A liberal Catholic priest who has served as the Chaplain for the U.S. House of Representatives has just rescinded the resignation letter Speaker Paul Ryan forced him to sign. Father Patrick Conroy says he has never been disciplined nor has anyone ever complained about his performance.
And he’s retained an attorney.
“At this time, and upon advice of counsel, I hearby retract and rescind said resignation,” Conroy writes. “I have never been disciplined, nor reprimanded, nor have I ever heard a complaint about my ministry during my time as House chaplain.”
NBC News’ Alex Moe posted Conroy’s letter rescinding his resignation:
Speaker Ryan refused to say specifically why he fired Conroy, but it is believed to be either because the morning the House was to begin debate on President Trump’s tax cuts for the rich bill, Conroy’s morning pray asked member to remember the poor. Ryan reportedly was also upset Conroy once had invited a Muslim cleric to deliver the morning prayer.
And as it turns out, Speaker Ryan, who himself is Catolic didn’t even have the courtesy to fire Conroy himself – and anti-Catholic sentiment might be behind the termination.
“While you never spoke with me in person, nor did you send me any correspondence,” Conroy’s letter reads, “you Chief of Staff, Jonathan Burks, came to me and informed me that you were asking for my letter of resignation.”
Asked why he was being fired, Conroy says, “Mr. Burks mentioned dismissively something like ‘maybe it’s time that we had a Chaplain that wasn’t a Catholic.'”
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That anti-Catholic sentiment was also expressed by a Republican Congressman.
To replace Father Conroy, Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC) said, “I’m looking for somebody who has a little age, that has adult children, that kind of can connect with the bulk of the body here, Republicans and Democrats who are going through, back home the wife, the family … that has some counseling experience.”
Catholic priests, including Father Conroy, take a vow of chastity and cannot marry.
Image by Craig Caplan via Twitter