The Rev. Patrick Conroy, U.S. House Chaplain, Talks About Conflict And His Unusual Congregation

New House Chaplain Fr. Patrick J. Conroy delivers his first prayer as Chaplain of the House of Representatives. This is a screen shot taken from the C-Span broadcast of the House session. Photo from Wikimedia Commons

By Nancy Haught
Religion News Service

PORTLAND, Ore. (RNS) After almost a year as chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives, which The New York Times called "one of the most reviled congregations in the country," the Rev. Patrick Conroy was back in Portland, Ore., for a few days to meet with his Jesuit counterparts.

Conroy, 61, was a theology teacher at Jesuit High School here when the opportunity to be House chaplain arose. He was sworn in May 25 as the chamber's 60th chaplain. In a recent interview, he talked about the challenges of his job and issued a challenge of his own to American citizens. His answers have been edited for length and clarity.

Q: Is the House the most reviled congregation in the country?

A: Well, I was a chaplain at San Quentin (prison, California), too -- and I'm not making a comparison there.

But there is not a member of the House of Representatives who didn't make a conscious choice to be a member of the House of Representatives. They knew what they were getting into. I don't feel like I'm in a room full of people with an approval rating of 12 to 15 percent. That's not part of my consciousness at all.

Q: What does it feel like?

A: I am chaplain to a room full of true believers, who are invested in what they stand for and what they are trying to do. A lot of members are quite faith-filled. Some are convicted, and they don't have crises of faith. Others hope they are being faithful. It's fascinating to watch.

Q: How do you advise someone in that situation?

A: Thomas Aquinas tells us to follow our consciences, to be honest with ourselves. If you can't do that, then we have a crisis.

Q: What's it like to be well-schooled in Catholic social teaching as Congress grapples with the budget?

A: There is a strong theology at play: people who believe that taking care of the poor is what churches do, not what government does, that maybe government is overreaching. But my position is to observe -- not to engage in that argument.

I can hear social justice Catholic voices saying that I'm selling out the Gospel by not being that moral voice. But if I were to do that, I would not be in this position.

I've studied political science and my early ambition was to be in Congress. But I have prayed, do pray for serenity. I can't have an opinion. In order to be chaplain I have to let go of this stuff.

Q: What has the past year taught you about yourself?

A: I've always had a soft spot for underdogs. I never rooted for Notre Dame or Georgetown because they always won. But when I was a campus chaplain, I was drawn to the students who didn't fit the mold. I liked them.

Q: And you've found people like that in the House?

A: I have.

Q: What do you say to Americans who have lost their patience with Congress?

A: Communicate what is important to you to your congressional representative. Even if your (candidate) lost the election, the rep is still representing you.

I pray that all members in Congress will hear the minority voice and that the American people will be prayerfully supportive of Congress and the president, who represent all of us. If we see this as a zero sum battle, it's going to get ugly.

(Nancy Haught writes for The Oregonian in Portland, Ore.)

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Comments

[Dale720240]

05:05 PM on 05/17/2012

This office needs to be done away with.

[lcr999]

01:09 AM on 05/17/2012

Why do we have a House Chaplian? And a Catholic one at that/

[jjordande]

05:04 PM on 05/15/2012

Get this fool out of my Government Building like the Ten Commandments!
If House members need to hear prayer, GO TO CHURCH!!!

[mrkurtzhedead]

01:05 PM on 05/16/2012

Agreed. This job title should not exist. Just like his invisible friend.

[ernestsaenz]

04:15 PM on 05/15/2012

"I can hear social justice Catholic voices saying that I'm selling out the Gospel by not being that moral voice. But if I were to do that, I would not be in this position.

I've studied political science and my early ambition was to be in Congress. But I have prayed, do pray for serenity. I can't have an opinion. In order to be chaplain I have to let go of this stuff."

In WW2, this may have been the same kind of attitude they had while each side was killing each other. It's not hard to understand that somethings have gone terribly wrong.

