[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 54 (Thursday, May 4, 2000)]
[House]
[Pages H2590-H2596]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   EXPRESSING SENSE OF CONGRESS ON DEATH OF JOHN CARDINAL O'CONNOR, 
                         ARCHBISHOP OF NEW YORK

  Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee 
on Government Reform be discharged from further consideration of the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 317) expressing the sense of the 
Congress on the death of John Cardinal O'Connor, Archbishop of New 
York, and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
  The Clerk read the title of the concurrent resolution.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  The Clerk read the concurrent resolution, as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 317

       Whereas His Eminence John Cardinal O'Connor was born John 
     Joseph O'Connor on January 15, 1920, in southwest 
     Philadelphia, the son of Thomas and Mary O'Connor;
       Whereas his duty to God and country led him to serve 
     loyally as a chaplain in the United States Navy, counseling 
     thousands of brave young men and women during his tenure, 
     which included tours of duty during the Vietnam War;
       Whereas John Cardinal O'Connor served the people of the 
     Archdiocese of New York with honor and distinction for over 
     15 years;
       Whereas John Cardinal O'Connor became an internationally 
     recognized leader in the field of human rights, working for 
     peace and justice;
       Whereas John Cardinal O'Connor was a champion of Catholic 
     schools, particularly in inner-city communities;
       Whereas John Cardinal O'Connor has always spoken out and 
     acted to aid the elderly, homeless, working people, the 
     mentally disabled, and the poor;
       Whereas John Cardinal O'Connor has provided compassion 
     through his words and actions and made it known that everyone 
     was a child of God and was deserving of love, compassion, and 
     respect;
       Whereas John Cardinal O'Connor led the Catholic Church in 
     recognizing the terrible toll of AIDS and opened New York 
     State's first AIDS-only unit, at St. Claire's Hospital;
       Whereas John Cardinal O'Connor worked tirelessly to 
     strengthen relations between Catholics and followers of the 
     Jewish faith, recognizing the power of the interfaith 
     alliance and leading the Vatican to recognize the State of 
     Israel; and
       Whereas John Cardinal O'Connor was guided in his actions by 
     the Spirit of the Lord: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) has learned with profound sorrow of the death of His 
     Eminence John Cardinal O'Connor on May 3, 2000, and extends 
     condolences to his family and to the Archdiocese of New York;
       (2) expresses its profound gratitude to John Cardinal 
     O'Connor and his family for the service that he rendered to 
     his country and his faith; and
       (3) recognizes with appreciation and respect John Cardinal 
     O'Connor's commitment to and example of faith, love, respect, 
     and dignity for all mankind.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella) 
is recognized for 1 hour.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that the time be 
divided, 30 minutes on each side, with the 30 minutes on the other side 
being controlled by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley).
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to echo the words of the majority leader, 
the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Armey), and

[[Page H2591]]

also to express our appreciation to him and the Speaker as well in 
allowing Members to pay our respects to the great Cardinal O'Connor, 
who we bury on Monday in New York.
  Mr. Speaker, it is a sad day for New Yorkers and the Nation. America 
has lost a good priest and a great leader, John Cardinal O'Connor. 
Normally, resolutions such as this are tinged with regret. For often, 
when someone passes away, we worry that we may have missed the 
opportunity for not having said something to one that we loved or 
respected; for not expressing something that we felt. But I am pleased 
that this is not the case today. I am pleased because this House 
expressed the gratitude of the Nation for the work of John Cardinal 
O'Connor while he was still alive.
  Just a few weeks ago, the House voted to recognize Cardinal O'Connor 
with a Congressional Gold Medal, the highest award that this Nation 
bestows upon a civilian. And sadly, while he will never have the 
opportunity to see or to hold that medal, I know that he was deeply 
touched by being recognized by Congress. Just to have his name placed 
up for the Congressional Gold Medal was an honor to him, and I would 
like to thank each and every Member of this House for voting to award 
Cardinal O'Connor that great honor.
  He considered his work that of a simple priest. We here today know 
that his modesty cannot obscure his greatness. John Cardinal O'Connor 
touched the hearts and lives of millions of people. He was a man of 
deep compassion, great intellect, and tireless devotion. His words 
transcended religion, and his actions reminded us that American heroes 
still exist. The cardinal was a guiding light for Catholics and non-
Catholics alike. He was and is truly loved, truly admired; and he will 
truly be missed.
  Cardinal O'Connor served this Nation for 27 years in his military 
career. He had a tour of duty in Korea, where he volunteered to become 
a chaplain; two tours of duty in Vietnam, often giving mass and 
celebrating mass in a foxhole, and giving the last rites to so many 
young men who gave their lives for their country. He was there in the 
heat of battle. And when he came back, I think above all he had the 
fondest memories of being a chaplain in the United States military. I 
am sure there are people around the country who remember Cardinal 
O'Connor as that chaplain, and I am sure they share the grief that we 
all have today.
  In his responsibilities as Archbishop of New York, as a great 
spiritual leader, perhaps one of the most influential in this country, 
he was truly committed to those who needed help the most, the poor and 
the homeless. And when it came to education, he was steadfast in his 
commitment to ensure that Catholics and non-Catholics alike have the 
greatest opportunity to receive a quality education.
  But for the strength, the guidance, and the principal positions that 
he often took, and that sometimes were referred to as controversial, 
his commitment to the church, his commitment to his people, his 
commitment to parishioners was a force that could never be forgotten. 
So his legacy will live on in many ways, and I thank the House for 
giving us this opportunity to honor his life and his legacy.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I want to thank my colleague and my good friend, the gentleman from 
Staten Island, New York (Mr. Fossella), for joining me in offering this 
resolution today and for his outstanding work in recognizing the life 
of our friend, Cardinal O'Connor.
  I would also like to thank the other original cosponsors on this side 
of the aisle: the minority leader, the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. 
Gephardt), the gentleman from Michigan (Mr. Bonior), the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Meeks), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Weiner), the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns), the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Rangel), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Owens), the gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Velazquez), the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney), 
the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. McCarthy), the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Forbes), the gentleman from New York (Mr. McNulty), the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Brady), the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. LaFalce), the gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. Delahunt), the 
gentleman from Massachusetts (Mr. McGovern), the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Hinchey), the gentleman from New York (Mr. Ackerman), the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Serrano), the gentleman from New Jersey 
(Mr. Menendez), the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone), the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Borski), and the gentlewoman from New 
York (Mrs. Lowey).
  All of these Members are also original cosponsors of this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise with a heavy heart to express my profound sorrow 
at the passing of John Cardinal O'Connor. As a spiritual leader of over 
2 million Catholics in one of the most diverse archdioceses in our 
Nation, Cardinal O'Connor was an active participant in the debate of 
the role of the church and the role of society in helping those who 
could not care for themselves, those least fortunate amongst us.

