Speaker Paul Ryan really put his foot in it by firing Father Pat Conroy, the Jesuit priest who has served as House chaplain, over what appear to be political reasons—a prayer he gave that encouraged Congress to consider the poor in their tax bill, and/or having once invited a Muslim cleric to give the opening prayer. In addition to that, however, were rumors that some non-Catholic (and by that read "anti-Catholic") Republicans wanted him out. One of those members has decided he'd better try to get himself out of this mess by withdrawing from the selection committee for Conroy's replacement.
Rep. Mark Walker (R-NC) has stepped down from the chaplain selection committee in the wake of his controversial comment that he would like the next chaplain to be married and have adult children, criteria that would exclude Catholic priests and nuns, according to a Sunday USA Today report.
On Thursday, Walker, a Southern Baptist minister, spoke to a group of reporters per a Hill report. “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,” he said.
Catholic clergy take a vow of chastity upon receipt of the sacrament of holy orders, ensuring that they will never marry or have children.
So, yeah, that wasn't particularly subtle on Walker's part, that ruling out of any Catholic in the post. Because that's sure how his Catholic colleagues understood his remarks. "We, on its face, would consider such a remark to be anti-Catholic—on its face," said Democratic Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia.
"So you’re eliminating anyone who’s a Catholic priest—or Catholic nun—from being the chaplain of the House. The largest denomination in the country. […] Now, I don't know if Walker knows that's what he really said. But to any Catholic ears, that's what we heard,” Connolly said.
Good job, Paul Ryan, on getting the House all worked up over just one more thing, this time completely gratuitously. So far, the only person who seems to think this was a brilliant idea is whack-job "Christian" right-wing radio host Bryan Fischer. Whose reasons for loving the firing are, well, unhinged. "He is an out gay man, he's married to a man—quote, end quote—so it was a shameful move to the put this guy in charge of the chaplaincy of the House in the first place." Okay, then. For the record, no, Conroy is not an out gay man, and he can't be married to anyone because he's a Jesuit priest. But at least someone is good with Ryan's decision.