Paul Ryan Forces House Chaplain to Resign - Reportedly for GOP Tax Bill Prayer

Reverend Patrick Conroy, a Jesuit priest, has been the House Chaplain since 2011, when he was appointed by former Speaker of the House Boehner.

Paul Ryan asked for and received his letter of resignation and it's caused some ruckus on both sides of the aisle, particularly given the alleged reason for which Ryan ousted the clergyman.

Word on the street is that it primarily had to do with a prayer that Conroy led back in November and also possibly his invitation to an Imam to lead prayer on one occasion (although that's actually happened a few times in the past). There's a few unnamed congressional aides being cited in various outlets but Rep. Joe Crowley is on record repeating this assertion.

The prayer in question was given on November 6 (first day of markup for GOP tax bill) and included these lines:

"May all Members be mindful that the institutions and structures of our great Nation guarantee the opportunities that have allowed some to achieve great success, while others continue to struggle," Conroy said at the time. "May their efforts these days guarantee that there are not winners and losers under new tax laws, but benefits balanced and shared by all Americans."

WHAT?! BENEFITS SHARED BY ALL AMERICANS? BRO. BRO. Do you even Ayn Rand bro? How dare a priest pray for the poor and the struggling to have a little piece of the pie! WWJD? Amirite?

In all seriousness, if this was the reason for forcing him out (according to multiple source, it was made clear — resign or be canned), it is appallingly petty on the part of Ryan.

None of those names mean anything to me so Im not sure who's "side" the priest was on but if he was being political then he should be kicked out. We have enough idiots throwing their hat in the political ring without the religious crowd joining in

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My thoughts, Paul was given an opportunity for a graceful exit stage left. He was allowed a jab on his way out. Possibly because he has suffered a "come to Jesus" moment.


Religions of peace and all that. The battle is weird, but it seems to revolve around buggering for the most part for some reason. Me, my source of patience is me and meself. Gods or not, I realize that evil wins until it wins so much that it stumbles and falls in its drunken celebration of ego and pride. I wonder if that is kind of what is happening..who knows?

he wasn't their brand of christian?? they'll replace him with an evangelical dominionist more to their liking.

originally posted by: dawnstar
he wasn't their brand of christian?? they'll replace him with an evangelical dominionist more to their liking.

No, he's a Christian who prayed that Congress would be granted wisdom in considering the tax cut bill.

Apparently his prayer was unanswered so Ryan fired him asked for his resignation. What good is a chaplain who's prayers don't work?

a reply to: theantediluvian

Using a prayer as a lobbying tool is a problem isn't it. If he got political in a prayer, he should go. He should have found a better way to express himself than politicize a prayer. He was not elected, so he needs to be neutral when working.

They are paid $167,800 per year to represent everyone, not just one political ideology. Seems he has an ethics problem and a chaplain should not have an ethics issue.

a reply to: Blaine91555

Political?

"May their efforts these days guarantee that there are not winners and losers under new tax laws, but benefits balanced and shared by all Americans."

I suppose prayers should first be submitted to and approved by the controlling Congressional party? In other words, prayers should not be prayers but sanctioned calls for blessings.

I doubt Jesus would approve.

a reply to: Phage

Well, just from the news while that was going on, was not one parties argument that the Bill benefited the rich? Taken in context, yes, political. I suppose a person could ignore context and call it not political?

a reply to: Phage

for some reason, I don't think it works that way.. god could have a spiritual baseball bat clubbing some of those legislatures up the side of their heads screaming his wisdom and it wouldn't get past their visions of dollars stacked to their living room ceiling. they would probably prefer a fake prophet with no power, less headaches at the end of the day.

a reply to: Blaine91555

You read the supposedly "political" lines from the prayer. Do they sound political to you? They don't to me. Here they are again:

"May all Members be mindful that the institutions and structures of our great Nation guarantee the opportunities that have allowed some to achieve great success, while others continue to struggle," Conroy said at the time. "May their efforts these days guarantee that there are not winners and losers under new tax laws, but benefits balanced and shared by all Americans."

Don't Republicans care that benefits are balanced and shared by all Americans? I mean, I'm pretty sure that's what the GOP said they delivered in their tax bill right? Something that would benefit all Americans?

How could that be controversial? I can't imagine a political party openly advocating for tax bills that intentionally benefit the rich at the expense of the not-rich. I would suggest that if anyone feels that a statement like that is genuinely a slight against their agenda, that perhaps the real problem is their agenda.

Good.

We shouldn’t have a chaplain in Congress anyway. If it is a Christian then Muslims will be upset and if it is a Jew then Someone else is upset. Keep religion out of politics.

Besides, what truly religious person would want to be surrounded by the scum of the earth politicians unless it is there thing to minister to the wicked?

a reply to: Blaine91555

I suppose a person could ignore context and call it not political?

I suppose a person could call anything that rubs them the wrong way political. I suppose Ryan did so.

a reply to: theantediluvian

Well I guess this is a chance to reach across the aisle and work with Democrats to get a chaplain they can support.

Maybe the righteous louis Farrakhan so many Dems seem to like so much.

originally posted by: Phage

originally posted by: dawnstar
he wasn't their brand of christian?? they'll replace him with an evangelical dominionist more to their liking.

No, he's a Christian who prayed that Congress would be granted wisdom in considering the tax cut bill.

Apparently his prayer was unanswered so Ryan fired him asked for his resignation. What good is a chaplain who's prayers don't work?

Back in the day, they would have cut his beating heart out and thrown his lifeless body down the steps.


Blood everywhere.

They have steam cleaners back then?

a reply to: Blaine91555

and... wasn't the claim by the other side that the tax bill was fair and benefited all???

seems to me what the legislators needed was the wisdom and discernment to determine which claim was true, which was not. by no claiming that the priest was being "political" are you saying that the truth was it wasn't fair and balanced, benefiting everyone?

Oh Jesus Christ!


You don't fire a preacher man for praying.


Our country is so ####ed up.

Archive of opening prayers. Have at it.

chaplain.house.gov...

a reply to: DBCowboy

lol!!! you actually got a star from me for that one!! seems to be the most reasonable response so far to me!