                              {time}  1600

  The Cardinal has always embodied the biblical passage of the Good 
Samaritan. In both his words and actions, Cardinal O'Connor clearly 
demonstrated his devotions to the teachings of Christ and his spirit of 
the principles of that passage.
  I can daresay that no individual whoever came before Cardinal 
O'Connor was ever left on the side of the road. He used not only his 
pulpit to teach the word of Christ but also the true meaning of those 
words as he saw them.
  He was one of the first Church officials to recognize the horrible 
toll of the AIDS epidemic and used his moral authority to open New York 
State's first only unit to treat AIDS at St. Clare's Hospital in New 
York City.
  Additionally, he also provided compassion through words and actions 
and made it known that every one of us was a child of God and was 
deserving of love, compassion, and respect.
  He strove to strengthen relations between his flock and those of 
other faiths, recognizing the value of all people and the power of the 
interfaith alliance. He was a man who has dedicated his life to helping 
lift others up, all the while never seeking out worldly possessions or 
public accolade.
  These are just some of the reasons I rise today. But there are 
others, more personal reasons. In my own family, three of my relatives 
received the devine calling to dedicate themselves to do the work of 
the Lord.
  My uncle, Father John Crowley, is currently the pastor of St. John of 
the Cross Church in Vero Beach, Florida.
  My other uncle, Father Paul Murphy, is a Catholic priest in 
Philadelphia, a member of the Vincesian order. He, like Father John 
Crowley, has been inspired by Cardinal O'Connor and viewed him as a 
personal figure of inspiration.
  My aunt, Sister Mary Rose Crowley, is a member of the Sisters of 
Notre Dame and is based in West Palm Beach, Florida, as well. She, too, 
has reflected upon the grace, the power, and the compassion of Cardinal 
O'Connor.
  These people, all dedicated to the teachings of Christ, have received 
both encouragement and guidance from Cardinal O'Connor. The Cardinal 
has always served as a role model of conduct and solid Christian 
behavior for my relatives and for millions of other Catholics not only 
in New York but throughout the Nation and throughout the world.
  As the leader of New York's Catholics, he has also been influential 
in establishing and maintaining a series of high quality, Catholic 
schools throughout the Archdiocese.
  In fact, I attended Power Memorial High School in Manhattan and, as a 
graduate of parochial schools, I have been brought up with the values 
of the Cardinal, and I hope that I at some point will be able to 
instill those same values of my family that I was taught, values of 
family and faith, into my son, Cullen, who was baptized recently into 
the Catholic faith.
  No other person, I do not think, in the city of New York did more for 
relations, especially between the people of the Catholic faith and the 
Jewish faith. In fact, I think Cardinal O'Connor can be credited with 
much of the movement we saw recently out of the Vatican toward 
revisiting World War II and

[[Page H2592]]

the Holocaust and the role of the Church during that time.
  I think the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella) would remember the 
great warmth between Cardinal O'Connor and the former mayor of New York 
Ed Koch. I think that said an awful lot about how New Yorkers felt 
about Cardinal O'Connor from all persuasions.
  On behalf of all my constituents in the Bronx, which is part of the 
Archdiocese in New York, and my constituents in Queens, a part of the 
Brooklyn/Queens Archdiocese, I urge all my colleagues to support this 
resolution in honor of this great man, Cardinal O'Connor.
  May God bless his soul.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman 
from Texas (Ms. Jackson-Lee).
  (Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas asked and was given permission to revise 
and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New 
York for yielding me the time.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to support this resolution in honor of Cardinal 
O'Connor, particularly for his effort in racial and spiritual harmony.
  I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) and I thank those 
who have cosponsored this resolution, as I have.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I take this time to commend the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Crowley) for all of his efforts and support, especially in 
garnering support for the Congressional Gold Medal. He was very 
instrumental in that effort.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3\1/2\ minutes to the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Gilman), the chairman of the Committee on International Relations.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding me the 
time.
  Mr. Speaker, I welcome this opportunity to join the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Fossella) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) 
and my other colleagues in expressing our sadness on the death of a 
great human being, his Eminence Cardinal John O'Connor, a man who I was 
honored to consider a friend.
  Cardinal O'Connor was a humble man, and one of his final requests was 
to have his epitaph simply read, ``He was a good priest.''
  Since the Cardinal was a good friend, I comply with his wish and say, 
Your Eminence, you were a good priest.
  His Eminence Cardinal O'Connor dedicated his life to the Catholic 
Church. His allegiance to God and to his religion is well known 
throughout our Nation, throughout the world.
  For all or most of our colleagues in this chamber, Cardinal O'Connor 
was and will remain an outstanding example of virtue, of honor and 
moral fortitude.
  For me and my colleagues who represent congressional districts within 
the New York Archdiocese, the news of Cardinal O'Connor's passing came 
with even greater sorrow. He was a living personification of love for 
one another, for peace, and for living up to the ideals of our Judeo-
Christian heritage.
  Cardinal O'Connor was known for promoting racial and religion 
harmony. On Yom Kippur last year, the day of atonement, the Cardinal 
sent a letter to Jewish leaders expressing his sorrow for any member of 
his church who committed any acts of violence or prejudice against 
members of the Jewish faith. The work that he did in advancing good 
relations among all faiths of this land will never be forgotten.
  The Cardinal was known for advocating the best education possible for 
all children regardless of their race, religion, or financial status. 
He welcomed AIDS patients into the Catholic hospitals of New York at a 
time when other medical institutions were turning them away. The 
Cardinal always administered to the sick and to the disabled and 
remained a staunch friend of the poor.
  It was unfortunate that Cardinal O'Connor was a victim of abuse from 
certain elements in our society who feel comfortable attacking those 
institutions who continue to uphold our ancient moral standards. His 
Eminence, however, knew the value of his words and deeds and never 
flinched at dissent, for he knew he was doing God's work on Earth.
  Perhaps the motto on Cardinal O'Connor's personal coat of arms sums 
up the philosophy of this outstanding leader: ``There can be no love 
without justice.''
  Earlier this year, several of my colleagues and I supported the 
legislation to award Cardinal O'Connor with this country's highest 
civilian honor, the Congressional Gold Medal. God works in mysterious 
ways, and he allowed the Cardinal to live long enough to see our 
appreciation for his good works.
  The Cardinal always said that he would have been satisfied with being 
just a teacher or parish priest without all of the media attention of 
his valiant works. Thank God people like him exist on this planet, for 
they serve as models for our younger generations in how to live 
meaningful and successful lives.
  My heart and prayers go out to the Cardinal's family, and I hope that 
the Archdiocese of New York will be blessed with another archbishop as 
honorable and dedicated as our good friend, his Eminence Cardinal 
O'Connor.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Manhattan, New York (Mr. Rangel).
  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Crowley) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella) for being 
thoughtful enough to give some of us in the Congress an opportunity to 
express the appreciation that we have in having from our city, and 
indeed from our country, someone like Cardinal O'Connor.
  I knew and respected and admired him and worked with him on so many 
different occasions. And because of the splendor of his vestments and 
the manner in which he carried himself, it is impossible for me, even 
now, to think of him as being gone.
  But I would suspect that, with all of the spirituality, that he would 
want us to not think of him as being gone but, rather, to carry out 
some of the things that he would want us to do and some of the things 
that he has just built such a wonderful reputation on.
  We pride ourselves in New York for our parades. The older we get, the 
longer it seems like the parade lasts in terms of marching. But one of 
the brightest spots that we all looked forward to, no matter what 
ethnic group it was, was reaching St. Patrick's Cathedral and knowing 
that, no matter what the weather was like, the Cardinal would be there 
with a smile on his face.
  And it was just unbelievable to see how, no matter what the religion 
or the faith or the background was of the sponsors of the marchers in 
the parade, Cardinal O'Connor was their spiritual leader.
  When the Haitians were trying so desperately hard to reach our shores 
and the Coast Guard was meeting them halfway and turning them back, the 
Haitian community was so frustrated that they did not know what to do. 
And I went to the Cardinal and reminded him that so many of the 
Haitians that were being persecuted were Catholics. And time after time 
and mass after mass, he would hold for Haitians to come into St. 
Patrick's Cathedral and, believe it or not, the mass, which I knew as 
an altar boy in Latin, he would say patios so that the Haitians would 
feel not only a part of being loved but a part of the spirituality.
  How would he be remembered? In Harlem, we have a church called the 
Convent Avenue Baptist Church. For over 20 years, we celebrate Martin 
Luther King's birthday and Baptist ministers and ministers from all 
over the country come to speak.
  We can rest assured that one person would be there early and stay 
late with all of his beautiful vestments in the middle of Harlem, and 
that would be Cardinal O'Connor.
  The things that he allowed Catholic charities to do, and Catholic 
charities took care of the needs of the poor, and not all of the poor 
are minorities but, unfortunately, too many are, and if we took a look 
and found out where the resources were being spent, we would find it 
would be in the south Bronx, south Jamaica, and in Harlem.

[[Page H2593]]

  The Cardinal was not satisfied to allow lay people to do it, but if a 
building had to be open or a ribbon had to be cut, he would cause 
excitement of the people in the community to know something was 
happening because he would be there smiling and blessing the opening of 
those things.
  Yes, I do not know how we all are going to get along without 
remembering our great Cardinal. But again, in closing, I would say that 
he would want us to remember him for all the good he tried to do. And I 
think that all of us would be better people if we recognized that, 
whether we are Jewish or gentile or Muslim or Hindu or Catholic or 
Protestant, that somehow this great person was able not just to preach 
to Catholic catechism but to give a sense to all of us that we were 
loved by God and that we have a responsibility to love our fellow man.
  He will be missed, but there will be enough of us that could try to 
fill the gap and I do hope that the spiritual community will never 
forget that we were not made to compete with each other but we were 
made to be like the Cardinal, to bring each other together.
  I thank my friends and colleagues, the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Fossella) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), for giving us 
this opportunity to thank God for having a chance to have known and to 
have worked with his Eminence.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) for his 
beautiful words. He truly was a friend of the Cardinal, and I thank him 
for his leadership and eloquence on this.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. 
Kelly).

                              {time}  1615

  Mrs. KELLY. Mr. Speaker, today all of New York grieves for the 
passing of his eminence John Cardinal O'Connor, the archbishop of New 
York. Cardinal O'Connor was a tireless advocate for the disadvantaged, 
the poor, the working class. His passing is a tremendous loss to the 
Nation.
  I was privileged to have had the opportunity to meet with the 
cardinal on more than one occasion, and to say that I was impressed is 
really a vast understatement. I have to say he was a wonderful man to 
work with when we had common cause with which we were trying to achieve 
a goal. He was there, he was present, and he was always working very 
hard for all of us.
  His presence commanded attention and respect. His awareness of 
individuals, their hopes, aspirations and desires brought him an 
empathy that very few can duplicate.
  His humor was gentle, sometimes trenchant, and always amusing. John 
Cardinal O'Connor built bridges of understanding among the most diverse 
communities of New York and won the respect of the leaders of many 
faiths in the city. Today, we mourn the loss of a true leader, a 
visionary and a peacemaker whose moral convictions continue to stand as 
a great example for all of us. Even when he was suffering from the 
ravages of brain cancer, his humor was irrepressible and his advocacy 
undiminished. As Cardinal O'Connor is in our prayers, we must now also 
pray for the Archdiocese of New York that his successor can fill his 
tremendous shadow with the same qualities that made him such a great 
man.
  We all pray for you, John Cardinal O'Connor, as we do for the 
Archdiocese of New York.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from upstate New York (Mr. Hinchey).
  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I am very grateful to my friends and 
colleagues for providing us with the opportunity to reflect for a 
moment on the life of this great and wonderful man, and to join with 
millions of other New Yorkers, others across this country and indeed in 
many places around the world who are feeling a deep sense of loss and a 
deep sense of sorrow at the death of John Cardinal O'Connor.
  He was, in many ways, a very unique man. At the same time he prided 
himself on his own simplicity and his own sense of simple relationships 
with others. He was the classic parish priest, the classic pastor, 
peacemaker, working with others in the community wherever he found 
himself, whatever that community might be, helping people meet their 
obligations and helping them to get over the more difficult parts of 
their life.
  He was a volunteer in the service of his country. He was a chaplain 
in the United States Navy. He spent a good part of his life ministering 
to servicemen, and the ministering that priests and other religious 
people do to servicemen is often some of the most difficult ministering 
because these are people away from home, away from their families and 
often under difficult and troubling circumstances.
  He rose in that order to become chief of chaplains in the United 
States Navy. He was also, of course, a great leader in New York, in 
Pennsylvania, and other places where his ministry took him.
  Among other things that I recall about him was his great advocacy on 
behalf of working people. He was a great believer in the right of 
working people to organize, to bargain collectively, to work in unions; 
and he was a great fighter against those who would impede that right. 
He went out of his way many times to make it clear that he was a strong 
believer in the right of people to organize collectively to try to 
improve their lives and the lot of their families.
  This, among other things, stands out among this great and wonderful 
religious leader, great and wonderful American. We are all saddened by 
his passing. We are all saddened by our loss as a result of that 
passing, but we do have this opportunity, thanks to the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Crowley) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella), 
to reflect in this way on his life to pay tribute to the contributions 
that he made and to the great example that he has set for all of the 
rest of us.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. King), a good friend of the cardinal, the man from Nassau 
County.
  Mr. KING. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Fossella) for yielding me this time.
  At the very outset, I want to commend the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Fossella) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) for the 
great leadership they have shown in bringing this to the floor so all 
of us today can have the opportunity to reflect on the great 
contributions that were made by John Cardinal O'Connor.
  I was very proud to call Cardinal O'Connor a friend. He was a man of 
great vision, a man of great dignity, a man of great moral capacity; 
and certainly he was a giant of the church. In many ways, too, he was 
also the ultimate New Yorker. He had a fighting spirit. He had a sense 
of self-deprecating humor. He took issues very seriously but never took 
himself seriously.
  At a time of moral relativism, Cardinal O'Connor had the courage to 
stand for lasting truths and immutable principles. He spoke out on 
behalf of the unborn. He spoke out on behalf of working men and women. 
He spoke out on behalf of the impoverished, those suffering with AIDS, 
and he always made it clear to all men and women, no matter what their 
religious faith, that they had an obligation to look beyond themselves, 
to look for those who have been left behind and take care of them.
  I had many personal experiences with Cardinal O'Connor. He was very, 
very active in bringing the Irish peace process forward. Certainly, 
from the time he came to New York in 1984, the St. Patrick's Day parade 
in 1985 where he stood up to pressure from the British and Irish 
governments to review the St. Patrick's Day parade. In 1994, when Jerry 
Adams received his first visa to reach this country, Cardinal O'Connor 
insisted on meeting with him to send a signal that this was important 
to the peace process to go forward.
  In 1996, when there was a break in the peace process, it was Cardinal 
O'Connor who publicly met with leaders at St. Patrick's Cathedral from 
Ireland, including Jerry Adams, and there are so many others. As the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) said, he spoke out on behalf of 
Haitians. So it was not just one particular ethnic group or one 
particular religion. It was all people that were oppressed that 
Cardinal O'Connor identified with.
  I think at this time when again there are few real heroes in our 
country, it is important to look to someone who did stand for what was 
right and was not afraid to say so. Also I think it is very

