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 23, 2011 at 1:13 am
@MarioChavez: This post is what happened to our country, America, when the atheists took hold of our sovereign, unalienable liberties. Ignoring and denying our souls, our consciences, our eternal life, and our need to love our God and His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. Will the atheist take Jesus Christ's place in our hearts? The atheist has decreed that man is forbidden to love Jesus Christ. ?
May 24, 2011 at 5:57 pm
Okay, everyone remain calm.
It has LONG been acceptable at interfaith gatherings, for the officiant to employ prayer texts which are more generic than those employed by adherents of his own confessions. We did this in the Boy Scouts for years. One example is the "Wilderness Grace."
"For food,
for raiment,
for life,
for opportunity,
For friendship and fellowship,
We thank thee, O Lord."
Another is the "Scoutmaster's Benediction."
"May the great Scoutmaster of all true Scouts be with us until we meet again."
No one gave it a second thought. They still don't.