Looking at cultures that would be most representative of Christians living in democratic countries, even claiming God, they could even be countries claiming atheist governments, choose one most representative by their laws, ordinances, statutes and ways. You could even look at countries not claiming to be "Christian". With apathetic attitudes for standing up and guiding a direction and way, no wonder we're talking about "a wicked and perverse generation".

Rick Santorum would make a better chaplain for the US House of Representatives.

You got to have some spine.

I

[tjtoday]

06:24 PM on 05/14/2012

I am still waiting for congress to comment on the state of the cat& o lic church. Over 50 named priest in Phila alone and not one defrocked still?

[WishfulThinkingRulesAll]

05:21 PM on 05/14/2012

LOL Chaplains for members of Congress. What a joke.

[michaelwg]

08:56 AM on 05/14/2012

http://www.rense.com/general69/obj.htm
He loves you!

[Wrench Turner]

02:54 AM on 05/14/2012

A lot of people are knocking this guy and his position without taking the 10 seconds to google it, the position is no secret.
http://chaplain.house.gov/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaplain_of_the_United_States_House_of_Representatives

Pretty much his role is to provide religious accomodations for congressmen, who are from all over, its kinda like a military chaplain. He is also paid as a federal official in level IV, whatever that means.

[bryanzth]

08:27 PM on 05/13/2012

Churches CAN'T take care of the poor. What a joke. Sure, there are some religious groups that go beyond, way beyond what most do to fulfil the Lord's (Iza, Jesus, the Man, etc.) commandments.

But the most irksome thing about "church" care for the poor is the "strings attached" regarding either listening to their holy speak or conversion. I do not accept that in a diverse society. Again, many do not do this, but there are enough that do that invalidates the "church only" care for the least of our brethren.

It can be a part of government. It is a great responsibility of our government when churches pick and choose who they will serve. Get me, RCC, LDS, and fundie thumper churches? When you pick and choose, you cannot play that game.

Ugh.

BZ.

[Wrench Turner]

02:44 AM on 05/14/2012

That's funny because my aunt's been digging wells in Western Africa for the RCC since the early 1990s. Churches do help the poor, every day.

[bryanzth]

09:27 AM on 05/14/2012

Hey. You are creating a strawman. OF COURSE, some people in some churches DO help people. Now get that out of your system. What I am saying is that unfortunately, the hierarchy, the leaders, and the loudmouths of most churches, including the RCC, LDS and thumper/fundie churches have their minds on other things. Your aunt and many other people are having successes with their missions IN SPITE of the political activities of the RCC. Could you imagine what would happen IF the RCC would get its head back on straight with regard to the Beatitudes, Parables, Sermon on the Mount, Lord's Prayer (up to but not incl. the doxology) and the Letter of James? With regard to Liberation Theology, the Social Gospel, the Catholic Worker Movement, and socially-oriented works that are at the heart of what JESUS was all about.

How dare you try that strawman with me. Naturallly, your aunt is doing good things. But Jesus did not say that we were supposed to pick and choose those whom we were supposed to minister to. He said EVERYBODY. Now tell me what the Catholic bishops, priests and clerics are doing currently for EVERYBODY... haha.

BZ.

[cminca]

10:17 AM on 05/14/2012

YOUR AUNT is digging wells. The organization isn't.

[jhuffington]

06:22 PM on 05/13/2012

Does this guy get paid taxpayer money to do this?

[a okafor007]

06:42 AM on 05/14/2012

of course he does

[mrkurtzhedead]

01:22 PM on 05/16/2012

Should come out of the pockets of the pious hypocrites in congress who want him there.

[thefeargame]

01:55 PM on 05/13/2012

Hear the minority voice? Interesting.

[David Weidner]

09:43 AM on 05/13/2012

Why the hell does the US House have a chaplain? What, is this 1462? Unbelievable.