[[Page H2594]]

important to note that during this past 8 or 9 months when he was 
suffering from brain cancer, he showed the same class, the same 
courage, the same sense of dignity that he displayed throughout his 
life. He certainly displayed grace under pressure, and that is the 
ultimate definition of class. It is also the ultimate definition of a 
man who has a true faith and a true belief in God.
  Again, I am proud to stand here today with all of my colleagues in 
honoring John Cardinal O'Connor. I was proud to call him a friend. He 
certainly will always be in my prayers and the prayers of my family. 
May he rest in peace.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, we thank the gentleman from New York (Mr. King) for his 
words, especially bringing light and attention to the fact that 
Cardinal O'Connor had played such a major role in the Irish peace 
process and in many, many different ways. He had a tremendous amount of 
pride in his Irish heritage, and I probably dare say that one of his 
greatest days was March 17 every year. When the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Rangel) talked before about all the parades, I have to say that 
March 17 was probably his favorite day of all the parades, and he had 
the biggest smile on that particular day.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman 
from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur).
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my very able 
colleague, the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley), and also the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella) for sponsoring this resolution 
and my dear friend and our leader, the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Rangel), for sponsoring this resolution this evening.
  I, as an Ohioan and a daughter of the Buckeye State, rise with a 
heavy heart along with our colleagues from New York to extend deepest 
sympathy to the family, the friends and the colleagues, both in public 
life, in private life, in church life, for the unselfish life of John 
Cardinal O'Connor. We mourn with all the loss of this truly great 
spiritual leader and world figure of enormous proportion.
  It is amazing. I guess one could say there are cardinals and then 
there are cardinals, and without question those of us who hail west of 
Long Island and New York City kind of viewed Cardinal O'Connor and the 
New York archdiocese as our connection to the world, and his role 
stretched beyond the diocese of New York.
  I have to think back to a wonderful invitation that was extended to 
us by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) to meet with Cardinal 
O'Connor about 2 years ago when many of us who are very concerned about 
rebuilding in the former Soviet Union had brought visitors from, in 
that instance, the Ukraine to New York, people who had never traveled 
to the United States before, and Cardinal O'Connor agreed to hold mass 
to introduce these individuals in front of his magnificent congregation 
in New York City and then afterwards to privately meet with these 
individuals who could not even imagine that they would have had that 
set of experiences.
  I can remember the cardinal afterwards hosting them in his private 
residence, something he did not have to do. I can recall during the 
mass, when it began, how he as a great moral leader but also an 
individual with great discipline and dispatch walked down the middle 
aisle of St. Patrick's Cathedral. I will never forget that. He had such 
a long gait because he was so tall, and he had so much energy you just 
felt like he lifted New York up; and he lifted all of us by the way he 
carried himself, and then to listen to his homily, the great humor, the 
keen mind that he displayed.
  And every moment during that very, very special day for us is 
something I shall never forget and even then more importantly for the 
people who were our guests from the former Soviet Union, he, through 
the Catholic Near East Welfare Fund, began to work with them. Again, 
the branches of America's free society, with all of our institutions, 
including those of our religious institutions, began to build back and 
began to plant seeds that will bloom in generations to come.
  I will always remember the fact that he was able to host us and he 
did that. We were not from New York. We were not from that archdiocese. 
In fact, some of our visitors were from around the world, and I really 
gained a much deeper appreciation of the importance of the New York 
diocese, the importance of that particular cardinal, and his own 
commitment to those who were not of his congregation there inside of 
New York City.
  So tonight we mourn his passing from this life, but I want to again 
acknowledge the gentleman from New York (Mr. Rangel) for bringing us 
together and also the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) and the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Fossella) for placing in the Record the 
life story and the contributions of this truly world spiritual leader 
who has made such a difference in the lives of Americans but also 
people around the world whose lives he touched. We extend our deepest 
condolences to his family, to his friends, to the people of New York, 
and people of spiritual conviction around the world.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) for again 
her thoughtful words and words of praise for the cardinal.
  While New York claimed him as our own, he was born in Philadelphia 
and immediately before coming to New York he was the Bishop of 
Scranton, a great town in Pennsylvania, for one year.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Pennsylvania 
(Mr. Sherwood), who is here to speak for those great folks of Scranton 
and who represents Scranton.
  Mr. SHERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the gentleman from 
New York (Mr. Fossella) and the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) 
for the opportunity to speak today as we mourn the passing of a great 
American, John Joseph Cardinal O'Connor, the archbishop of New York. I 
rise this afternoon to join my colleagues in expressing our condolences 
to Catholics throughout the Nation and around the world. From Cardinal 
O'Connor's home in Philadelphia, where he was ordained, across the 
globe with the United States Navy Chaplain Corps, to the Scranton 
diocese where he served as our Bishop, to the diocese of New York, he 
ministered with grace, love, compassion and humility.
  I first knew the cardinal as the bishop of Scranton, and even though 
that is almost 2 decades ago, he is still revered in Scranton as a man 
of great compassion and wisdom and, most of all, his relationship with 
people.

