nearly two decades.

That came after a contract for Catholic pastoral care had ended at the end of March. And the archdiocese said the contract had been switched for a contract with a secular defense contracting firm that the archbishop says would not be able to provide adequate care.