[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 75 (Wednesday, May 7, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S3886]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING MONSIGNOR JOSEPH G. QUINN

  Mr. CASEY. Mr. President, it is with the greatest respect and 
personal gratitude that I stand today to honor our guest Chaplain, 
Monsignor Joseph G. Quinn, and thank him for his humble and moving 
blessing upon us this morning. I am proud to say that Monsignor Quinn 
hails from my hometown of Scranton, PA, and lives and works there today 
as pastor of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Carbondale.
  Monsignor Quinn is one of the most dedicated and committed servants 
of God whom I have ever had the privilege to know. I am honored to say 
that he is my good friend and has been an invaluable and steadfast 
friend to my family for decades. He has provided us comfort and 
strength in times of sorrow and loss. When my father, Governor Casey, 
was ill and when he died in May of 2000, Monsignor Quinn grieved with 
us. In times of happiness and celebration like christenings and other 
occasions or celebrations, he has brought his sense of humor and his 
warmth.
  Monsignor Quinn is a beloved church servant. He has made 
extraordinary contributions to his family, the city and diocese of 
Scranton and all of northeastern Pennsylvania. Interestingly, Monsignor 
Quinn's journey to the priesthood first took a detour through a short, 
but remarkable, legal career. I would like to highlight just a few of 
his accomplishments over the last three decades.
  After graduating from the University of Scranton and Seton Hall 
University School of Law in 1976, he was appointed a Federal 
magistrate-judge for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of 
Pennsylvania. Then 25 years of age, he was the youngest person in the 
country to serve in that position. After 6 years of distinguished 
service in the judiciary, he answered his call to the priesthood and 
went on to complete his studies at the North American College in Rome 
and was ordained in 1985.
  Monsignor Quinn's numerous professional contributions include serving 
as: parish priest and pastor; dean of the Scranton Central Deanery of 
the Diocese of Scranton; member of the Pennsylvania State Ethics 
Commission; diocesan moderator of the Bishop's Annual Appeal for the 
1998, 1999 and 2000 campaigns; member of both the Diocesan College of 
Consultors and the Diocesan Presbyteral Council; chairman of the 
Diocesan Communications Commission; member of the Board of Trustees of 
the University of Scranton; and personal representative of the Bishop 
of Scranton to the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, a statewide body 
that addresses and advances public policy issues on behalf of the 
Pennsylvania Bishops.
  Monsignor Quinn has been a key contributor to the community in a wide 
variety of capacities, and has been honored with numerous awards. The 
following are just a sampling: the B'nai B'rith Americanism Award; the 
Scranton Preparatory School Outstanding Alumnus of the Year as well as 
its most significant honor, The Ignatian Award; a Marywood University 
Presidential Scholarship in his honor; and the Lackawanna Bar 
Association's President's Award as well its highest award, the Chief 
Justice Michael J. Eagan Award. The University of Scranton honored 
Monsignor Quinn with its O'Hara Award in recognition of his community 
service, and in the fall of 2004, the Monsignor's nearly 30 years of 
service by naming a Presidential scholarship in his honor. In 2005, 
Scranton's Central City Ministerium named Monsignor Quinn its Clergyman 
of the Year.
  These are only a few of Monsignor Quinn's many awards and 
accomplishments. He should be proud of these commendations but I have 
no doubt that his tremendous joy in serving God through service to his 
brothers and sisters in Christ, each and every day is what continues to 
inspire him. Monsignor Quinn is a truly beloved servant of the Church 
and its people. It is heartening to me, both personally and as a Member 
of the Senate, to listen to today's blessing by Monsignor Quinn and to 
welcome his vision of God's grace for our world into this Chamber.

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