                              {time}  1630

  Several months ago, I stood in this well as an original cosponsor of 
legislation to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Cardinal O'Connor 
in recognition of his devotion to faith, service, and country. 
Americans of all faiths owe a debt of thanks to the Cardinal. He worked 
tirelessly to encourage respect and cooperation among secular leaders 
and believers of Christian and non-Christian religions. He was a 
spiritual humanist who believed in the fundamental value of every human 
life.
  Mr. Speaker, it has been spoken today of his great friendship with 
Mayor Koch of New York, and I think it has been said that if he had not 
devoted his life to the Church, he could have easily been the mayor of 
Philadelphia. He had those kinds of talents.
  We would all do well to strive to emulate his commitment to love and 
service.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Pennsylvania. He reminds us 
all that although Cardinal O'Connor spent the last years of his life in 
New York, he really was not a New Yorker by birth, and he never really 
belonged just to New York, he belonged not only to the United States, 
but to this world. I think the next speaker would like to expand upon 
that as well.
  Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she may consume to the gentlewoman 
from San Francisco, California (Ms. Pelosi).
  Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I thank our colleague for his leadership in 
bringing this to the floor, along with the gentleman from New York (Mr. 
Fossella) and Mr. Rangel, both of whom spoke earlier. I thank my 
colleagues for giving us the opportunity

[[Page H2595]]

