Chaplain calls his work on Hill a balance of contemplation, action

Published: 2005-10-28

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- Father Daniel Coughlin said his work on Capitol Hill as chaplain of the U.S. House of Representatives is the "balance of contemplation and action, prayer and reflection, words and listening" he has longed for his whole life. "I wrestle with angels at times to create prayer that will lift controversy to resolve and inspire differences to seek the common good," he said Oct. 26 at a reception where he received the 2005 Distinguished Service Award from the Washington Theological Union. "In pastoral care of members and those around them, I have uncovered depths of public service, the highest motivations and contemporary suffering that the public will never know or appreciate," he added. Washington Theological Union, a Catholic graduate school of theology and ministry, honored the priest for "his commitment and dedication to pastoring at the parish level and at the highest levels of government."

Copyright (c) 2005 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .