Father Rutherford Describes Washing Blood From Sacred Vessels

Three U.S. Army Reserve soldiers died on January 28, 2024, when a drone strike hit a military base in Jordan’s Rukban region, Diocese of Lansing reported.

The attack, launched by an Iranian-backed militia coalition near the borders of Syria and Iraq, transitioned a moment of military tradition into one of sudden, violent loss. For those serving in the region, the peace of the preceding months vanished in an instant, marking the first U.S. service member casualties following the onset of the Gaza war.

The human reality of the strike was captured by a U.S. Army priest-chaplain serving near the site. As the base chapel was converted into a makeshift triage center to treat more than a dozen wounded soldiers, the physical toll of the conflict became visible on the most sacred of objects.

“The blood of U.S. soldiers spattered the chalice and paten,” Father Mark Rutherford, Rector of Saint Mary Cathedral in Lansing, said.

Father Rutherford, who served as Judicial Vicar to the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA, from 2020 until earlier this year, described the heavy task of washing the blood from the sacred vessels before he could offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. He said that the event forced a direct encounter between the cost of national service and the religious hope in the Resurrection.

Father Rutherford Describes Washing Blood From Sacred Vessels

These moments of peacetime often provide a sense of stability, yet the January 28 strike shows how volatile modern geopolitical conflicts can be. The use of drone technology by militia coalitions changes how asymmetric warfare is fought, as sudden strikes can bypass traditional defenses and impact personnel in localized bases.

The theological and civic response to such violence often centers on the tension between the necessity of defense and the pursuit of peace. Archbishop Timothy Broglio has emphasized that war must remain a last resort and that the protection of innocent lives is a fundamental requirement.

This perspective aligns with recent warnings from Pope Leo XIV, who addressed the concept of “just war.” In the document Magnifica Humanitas, the Pope cautioned that the tradition of just war is frequently used to justify armed conflict, instead urging nations to prioritize dialogue, diplomacy, and forgiveness.

For the families of the three fallen soldiers and the many wounded, these high-level diplomatic discussions offer little immediate solace. The impact of these strikes is felt most acutely by the military communities and the families who bear the weight of sudden, violent loss.

“In honoring our defenders, we must also heed Archbishop Timothy Broglio’s reminder that war must remain a last resort and innocent lives must be protected,” Father Rutherford said.