to mourn publicly and in this Chamber the death of John Cardinal 
O'Connor.
  I was raised in Baltimore, Maryland. We have the oldest archdiocese 
in the country, but everyone in the country thinks of New York in terms 
of the greatest, because of size and because of St. Patrick's 
Cathedral.
  I want to address both the national and international aspects of this 
great Cardinal. Both Baltimore and New York have wonderful basilicas 
and cathedrals and wonderful, wonderful religious leadership, and that 
leadership was not only there to guide us in our inner spiritual lives 
about religion, but also about the dignity and worth of every person.
  When we talk about human rights throughout the world, a guiding 
message among Catholics is the message of Pope Paul VI who said if you 
want peace, work for justice. John Cardinal O'Connor was the living 
embodiment of that statement. He became an internationally recognized 
leader in the field of human rights working for peace and justice. He 
recognized the dignity and worth of every person, no matter how humble, 
no matter living in how remote an area of the world. He was not only a 
leader, but an inspiration, and, again, a disciple of the words of Pope 
Paul VI, and he brought that home. He brought that home. He not only 
promoted justice, economic and social justice, throughout the world, 
but he did so at home.
  He had always spoken out and acted to aid the elderly, the homeless, 
working people, the mentally disabled and the poor. He was, again, the 
living embodiment of the corporeal works of mercy, the Sermon on the 
Mount, the gospel, the Gospel of Matthew. When I was hungry, you gave 
me to eat; when I was naked, you clothed me; when I was homeless, you 
sheltered me; when I was in prison, you visited me. Not just for those 
who were poor, but those who were disadvantaged in other respects as 
well.
  His illness was a tragedy for our whole country, and we viewed it, 
many of us, as his purgatory, so we know he went directly to heaven. He 
would have anyway, probably, but God chose to give him this suffering 
to atone not for his sins, but for others. So we know he is in heaven.
  So as we pray for the people of New York and on behalf of my own 
constituents extend condolences to the people of New York, and 
recognize his role as a national leader, and a special claim that all 
people in America have on St. Patrick's Cathedral and its Cardinal, 
and, in this case, John Cardinal O'Connor, we have all been diminished 
by his death. So in extending sympathy to the people of New York and to 
our country and to the family of John Cardinal O'Connor, I do so in 
prayer, prayer for his family, prayer for his constituents, but knowing 
that he is in heaven, beseech him to pray for us. He knows how badly we 
need his prayers.
  Again, I thank our colleagues for giving us this opportunity to 
recognize the life and works of John Cardinal O'Connor and to extend 
sympathy to the people he served in his state, in this country, and 
throughout the world.
  Mr. CROWLEY. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, just in closing on our side, I just want to say that I 
do not think anything more can be said about this great man that has 
not been said already here on the floor.
  All of New York will miss Cardinal O'Connor. I speak for all my 
constituents, both Catholic and non-Catholic alike. He was a man who 
touched the heart and soul of every person in this country and in this 
world, and the world is lesser for not having him anymore.
  Before I came to the floor this evening to manage debate on this, I 
called my mother to let her know that we would be doing this, and to 
maybe give my aunt and uncles a call in the religious community, that 
they might want to tune in to hear a few words about Cardinal O'Connor. 
She said, ``You know, I loved him;'' and my mother means she really 
loved him.
  I think that is really representative of so many people. My mother 
was not even in his diocese, but she loved Cardinal O'Connor, and she 
was not ashamed to say it, and there are millions and millions of 
people who feel the very, very same way.
  Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend from Staten Island once again for 
his work on this effort.
  Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for time, and I yield back 
the balance of my time.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I commend my good friend the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Crowley) for his leadership on this issue, and also again for 
helping us out so much with getting a Congressional Gold Medal to be 
bestowed upon Cardinal O'Connor, and the gentlewoman from California 
(Ms. Pelosi) for coming in and offering her thoughtful words as well.
  As the gentleman from New York (Mr. Crowley) said, Mr. Speaker, it 
has all been said. As Catholics, as Christians, we are taught to 
believe in eternal life, and the Cardinal through his daily mass 
celebrated the Eucharist and celebrated not only life here on Earth, 
but what he thought would be entering into the Kingdom of God, where he 
will rest forever in peace and love.
  I am very fortunate to represent the people of Staten Island, Bay 
Ridge, Brooklyn, Dykker Heights, Bensonhurst and Grave's End. While 
those folks are not in the diocese that the Cardinal controlled, like 
Mr. Crowley's mother, they loved the Cardinal as well.
  If anything, New York, this country, the Catholic Church, has lost a 
bit of its soul with the passing of Cardinal O'Connor, but it has not 
lost the legacy that he has left for all of us to emulate.
  A true leader, Mr. Speaker, does not say do as I say; he says do as I 
do, come follow me. Whether it was at the alter at St. Patrick's 
Cathedral or on the 5th Avenue on the St. Patrick's Day parade, or just 
touching the hand of a young child in a Catholic school who might not 
otherwise get a good education but for his steadfast commitment to 
ensuring that he gets one, or that person suffering from AIDS who had 
but a few moments left on this Earth, he was there to lend a helping 
hand and prayers, or for the homeless or the poor, the working men and 
women who were just looking for a better life when they land on these 
shores, Cardinal O'Connor, in my opinion, Mr. Speaker, will go down as 
a truly great American.
  I thank and applaud my colleagues, especially the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Crowley), the gentleman from New York (Mr. King), the 
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Sherwood), the gentleman from New York 
(Mr. Rangel) and others who have spoken for taking the time to 
acknowledge his greatness, his contributions to this country and his 
church, and, above all, Mr. Speaker, the Speaker of the House, the 
gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Hastert) and the gentleman from Texas (Mr. 
Armey) for allowing us to bring this to the floor in such an 
expeditious manner, and all my colleagues here, both Democrats and 
Republicans, for paying tribute to a great man.
  Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember a truly great man--
John Cardinal O'Connor, Archbishop of New York. Cardinal O'Connor's 
death is a tremendous loss not only for the people of New York, but for 
the country and for the world.
  I have always admired Cardinal O'Connor. I understand that he was 
from southwest Philadelphia. I was from the same neighborhood, right 
around the corner from the parish he grew up in, St. Clement Parish, 
which is at 71st Street and Woodland Avenue. I'm from 70th and Reedland 
Streets, and I went to Patterson Elementary School and Tilden Junior 
High, which I understand is where Cardinal O'Connor also went to 
school.
  Cardinal O'Connor lived a long and full life, and it was one which 
was marked by service to others. He was a voice for the voiceless and a 
champion of human rights, both here in this country and for all people 
everywhere.
  He delivered a homily on January 30 of this year which I think 
epitomizes the values for which he stood, and I'd like to quote a few 
closing remarks that he made that day:

       Perhaps the time has come for a new and deeper reflection 
     on the nature of the economy and its purposes. What seems to 
     be urgently needed is a reconsideration of the concept of 
     prosperity itself, to prevent it from being enclosed in a 
     narrow utilitarian perspective which leaves very little space 
     for values such as solidarity and altruism . . .
       We are not simply looking for economic benefits. We are 
     looking for human benefits. When we recognize that the human 
     person comes before all else under God, then the economy will 
     be measured, will be truly rooted in helping every human 
     person become everything that God intended him to be.


