Catholic Priest Named As Next House Chaplain

WASHINGTON -- House Speaker John Boehner says he will nominate the Rev. Patrick J. Conroy, a Catholic priest who now teaches at Jesuit High School in Portland, Ore., as the next House chaplain.

Conroy, a 60-year-old native of Washington state, will succeed Father Daniel Coughlin, who retired last month after 11 years in the position and was the first Roman Catholic priest to serve as chaplain.

Conroy would be the 60th House chaplain. The duties include opening each session with a prayer, presiding over memorials and other ceremonies and providing pastoral counseling to the House community.

Conroy entered the Society of Jesus in 1973 and was ordained a priest in 1983. He has also served as a chaplain at Georgetown University. His nomination goes to the full House later this month.

Comments

[ProgressivesArePatriots]

08:10 PM on 07/05/2011

This might disturb the more fanatical of Evangelicals in this country, who embrace a hatred (along with conspiracy theories about the Vatican) of the Roman Catholic Church.

I say this is progress.

[KennebunkportIndependent]

08:13 AM on 05/12/2011

Isn't Boehner Catholic?

Hail Marys and the Rosary - plus extra confessions for the page boys.  Smoke and incense under the Rotunda.   Women told to keep quiet and make the tea. 

I hope the next one is a radical Islam mullah.  Just to keep the balance.  Fair and balanced, you know.

[ipolitics123]

12:39 AM on 07/05/2011

"Radical Islam mullah?" Looking forward to beatings, beheadings and stonings, are you?

The progressive caucus - bravely marching into the 7th century. Don't forget to beat your wives.

[Religion is an IQ test]

06:48 PM on 05/08/2011

James Madison opposed chaplains in Congress on the grounds that it was "against Constitutional principles"...but what did he know about Constitutional principles, anyway....

[Balancement]

08:48 PM on 05/07/2011

While he's there maybe he could take the Republicans aside and perform a mass exorcism?

[JohnyTL]

02:33 PM on 05/07/2011

Dear God! All those aids in Congress... it's a buffet!

[bearchao]

12:56 PM on 05/07/2011

"Children are our nation's most precious resource."

Quote from the Republican party's 2008 platform. Considering the type of "resource" children are for the catholic church, you'd think BOehNER would have picked a non-catholic for house chaplain. That we even have a house chaplain is equally troubling.

[Trebor Notsgnivil]

11:14 AM on 05/07/2011

I am sick to death of Western religion.

[JohnyTL]

02:33 PM on 05/07/2011

Yeah Eastern religion's lies are soooo much better.

[Trebor Notsgnivil]

05:03 PM on 05/07/2011

What lies would those be? From which religions? Are you really talking about anything at all? Am I talking about Eastern religions?

[sunshine14]

05:58 AM on 05/07/2011

That is huge, JFK was called a communist, you name it,  when he ran for Pres. by republicans because he was a Catholic, now look? Good news.

[Ioan Lightoller]

11:23 PM on 05/06/2011

I look forward to the day when the Christian monopoly on this thing is broken. I look forward to seeing, say, the first Pagan chaplain of the House or Senate. THAT would be news.

[KennebunkportIndependent]

08:15 AM on 05/12/2011

Or Jewish, Islam, Zoroastrian, Buddhist, Hindu,  or even Unitarian......................

[Marcusarilius]

10:34 PM on 05/06/2011

Oh, the Republicans are getting all excited Now!

[SportyJim]

06:39 AM on 05/07/2011

Most Catholics are Democrats

[KennebunkportIndependent]

08:16 AM on 05/12/2011

Really?  Yet Catholics firmly oppose abortion.  Something doesn't add up.

[thinkingwomanmillstone]

09:17 PM on 05/06/2011

I'd rather have a House logic and ethics professor.

[Seven Teenatheart]

12:45 PM on 05/07/2011

Now that'd be useful : )

[KennebunkportIndependent]

08:16 AM on 05/12/2011

Boehner would prefer a house bartender at the 19th hole.

[A-Superstitionist]

08:48 PM on 05/06/2011

Isn't a catholic priest useless in a white house with a president without young boys?

[KennebunkportIndependent]

08:16 AM on 05/12/2011

Maybe he will prove to be all things to all people..........

[Indigo1941]

05:57 PM on 05/06/2011

That's one of those Masonic spillovers from back when the Congress was, in effect, a Masonic lodge. I don't have a problem with that as such but I'd prefer a humanist for chaplain.

[KennebunkportIndependent]

08:17 AM on 05/12/2011

Stop reading Dan Brown!!

[Indigo1941]

08:32 AM on 05/12/2011

You mean you don't know American history? Too bad. Look again and don't read Dan Brown because, as you suspect, he's got it wrong. The truth is much deeper and you can start at the Old North Church in Boston.

[farmilyman]

05:07 PM on 05/06/2011

I hope they don't have a bring your child to work day.

[Uncle Bob]

07:16 PM on 05/06/2011

I was thinking, some of those interns are 16 y/o. Right on the cusp, better be careful.

[KennebunkportIndependent]

08:18 AM on 05/12/2011

The age is 12 in Vatican City.  They keep above that age.....mostly.

[New Yorker]

04:50 PM on 05/06/2011

Having a Jesuit in Congress, should be educational for them.

[ThinkCreeps]

07:02 PM on 05/06/2011

It would indeed be advantageous for a jesuit to take a baby step into the real world.

[AdamWest1313]

02:01 AM on 05/07/2011

House Chaplain should not exist.

[KennebunkportIndependent]

08:19 AM on 05/12/2011

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