[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 54 (Thursday, May 4, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E642]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      FATHER JOHN TERRY CELEBRATES 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF ORDINATION

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                         HON. PAUL E. KANJORSKI

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 4, 2000

  Mr. KANJORSKI. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to Father John Terry, 
V.F., of the Diocese of Scranton, Pennsylvania, who is celebrating the 
25th anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood this week.
  Father Terry currently serves two parishes, St. Charles Borromeo and 
Holy Family, located in the Sugar Notch area of my district.
  He was born in Scranton and raised in Jessup. After being ordained a 
deacon in 1974, he served for a time at St. Mary's Church of the 
Immaculate Conception in Wilkes-Barre, and he returned there upon his 
ordination to the priesthood.
  Father Terry's career is notable for his interest in youth and youth 
programs. His passion for sports has helped him to connect with young 
people. In 1979, he took on the difficult assignment of serving as 
director of the Catholic Youth Center in Wilkes-Barre. At that time, 
several factors worked against the center, including a dependence on 
government and outside funding, a facility that needed expansion and 
development, and the loss of staff for budget reasons.
  With goals established--and hard work day by day, week by week, year 
by year--the center was reborn under the leadership of Father Terry and 
Tony English, the executive director, to face the challenges of service 
to the needs of the youth in the community.
  Father Terry thrived on that assignment, which introduced him to high 
school sports at G.A.R. High School and working with teenage youth. At 
one football championship game, the students hung up a huge banner 
portraying Father Terry with wings, and it read, ``Our Angel in the 
Backfield.''
  At the same he directed the youth center, Father Terry served as an 
assistant pastor at St. Patrick's Parish in Wilkes-Barre, and was later 
assigned to Holy Savior and St. Christopher's Churches, followed by the 
parishes of Sugar Notch, where he has been for more than nine years 
now.
  The two churches where he now serves have been completely restored 
and updated. The emergence of a pastoral council, with representatives 
from both churches, began to develop more ministries, such as a 
pastoral outreach to shut-ins, youth ministries, liturgy--especially 
addressing children, adult education and the Rite of Christian 
Initiation for Adults, involvement of Eucharistic ministers, readers, 
altar servers and ministers of hospitality. Father Terry has worked 
with Deacon Phil Harris to make these things possible.
  Mr. Speaker, Father Terry has given his life in devotion to God and 
the people of the Wyoming Valley, and I am proud to join in honoring 
him on the 25th anniversary of his ordination. I send him my very best 
wishes for continued success.

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