Contard Republican US House of Representatives 114th Congress Opening Prayer

[huskerman23]

Whatever happened to separation of church and state????

http://www.c-span.org/video/?323523-...114th-congress

[I B Hankering]

.

Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives


House Speaker John Boehner and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi present a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol to Fr. Daniel Coughlin, in recognition for his 11 years of service as the 59th Chaplain of the House of Representatives, April 2011

The Chaplain of the United States House of Representatives is one of the officers of the United States House of Representatives. The House cites the first half of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 5 in the United States Constitution as giving it the authority to elect a Chaplain, "The House of Representatives shall choose their speaker and other officers".

The office of the Clerk of the House explains "The other officers have been created and their duties defined by the rules of the House, which also are made pursuant to the authority of the Constitution, hence one of the rules prescribes the duties of the Chaplain."

In addition to opening proceedings with prayer, the Chaplain provides pastoral counseling to the House community, coordinates the scheduling of guest chaplains, and arranges memorial services for the House and its staff. In the past, Chaplains have performed marriage and funeral ceremonies for House members.

Chaplains are elected as individuals and not as representatives of any religious community, body, or organization. As of 2011, all House Chaplains have been Christian but can be members of any religion or faith group. Guest Chaplains, recommended by congressional members to deliver the session's opening prayer in place of the House Chaplain, have represented many different religious groups, including Judaism and Islam.

The current House Chaplain is Fr. Patrick J. Conroy, S.J., the first Jesuit priest to hold the position. Conroy was sworn in May 25, 2011....

The election of William Linn as first Chaplain of the House on May 1, 1789, continued the tradition established by the Second Continental Congress of each day's proceedings opening with a prayer by a chaplain.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaplai...epresentatives

[JD Barleycorn]

Originally Posted by huskerman23

Whatever happened to separation of church and state????

http://www.c-span.org/video/?323523-...114th-congress

The separation is not a legal concept, it is a philosophical concept presented by Thomas Jefferson in a letter. The Congressional chaplain goes back over 220 years and that is that.

[Guest032516]

Originally Posted by huskerman23

Whatever happened to separation of church and state????

http://www.c-span.org/video/?323523-...114th-congress

You just learned for the first time that Congress says prayers at the start of sessions?

How old are you? Have you never read a paper or watched the news before?

Congress is prohibited from estabishing a state religion and from preventing the free exercise of any religion.

Starting off its own meetings with a prayer is neither.

[Jewish Lawyer]

Originally Posted by huskerman23

Whatever happened to separation of church and state????

http://www.c-span.org/video/?323523-...114th-congress

What about Father Mulcahy, in the MASH unit when the boys where fighting in Korea?
I believe the US Army pays the salaries of the Chaplains/Rabbi's/Imans/Ayatollahs/Priests of many faiths.

No atheists in foxholes....

[I B Hankering]

Originally Posted by Jewish Lawyer

What about Father Mulcahy, in the MASH unit when the boys where fighting in Korea?
I believe the US Army pays the salaries of the Chaplains/Rabbi's/Imans/Ayatollahs/Priests of many faiths.

No atheists in combat....

FTFY

"Praise the Lord, and ...