[bryanzth]

08:28 PM on 05/13/2012

Truly, it should be a volunteer position. OR it should come out of the salaries of the members, but not their petty cash funds, haha.

BZ.

[Wrench Turner]

02:56 AM on 05/14/2012

We've had one since Congress was based out of NYC. There was a brief gap just before the civil war, google is magic.

[mrkurtzhedead]

01:22 PM on 05/16/2012

Having it for a long time does not make it right. Or sane.

[VinZenTexaN]

07:44 PM on 05/11/2012

It is our responsibility to point out the facts that surround us.Humanity can no longer afford to maintain these ancient mythologies.We are fighting the good fight. We need to persevere, take the heat and continue to show the truth fearlessly. If we show the facts as we find them, reason will overcome superstition.

Consider the ignorance of the average fundamentalist. Then realize that by definition fully half of them must be even dumber than that.

Religion creates the most useful of slaves; those who think they are free

The mind of the fundamentalist like the pupil of the eye: the more light you pour on it, the more it will contract.

Religion does three things quite effectively: Divides people, Controls people, Deludes people.

Prayer has no place in the public schools, just like facts have no place in organized religion.

[bryanzth]

09:09 PM on 05/13/2012

Hi!

From reading your post, I think , if you haven't read it, you should: Lucretius: DE RERUM NATURA, or On the Nature of Things. Stephen Greenblatt summarizes these points in his book, "The Swerve - How the World Became Modern". Lucretius' work was almost obliterated in the book burnings of the 4th and 5th centuries, and we had no more than 3.5 copies left when they were first rediscovered in 1417. Read this list. It really got my attention. Maybe it will get yours.

1. Everything is made of invisible particles.
2. The elementary particles of matter - "the seeds of the things" - are eternal.
3. The elementary particles are infinite in number but limited in shape and size.
4. All particles are in motion in an infinite void.
5. The universe has no creator or designer.
6. Everything comes into being as a result of a swerve.
7. The swerve is the source of free will.
8. Nature ceaselessly experiments.
9. The universe was not created for or about humans.
10. Humans are not unique.
11. Human society began not in a Golden Age of tranquility and plenty but in a primitive battle for survival.
12. The soul dies.
13. There is no afterlife.
14. Death is nothing to us.
15. All organized religions are superstitious delusions.
16. Religions are invariably cruel.
17. There are no angels, devils or ghosts.
18. The highest goal of human life is the enhancement of pleasure and the reduction of pain.
19. The greatest obstacle to pleasure is not pain; it's delusion.
20. Understanding the nature of things generates deep wonder.

The Humphries translation of the Lucretius is a good one. Cheap copies are available. I have no relation with the authors or their publishers. I am only an avid reader.

BZ.

[VinZenTexaN]

05:15 PM on 05/14/2012

Thank you F & F ! AS long as there are on FAKE GODS Im good

[mrkurtzhedead]

01:20 PM on 05/16/2012

What a beautiful list. But what he heck is he talking about in 6 and 7?
He knew of #4 at that time? Are you sure? If so, that is pretty amazing. I agree with the Old Roman on everything except 12. The soul never dies because it does not exist. Maybe he meant consciousness?
When the faithful try to tell me my life has no meaning without a creator, I always hit them with something similar to #20. What else could you want out of life? Plus, when they accept their dogmas, 99% of them stop trying to do #20. Ugh.

[Newfoundlander]

05:53 PM on 05/10/2012

Why is there a chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives?

"I'm completely in favor of the separation of Church and State.
... These two institutions screw us up enough on their own, so both of them together is certain death.”
― George Carlin

[mrkurtzhedead]

01:09 PM on 05/16/2012

Who --ever-- was better than George to put this sort of nonsense to rest?

"I always wonder when I hear the term "spiritual leader", why does the spirit world need leaders? "

[tamazul]

10:46 AM on 05/10/2012

"House Chaplain." That's an "oxymoron," right?