NEWS PROVIDED BY
Christian Defense Coalition
April 4, 2026
WASHINGTON, April 4, 2026 /Standard Newswire/ — Faith leaders are troubled the Department of War is restricting religious freedom after holding a “Protestant” only Good Friday service at the Pentagon.
An email was sent out by the Pentagon saying: “Just a friendly reminder: There will be a Protestant Service (No Catholic Mass) for Good Friday today at the Pentagon Chapel.”
Later a Pentagon spokesperson confirmed it is not hosting another, separate religious service for Catholic employees. “The Protestant service is the only service scheduled in the Pentagon chapel today,” they said in a statement.
While Catholics do not celebrate Mass on Good Friday, the liturgy for the day is the Celebration of the Lord’s Passion, a solemn rite in which the faithful venerate the crucifix and receive Communion.
A Pentagon employee who has worked there since 1980 told Letters from Leo that this is the first time a Catholic Good Friday service hasn’t been offered in their time working there.
This email comes after Secretary Hegseth invited Pastor Doug Wilson to lead and speak at a Pentagon worship service this past February.
Pastor Wilson, co-founder of the “Communion of Reformed Evangelical Churches,” has made these discriminatory comments about Catholic public expressions of faith:
“Catholic church bells would be okay, but a parade in honor of the Virgin Mary, carrying an image of the Virgin Mary down Main Street, no!”
“Basically, public displays of idolatry, what the Protestant foundation of the law would consider to be idolatry, would not be allowed…you wouldn’t have a procession of the Virgin Mary.”
Secretary Hegseth attends a Communion of Reformed Evangelical Church and looks to Pastor Wilson as his spiritual mentor and advisor.
Alexei Laushkin, Founder of Kingdom Mission Society, states;
“Faith should live freely within the government, as well as the option for people of conscience to opt out. Any directives that diminish the faith of Christians are discrimination. Jesus prayed that we would be one, and it isn’t for the US Government to be an arbitrator between Christian traditions”
Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, comments:
“Our Constitution and founding documents affirm the right to religious freedom for every America to worship God according to the dictates of their conscience, beliefs and faith.
“Government officials should never decide what faith traditions are allowed to be practiced or prioritized within the public square. For the Department of War to permit a protestant ONLY worship service at the Pentagon on Good Friday is clearly religious discrimination.
“In light of this clear bias, we ask Secretary Hegseth two questions. First, why did the Pentagon ONLY allow protestant services on Good Friday? Next, does Secretary Hegseth support Pastor Wilson’s position that public displays of the Catholic faith are ‘idolatry?'”
For more information or interviews call
Rev. Patrick Mahoney at: 540-538-4741
SOURCE Christian Defense Coalition