[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 83 (Monday, June 9, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S7534]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 9, 2003 (Senate)]
[Page S7534]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr09jn03-111]                         

 
[Congressional Record: June 9, 2003 (Senate)]
[Page S7534]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr09jn03-111]                         


[Congressional Record: June 9, 2003 (Senate)]
[Page S7534]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr09jn03-111]                         




                 FORMER SENATOR DANIEL PATRICK MOYNIHAN

  Mr. DASCHLE. Madam President, on March 31, 2003, a Mass of Christian 
Burial for Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan was held at St. Patrick's 
Church here in Washington. At that service, a beautiful homily honoring 
our friend and revered former colleague Senator Moynihan was given by 
his pastor, Rev. Msgr. Peter Vaghi. For the benefit of all Senators and 
for history, I ask unanimous consent that Msgr. Vaghi's remarks be 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

   Mass of Christian Burial, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, March 31, 2003

       My dear Liz, Maura, John, Tim and Tracey, Michael Zora, 
     distinguished guests and friends,
       We gather on this Lenten Monday in this historic church of 
     St. Patrick in sorrow but also in confident hope. For we come 
     to pray for the soul of Daniel Patrick Moynihan in this his 
     parish church, a church which he loved so much with so many 
     of us who loved him as well. We commend him this morning into 
     the loving hands of God our Father as we celebrate this holy 
     Mass, this perfect prayer of redeeming love, given to the 
     church by Christ as He Himself prepared to return to His 
     Father in heaven. In this time of war, we pray at this Mass 
     for Pat's eternal and heavenly peace.
       This parish church is a long way from Hells Kitchen in New 
     York where he was raised, but a short walk from his apartment 
     overlooking Pennsylvania Avenue, an avenue which was so close 
     to his heart, an avenue he helped transform. And this short 
     walk is one he made each Sunday for holy Mass often with 
     Irish walking stick in hand and that unforgettable tweed hat.
       In the preface for Christian Death in this morning's Mass, 
     we hear those consoling words that for your faithful people, 
     Lord, ``life is changed not ended.'' These are words of hope 
     in a world desperately looking for signs of hope. They are 
     words of our faith, a faith Pat embraced and lived. They are 
     words of faith in Jesus Christ who ``is the way, the truth 
     and the life.'' In that first reading from the Book of 
     Wisdom, how can we not be consoled, referring to ``the souls 
     of the just,'' thought `` in the view of the foolish to be 
     dead,'' but affirmed so cogently by that revealed text to be 
     ``at peace.''
       There are many titles which describe the life and work of 
     Pat Moynihan, words which portray the mosaic of his 76 years 
     of long and productive, life: a senator for two and a half 
     decades, ambassador, professor and scholar, voracious reader, 
     an independent-minded intellectual, administration official 
     under four successive presidents, veteran, author of 18 
     books, public servant, statesman, awardee of innumberable 
     honors, friend and confidante, a father and grandfather, 
     spouse of 48 years to his wonderful wife Liz, and I might 
     add, a faithful parishioner at this historic church of St. 
     Patrick, this church of his patron saint. Each part of this 
     rich mosaic of his life touches us in different ways 
     depending on how we knew him but assuredly the totality of 
     the gift of his life brings comfort and consolation to each 
     of us in these days of deep loss no matter how we knew him.
       He loved this parish. He had a particular love for our 
     choir. He would often stand in the side aisle toward the end 
     of Mass and watch the choir looking up from that vantage 
     point. How he enjoyed them! On occasion, he would also take 
     up the collection. He did it ever so slowly thanking everyone 
     individually, in his unique style, for the contribution each 
     person made. As I would watch him with basket in hand, hoping 
     we could continue the Mass, I always found it hard to believe 
     that this was really the chair of the Senate Finance 
     Committee!
       Pat Moynihan was a man of quiet faith. As with every person 
     of faith, however, he struggled to make the living Word of 
     God shape his decisions in life. for him, this found 
     expression in his long commitment to the body politic, the 
     pursuit of the common good and his special care for the poor, 
     the family structure, and the most needy in our midst. In the 
     words of Revelation, speaking of those who have died in the 
     Lord: ``. . . let them find rest from their labors, for 
     their works accompany them.'' Like Pat, they and each one 
     of us--in our turn--will meet our good and gracious God 
     who judges us all with a loving and merciful heart.
       For him, there is now no longer any human pain, anxiety, 
     loneliness, the rush of daily life, the frailty of our human 
     condition. No longer must the Lord, like the Hound of Heaven, 
     pursue him--as He constantly pursues each one of us in life. 
     He now possesses him fully--we pray--for Pat was baptized 
     into Christ Jesus. Our faith teaches us that for those 
     baptized into Christ Jesus, ``those who have died with 
     Christ, we believe that [they] shall also live with him.'' 
     Yes, ``the souls of the just are in the hand of God and no 
     torment shall touch them.''
       In this Mass of Christian Burial, we gather as a family to 
     pray for him. We gather as well to console his wife Liz, his 
     sons, daughter, daughter-in-law, his grandchildren and 
     family. We gather in prayer to console each other.
       And as we ponder the mystery of Pat's death--for death is a 
     mystery--it is also an appropriate time for each of us to 
     ponder the mystery of life, the mystery of his life, the 
     mystery of life in general. For each one of us without 
     exception, life has its ups and downs, its surprises, its 
     victories and defeats, its happiness and loneliness. Life is 
     a mystery which only death will ultimately reveal. As we 
     contemplate Pat's rich life, we pray that now at last, in the 
     company of a gracious God, he will have the answer to the 
     challenge of his life.
       In this morning's Gospel passage, Jesus told Martha that 
     ``I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, 
     even if he dies, will live, and everyone who lives and 
     believes in me will never die.'' As Martha came to believe 
     that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, we ask the Lord 
     Jesus this day, a day when we remember Pat Moynihan, to 
     empower us to believe and live more deeply in Him, our Savior 
     Jesus Christ, who is the resurrection and the life. In His 
     own time, then, He will also raise us up as, in faith, we 
     believe He raises up Pat ``for everyone who lives and 
     believes in me will never die.''
       We shall miss Pat Moynihan. How can we ever forget him? We 
     all loved him in life, may we never forget him in death. As 
     his extended family, let us pledge this day to pray for him, 
     his wife and family.
       May he rest in peace!

                          ____________________