By Daniele Piccini
Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin presided over a Mass at the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls in Rome on Mar 3 as part of celebrations marking the centenary of the Military Ordinariate for Italy.
Founded in 1926, the Ordinariate was established to provide spiritual and religious assistance to Italian military personnel and their families. Members of the Carabinieri, the Italian Army, the Guardia di Finanza, the Air Force, and the Navy were present at the Mass.
In his homily, Cardinal Parolin petitioned for peace: “In this moment that we all know, we ask the Lord to silence the weapons and reconcile humanity.”
The logic of service and of the Cross
The Secretary of State reflected on the story of Jesus analyzing the behavior of the Pharisees in the Gospel of Matthew. It should serve as inspiration – explained the Cardinal – for the ministry of chaplains serving in military contexts.
“The stern word of the Gospel,” Cardinal Parolin added, “does not remain an indictment against ‘others,’ but becomes a standard of conduct for each of us. It calls us to humble consistency, to an authority expressed in service, to a presence that neither oppresses nor seeks attention, but accompanies and guides.”
Furthermore, the Cardinal emphasized, the Cross must be “the paradigm of every Christian authority.” Within this logic, he continued, the mission of the Ordinariate can also be understood in today’s international context, marked by ongoing conflicts and geopolitical tensions that make ethical discernment more complex.
He stressed that the Church “never ceases to promote a culture of peace, understood not as disarmed naivety, but as the patient construction of conditions of justice, dialogue, and the protection of rights.”
Silent consistency of listening
Turning back to the Gospel passage, Cardinal Parolin pointed out that the first “rupture” in the attitude of the Pharisees is a lack of consistency. The mission of military chaplains, therefore, consists in maintaining “a silent consistency – the ability to listen without judging, to support without intruding, to speak of God without moralism.”
The second “rupture” concerns the understanding of the law. The Pharisees, as Jesus says in the Gospel passage cited by the Cardinal, “tie up heavy burdens and lay them on people’s shoulders.”
“In the military context, already marked by discipline and heavy responsibilities,” the Cardinal observed, “the Church’s presence cannot add burdens to burdens. The chaplain is called to be a space for breathing, a place of discernment, a companion who enlightens conscience so that obedience does not become irresponsibility and discipline does not turn into moral automatism.”
The most sacred space of the human person
“Conscience,” as taught by the Second Vatican Council in the pastoral constitution Gaudium et Spes – which the Secretary of State cited – “is the most secret core and sanctuary of a person, where he or she is alone with God.” The task of the Church, therefore, is “to safeguard and enlighten this inviolable space of the human person.”
From this the mission of chaplains who live alongside military personnel also emerges. They must “educate toward responsibility and inner freedom.” Amid “the hardship of absence,” “the fear of danger,” and “the wound of sacrifice” that characterize the duties of soldiers in the difficult contexts in which they serve, “the discreet and faithful presence of the chaplain,” Cardinal Parolin stressed, “becomes a concrete sign of the Church’s motherhood.”
Respect for the dignity of every person
The third “rupture” in the public life of the Pharisees lies in their ostentation. Everything they do, Jesus warns, is done “to be admired by others.” This, Cardinal Parolin noted, can also be a temptation for military chaplains: “the search for visibility, concern for image, the need to appear.”
The Secretary of State then recalled Christ’s teaching, which must also guide the Ordinariate: “The greatest among you must be your servant.” This is the approach that should inspire the Ordinariate, which “will be faithful to its vocation not so much by strengthening structures or seeking visibility, but by fostering mature discernment – capable of uniting strength and responsibility, loyalty to the State and respect for the inviolable dignity of every person.”
In war scenarios, Cardinal Parolin added, it is particularly important to preserve and “care for” the “military conscience,” since this is “the decisive place where respect for human dignity is at stake, even in the heart of conflict.”
Victory over violence
At the conclusion of the homily, the Vatican Secretary of State’s prayer for peace also stated his desire: “May the Lord, who in Easter conquered all violence and reconciled the world to Himself, make your service a credible sign of justice and peace.”
Archbishop Gian Franco Saba, Military Ordinary for Italy since April 2025, also shared a few words. In his greeting to Cardinal Parolin, the archbishop offered a thought for soldiers engaged in international missions: “As we witness the conflicts of the world, our voice becomes prayer for the wounded, for military personnel serving abroad, for their families, and for the leaders of nations.” – Vatican News
