Cardinal Edwin O’Brien has spent decades serving both the Catholic Church and the United States military — from the battlefields of Vietnam to the Vatican.
In this conversation, we discuss:
His experience as a military chaplain during the Vietnam War
What he learned from American soldiers about sacrifice and service
The role of priests ministering to troops during times of war
How he helped the Church respond to the 2002 clergy sex abuse crisis and reformed seminary formation
The situation of Christians in the Holy Land and the work of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre
More than a personal biography, this is a reflection on faith forged amid conflict — and on how suffering, discipline, and service can deepen Christian witness in a divided world.