The Jesuit chaplain Rev. Patrick Conroy who was appointed by John Boehner as House Chaplain said a mystifying (and possibly awful) statement in an interview at the Huffington Post. It could be a misstatement or just unclear but when asked if he would pray to Jesus at the start of a congressional session he said:
I never pray in the name of Jesus — except when I’m doing something Catholic — saying Mass, for example.
What? Now, it’s possible that this came out all wrong and he didn’t mean what he said. Maybe today we’ll get a Gingrichian reversal. But then again maybe this is exactly what he meant to say.
Are we all that worried about offending others of other beliefs that we fail to spread our message. Can you say ecumeaningless?
I think the real question is why not? Aren’t we all supposed to be spreading the Good Word? Are priests now afraid of offending people with Jesus? Maybe some Jesuits prefer their lights under bushel baskets thank you very much. And isn’t he a member of the SOCIETY OF JESUS!!!!!! It’s not the Society of the nameless deity.
I wonder if he would have the same objection to Gaia or Buddha.
May 19, 2011 at 2:20 pm
Possible over-correction on his part … although I was tempted to ask you (Matt), "What part of 'Jesuit' didn't you get?" No, the Jebs can't be that bad off. Not that bad.
May 19, 2011 at 3:04 pm
I've noticed at military functions the chaplains usually pray "In His Name …" which seems a reasonable accommodation in a pluralistic society … I would hate to be at a function where someone prayed in Allah's name. But please correct me if I'm wrong …
May 19, 2011 at 3:20 pm
We should not be afraid to pray in the name of Jesus. Katherine, you can bet if a Muslim was praying in a public place, he sure would use the name Allah. We should do the same. It is not a constitutional right to "not be offended." Just by saying the name doesn't mean you are forcing the person to convert. Sometimes I just don't get our society. I am not offended when a Jew wears a star of David, or when a Muslim carries a prayer rug, and it does not make me want to convert just by seeing or hearing those things.
May 19, 2011 at 6:03 pm
WOW
May 19, 2011 at 6:54 pm
Shocking. Except not really.
May 19, 2011 at 7:03 pm
I can see the homocath church surrounding and strangling Boehner until he is Michael Steele or Bart Stupak…
May 19, 2011 at 8:26 pm
Is he really a member of the Society of Jesus? Yikes. If they're not a bunch of humanistic wackjobs, I don't know what is. Most of the SOJ members I've met don't even believe Jesus ever existed.
May 19, 2011 at 9:12 pm
he did consult with Nancy Pelosi on the appointment.
May 19, 2011 at 11:17 pm
What is this constant "reasonable accommodation in a pluralistic society"? It is a fraud to allege you are offended by another's expression of faith – or, you are a BIGOT. No reasonable person of good will is offended by another's expression of faith. Get it? If you are offended by a Jew's expression of Judiasm, you are an anti-Semite. A bigot! If "Jesus" offends you, you are a BIGOT. You are the one we should shun, not Jesus. No accomodation to BIGOTS. That must be our policy!
May 19, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Indeed, why are some Catholics ashamed of some
Catholic expressions?
May 20, 2011 at 1:10 am
Possibly awful?! Gee a priest stating he Never prays in our Lords name unless it is something "catholic" like the mass, which he is required to pray. So, he clearly is stating he may never invoke the name of our Lord, unless he is reciting the rubrics. Personally, I think I am going to be sick. When a person shows you who they are, believe it. It hurts me to realize that this is what our Lord sees quite frequently from His priests.
Could May 21st come any quicker? (just a little joke!)
May 20, 2011 at 3:09 am
"A reasonable accommodation in a pluralistic society…."
Hm, whatever happened to "So every one who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven." That's Matthew 10: 32-33, in case you don't recognize it, and the speaker should obvious, but I guess I shouldn't mention His name, in order to be sure of reasonably accommodating my pluralist friends.
May 20, 2011 at 3:45 am
"And you shall baptize in the name of This, That and the Other." Ladies and gentlemen, this is typical of the Jesuits today, particularly those from Georgetown U. No wonder Pelosi has no problem with this guy.
May 20, 2011 at 4:51 am
I took it to mean he was explaining to the Huff-Po how a Senate chaplain typically prays *at* the Senate. I think they have guidelines of some sort for the chaplains as there are Jewish/Muslim/non-believing members of Congress and the prayer is supposed to accommodate all of them. All Senate chaplains, not just the Catholic ones, are somewhat constrained in what they may actually say.
May 20, 2011 at 11:02 am
A true Jesuit.
Mundabor
May 20, 2011 at 6:07 pm
It is crucially important that the Senate have a Chaplin to invoke prayers to some unnamed Diety before the professional liars get down to the business of the day -violating their oaths to defend the Constitution.
May 20, 2011 at 6:14 pm
Hey, remember that funny Ad about a pre-game prayer for a football team?
The Ad showed how this team invited a Priest, a Minister, etc, to pray and I remember the Coach sayin, "Come on, hurry it up Bagwan…"
That is what The Senate needs
May 20, 2011 at 11:17 pm
Chaplains have been forbidden to pray in the name of JESUS. To do this the government has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law that Jesus Christ is Persona non grata, defrocked of his citizenship in the world, and a traitor to the common good,A COMMON CRIMINAL which it has not done. Refusing to acknowledge Jesus Christ's sovereign personhood status, the government makes of each and every sovereign person who constitutes the government:PROPERTY. Citizens who constitute the government through their sovereign personhood are not PROPERTY nor is govenrment that so reigns as such ANYTHING BUT NOTHING.
May 21, 2011 at 5:25 pm
If Jesus Christ were not an innocent man, Jesus would not have been able to die for our sins. Jesus would have had to die for his own sins. Death is the wages of sin. Christ, having perfect innocence, death had no hold on Him. Hell wanted no part of Christ. Were Jesus allowed entry into hell, hell would have become Heaven, and there would be no place in hell for the devils, Satan. The devils do not want to go or stay in hell. This is why the devils roam the earth, seeking the ruin of souls. This is why the devils begged Jesus to be allowed to possess the heard of swine.
As an innocent man, Jesus redeemed mankind. As the Son of God, Jesus did His Father’s will in perfect conformity.
Jesus Christ’s resurrection from the dead into life is the vindication of Christ’s perfect innocence. Christ’s love for God, Christ’s love for mankind. If Christ were not perfectly obedient to God the Father’s will, Jesus could have reneged not only on being put to death but on being raised to life.
Jesus Christ was raised from the dead by God, our Father, and takes us, each and every one into his heart and presents us to His Father in heaven. Christ brings us to heaven in His heart. If we are smart, we follow the Lamb and Jesus.
May 22, 2011 at 3:28 am
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