[[Page H2596]]


  In the book of Isaiah, the first chapter, it says, ``Learn to do 
right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the 
fatherless, plead the case of the widow.''
  That is a command that the Lord tells those who seek to follow Him. 
Cardinal O'Connor was a true man of God who will be deeply missed, but 
hopefully we can follow the example of his life in our lives as well.
  Mr. BLILEY. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply saddened to hear about the death 
of His Eminence John Cardinal O'Connor and wish to announce my support 
for the resolution sponsored by Representative Vito Fossella to express 
the condolences of the House of Representatives on His Eminence's 
death. His Eminence was a man of compassion and devotion to people of 
all faiths and will be forever remembered for his service to the 
Catholic Church and his country. His Eminence was, and will always be, 
an inspiration to me and Catholics around the world for his leadership. 
As an adoptive father, I want to take this time to recognize His 
Eminence's devotion to protecting the life of the unborn by promoting 
adoption as an alternative to abortion.
  On October 15, 1984, His Eminence announced for the first time that, 
``any women, of any color, of any religion, of any ethnic background, 
of any place, who is pregnant and in need, under pressure to have an 
abortion, can come to us in the Archdiocese of New York, can come 
personally to me. If she is in need, we will see that she is given free 
medical care and free hospitalization. If she wants to have her baby 
adopted we will provide free legal assistance. If she wants to keep her 
baby we will provide free assistance.
  His Eminence expanded on this by saying during his January 17, 1999 
Respect Life Sunday Homily, ``Since the 15th day of October in 1984, 
many thousands of women have come to us and many thousands of babies 
have been saved. Equally important, the lives of their mothers have 
been made whole. The infants in their wombs have leaped for joy at the 
news that they would be brought safely into this world, as the infant 
in the womb of Elizabeth leaped for joy when Mary came bearing within 
her womb the Lord of Life Himself. Every human being in this Church, 
every human being that any one of us will meet this day or on any day 
of our lives is a sacred human being.''
  This country owes debt of gratitude for His Eminence's leadership on 
important issues of the day, and I want to personally single out his 
efforts to protect the sanctity of life and promote adoption.
  Mr. HASTERT. Mr. Speaker, Cardinal O'Connor will be missed by our 
entire nation. He was quietly courageous--unafraid to take positions 
that might not be popular, while always approaching people with dignity 
and humility. Earlier this year, Congress had the privilege of 
bestowing on Cardinal O'Connor the Congressional Gold Medal, our 
highest civilian honor.
  When asked how he would like to be remembered, Cardinal O'Connor said 
he wanted to be remembered simply as a ``good priest.'' Cardinal 
O'Connor was more than a good priest, he was a great man. He was an 
example to people of all faiths about how to live a truly God-filled 
life. Whether it was his work with AIDS patients or his commitment to 
education, Cardinal O'Connor kept himself immersed in helping others.
  Cardinal O'Connor loved God. He loved the Church. He loved his 
family, and he loved his friends. But he also loved and was committed 
to the less fortunate. His life serves as an example to us all.
  Mrs. McCARTHY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to express my 
deepest sorrow to the people of New York and to pay tribute to a great 
man. We all are much poorer today, because during the night, His 
Eminence, John Cardinal O'Connor died.
  Cardinal O'Connor was a spiritual leader to 2.3 million Catholics. 
Despite this challenge, he did not limit his advocacy to strictly 
Catholic matters. Rather, he spoke out on a variety of issues. For 
example, Cardinal O'Connor has condemned racism in any and all forms. 
Cardinal O'Connor has also reached out to New York's Jewish community. 
He has issued condemnations of anti-semitism and spearheaded the effort 
to establish diplomatic ties between the Vatican and Israel. An endowed 
chair of Jewish Studies is named in his honor at the Catholic Seminary 
in Dunwoodie, New York.
  But more importantly, the Cardinal was not only a man of words, but 
of action. During the early and most frightening stages of the AIDS 
epidemic in the 1980s, he opened New York State's first AIDS-only unit 
at St. Clare's Hospital. He remained a frequent visitor and volunteer 
at this unit, spending untold hours with those in pain and suffering, 
and counseling patients in their last moments on this earth. Catholic 
parishioners in America knew well of Cardinal O'Connor's contributions 
for the betterment of our society, most especially his many 
humanitarian endeavors such as his work on behalf of disabled persons 
and the people who care for them.
  Cardinal John O'Connor was a great man, who has finally found peace 
from a devastating illness and we are all better people for having 
known him.
  Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I want to join my colleagues who spoke today 
about the death of Cardinal O'Connor. In the passing of this tremendous 
spiritual beacon, millions of American worshipers have lost a great 
shepherd of the faithful.
  Cardinal O'Connor was an unabashed champion for human life and human 
dignity. His presence will be missed. Throughout his illness he showed 
us how to face death with dignity as well.
  John Cardinal O'Connor was a giant. He lived his life as a true 
pillar of faith. In a time when our nation and our world has witnessed 
a general move toward the devaluation of our common humanity, this man 
stood firm against the grain. There has never been a time when it has 
been as difficult as it is now for people to stand against the worst 
traits of modernity. Cardinal O'Connor's example shows beyond the 
shadow of a doubt that humans can continue to stand firm for noble 
goals even in this most difficult of times.
  Having had the opportunity to correspond with him recently, I can 
attest that he remained a gentle and principled man until the very end 
of his earthly life. May God continue to bless the Cardinal and reveal 
Himself in all of His majesty to this great man in the place he has now 
been welcomed.
  Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Pease). Without objection, the previous 
question is ordered on the concurrent resolution.
  There was no objection.
  The concurrent resolution was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

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