Then-Father Broglio began his diplomatic career as secretary of the apostolic nunciature in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, and then became secretary of the apostolic nunciature in Asuncion, Paraguay. He was transferred back to the Vatican to serve as desk officer for Central America and chief of staff to then Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, a post he held until being named an archbishop in 2001.

In the new post, he will be in charge of the spiritual, pastoral and sacramental care of the 375,000 Catholic active-duty U.S. military personnel and their 800,000 family members; 200,000 Catholics in the Reserves and National Guard; 30,000 Catholic patients in 172 Veterans Affairs hospitals; and 66,000 Catholics in government service overseas in 134 countries.

As the statistics indicate the overwhelming responsibility of the archdiocese is for the personnel of the military services, both at home and around the world. As well as those who are in the care of the Veterans Affairs medical facilities. Equally though the archbishop has the pastoral care of some 66,000 Catholics in United States’ government services across the globe, many of them in diplomatic postings for the United States.

Archbishop Broglio is to be installed as head of the military archdiocese Jan. 25, the feast of the Conversion of Paul, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.

Contributing to this report was Father Robert M. O’Grady