Catholic priest appointed House chaplain for first time in nation's history
By Chris Black/CNN
March 23, 2000
Web posted at: 6:11 p.m. EST (2311 GMT)
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Speaker Dennis Hastert on Thursday appointed the first Roman Catholic priest ever to serve as House chaplain after earlier passing over another Catholic candidate in a move that created a political firestorm.
Rev. Daniel Coughlin, vicar of the Archdiocese of Chicago, was named
House chaplain, following the withdrawal of the Presbyterian minister who was
Hastert's first choice.
In an emotional speech on the House floor, Hastert (R-Illinois) said the controversy over the naming of the chaplain had been "partisan," "ugly" and had brought "shame" upon the House.
"I am today, under the authority granted to me under the rules and
precedents of this House to fill vacancies, naming Daniel Coughlin to serve as
Chaplain of the House," he said.
Earlier, Rev. Charles Parker Wright, Hastert's first choice to be the
chaplain, withdrew his candidacy for the position in a letter to the speaker.
Sources said Wright and Hastert met privately on Tuesday and then on
Wednesday, Wright, a Presbyterian minister, sent a letter to Hastert taking
himself out of contention for the position.
In the letter, Wright said, "I regrettably request you consider
withdrawing my appointment to become Chaplain of the House at this time."
Wright's withdrawal cleared the way for a resolution to a controversy that
has roiled the House for three months.
Hastert's decision to name Wright instead of Father Timothy J. O'Brien, a
Roman Catholic priest and the top choice of a bipartisan House panel of 18
members, set off a firestorm of protest.
Hastert vehemently denied charges of being anti-Catholic. But many members
of the House leadership are born-again Christians who expressed some discomfort
with Catholics.
Rev. O'Brien, speaking before Father Coughlin was appointed, told CNN he
hoped the House would follow an orderly process in filling the position. He
added: "I did not expect all of this controversy."
Republicans were stung by the controversy and concerned it would hurt the
party with Catholic voters, particularly after GOP presidential hopeful George
W. Bush's controversial appearance at Bob Jones University, whose founder
considers Catholicism a cult.
"My friends, in all my years in this Congress," Hastert told the House, "I
have never seen a more cynical or more destructive political campaign. That
such a campaign should be waged in connection with the selection of the House
chaplain brings shame on this House."
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