Bishop confers papal honor on retiring pro-life congressman

Published: 2006-06-09

ADDISON, Ill. (CNS) -- With little fanfare June 1, Bishop Joseph L. Imesch gave U.S. Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Ill., the documents by which Pope Benedict XVI declared him a Knight of St. Gregory. "I just want to thank you for your staunch defense of life through some very, very difficult times," said the bishop, who recently retired as head of the Joliet Diocese. "This is not the environment to speak up for pro-life. But you have been a consistent, steady voice for life and the church owes you a great deal for that." Hyde, who is retiring from Congress, met with Bishop Imesch at his Addison district office, surrounded by stacks of papers, books and mementos from 32 years of service in the U. S. House of Representatives and eight years in the Illinois Legislature. The member of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Bensenville pulled out from within the heap of papers cherished photos of his most recent trip to the Vatican, which show him shaking hands with Pope Benedict XVI. Bishop Imesch had submitted Hyde's name to Pope Benedict for membership in the Knights of St. Gregory, a pontifical order of chivalry bestowed by the pope on individuals for their service to the church.

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