Timothy Broglio


Timothy Paul Andrew Broglio KC*HS is an American Catholic prelate who has served as Roman [Catholic Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA|Archbishop for the Military Services, USA], since 2008 and as president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops from 2022 to 2025. Broglio previously served as Apostolic Nuncio to the Dominican Republic and Apostolic Delegate to Puerto Rico from 2001 to 2008.
Broglio has gained attention for his opinions on Sexual orientation in [the United States military|LGBT personnel serving in the U.S. military] and on homosexuality being a root cause of the church sexual abuse scandal.

Early life and education

Timothy Broglio was born on December 22, 1951, in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and attended St. Ignatius High School. After graduating from high school, Broglio attended Boston College, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in classics.
Broglio entered the Pontifical Gregorian University after graduating from college, earning a Bachelor of Sacred Theology degree while residing at the Pontifical North American College.

Priesthood

Broglio was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Cleveland by Cardinal Sergio Pignedoli on May 19, 1977. Broglio then served as an associate pastor at St. Margaret Mary Parish, in South Euclid, Ohio, later remarking that the assignment was "the best two years of life".
Returning to Rome in 1979, he studied at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy and graduated in 1983; He also earned his Doctor of Canon Law degree from the Gregorian, and joined the Vatican’s diplomatic corps. After serving as secretary for the nunciatures to the Ivory Coast and to Paraguay, Broglio worked at the Vatican Secretariat of State as desk officer for Central America. He then served as personal secretary to Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Angelo Sodano.

Apostolic Nuncio and Delegate

On February 27, 2001, Broglio was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to the Dominican Republic, as well as Apostolic Delegate to Puerto Rico, and Titular Archbishop of Amiternum. He received his episcopal consecration on March 19, 2001, from Pope John Paul II, with Cardinals Angelo Sodano and Giovanni Battista Re serving as co-consecrators. His consecration, and the days leading to it, were recorded and used by National Geographic in their 2001 documentary, "Inside the Vatican."

Archbishop of the Military Services, USA

named Broglio head of the Roman Catholic [Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA|Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA], on November 19, 2007. He was installed on January 25, 2008, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. During his tenure, Broglio has voiced opposition to the Affordable Care Act's contraceptive mandate and the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell, and showed support for the Trump administration's 2017 Presidential Memorandum on [Military Service by Transgender Individuals (2017)|ban on transgender individuals serving in the United States military].

USCCB President

On November 15, 2022, at the fall Plenary Assembly of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Broglio was elected USCCB president.
Aside from his native English, Broglio is fluent in Italian, Spanish, and French, and is a board member of Catholic Distance University.

Viewpoints

COVID-19 vaccine exemptions

In October 2021, Broglio released a statement supporting the military's granting of exemptions from COVID-19 vaccination mandates on the basis of service members' conscience-based objections.

LGBT personnel in the military

Broglio opposed the repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell policy from 1993 to 2011 that regulated service by LGBT personnel in the U.S. military. In 2013, he opposed the Pentagon's granting the same benefits to same-sex married couples as to other married couples. He also supported the Trump administration's ban on transgender individuals serving in the military.

Sex abuse scandal

In response to a letter from a military spouse complaining about a homily delivered in a base service, Broglio wrote:
There is no question that the crisis of sexual abuse by priests in the USA is directly related to homosexuality... of those abused were boys aged 12 and over. That is no longer pedophilia.

Illegal immigration

In June 2025, Broglio publicly criticized the enforcement-only approach to illegal immigration and the continued erosion of legal protections.

Greenland, boat strikes, and morality

In 2026, in response to Donald Trump's proposal to seize Greenland by force, Broglio expressed concern. He noted that Greenland is a territory of Denmark, and stated that service members were morally justified in refusing orders that conflicted with their consciences. He also criticized the strikes on boats allegedly carrying drugs in 2025, emphasizing that the "intentional killing of noncombatants" is impermissible and that orders to deliberately kill survivors who posed no immediate threat were illegal and immoral.

Honors