Jesuit priest to serve as chaplain to US House of Representatives
May 06, 2011
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US Speaker of the House John Boehner has chosen a Jesuit priest to be chaplain of the House.
Father Patrick Conroy, SJ, a native of the state of Washington and former chaplain at Georgetown University, will be only the 2nd Catholic priest to serve as chaplain to the House. He succeeds the first, Father Daniel Coughlin, who was appointed in 2000.
The appointment of Father Coughlin came after a contentious debate, during which some Catholic lawmakers complained that the House leadership had discriminated against Catholic clerics. To avoid a debate on this year's appointment, Boehner reportedly consulted with his predecessor as Speaker, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who supported the choice of Father Conroy. Both Boehner and Pelosi are Catholics.
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Further information:
- Boehner taps Catholic priest to be next House chaplain (USA Today)
- Second Catholic priest appointed to serve as House chaplain (Washington Post)
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Posted by: sarsok8679 -
May. 06, 2011 7:11 PM ET USA
"Both Boehner and Pelosi are Catholics." The later is NOT!, but in name only.
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Posted by: -
May. 06, 2011 6:55 PM ET USA
Not a great recommendation that he seems to have sat quietly at Georgetown University for about 10 years and that he's "supported" by Mrs. Pelosi, the sometime theologian. Perhaps a "go-with-the-flow" sort of guy.
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Posted by: -
May. 06, 2011 6:11 PM ET USA
Sounds like they're still discriminating against Catholics.
