House of Representatives' Chaplain

                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                                              

Another recent news-story:

Speaker Paul Ryan evidently asked the House' Chaplain to resign.  When his letter of resignation became public, we could all read that Chaplain Pat Conroy began his letter, "As you have requested..."

But Speaker Ryan (a Catholic) has since denied that he asked Conroy (a Catholic priest) to resign.  Ryan's chief-of-staff has since denied that he told Father Conroy the House needed a non-Catholic Chaplain.  Some protestant Republicans in the House  (mostly from the South) have since withdrawn their comments that the House needs a Chaplain with children, who can "connect" with members.

Father Conroy has since withdrawn his resignation.  He became convinced his ouster was a veiled attack on his religion.

But Father Conroy also said that after his prayer for the House during the Republican budget-push a few months ago, Ryan had told him, "Padre, you got to stay out of politics."  Among other things, Conroy had prayed God to give House-members a purpose "...that there are not winners and losers under new tax laws, but benefits balanced and shared by all Americans.”

Ryan has also denied that he (a chief author of the Republicans' budget) had asked for Father Conroy's resignation because he was politically offended by that prayer, though many members of the House (in both parties) are convinced that was the issue for Ryan.

Among them, a southern Republican member I heard on NPR.  I missed his name, and can't quote him verbatim: but his angry point was that when you start telling a man what he should or shouldn't pray when he's talking to God, you've gone too far.  Bless that member's heart !

All the allegations, denials, walk-backs, "spin," hypocrisy (especially by Republican champions of "religious liberty" who really aren't), hints of religious prejudice, etc., etc.: par for the course.

Maybe the spiritual needs of the current "conservative" House of Representatives are 'way greater than a Chaplain can handle.

I'd suggest the "spiritual needs" of the current House of Representatives House require an exorcist.