[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 60 (Tuesday, April 27, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          FATHER EDWARD BRYCE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL F. DOYLE

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, April 27, 2010

  Mr. DOYLE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor a Pittsburgh resident 
and a constituent of mine, Father Edward Bryce. Father Bryce is 
celebrating the Golden Jubilee of his priestly ordination after 50 
years of ministry to the Pittsburgh community.
  Born in Pittsburgh, Father Bryce attended North Catholic High School 
and St. Charles Seminary in Philadelphia. He continued his studies at 
the North American College in Rome, eventually earning a licentiate in 
sacred theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University there. Father 
Bryce was ordained a priest on March 25th, 1960 and began his ministry 
as a parochial vicar at Immaculate Conception Parish in Washington, 
Pennsylvania. This first assignment was the beginning of a vocation 
that would carry him throughout the Pittsburgh area in service to the 
needs of the Catholic community.
  In his 50 years as a priest, Father Bryce always seemed to find a way 
to minister to the community through a variety of means, often 
simultaneously. While teaching theology students for 6 years at 
Duquesne University, he also served as a Chaplin at St. Joseph's 
Hospital and a priest-in-residence at Holy Rosary Parish. He then moved 
to the motherhouse of the Sisters of St. Francis for 9 years. It was 
during this time that Father Bryce became more active in the larger 
efforts of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. In 1970, he became the founding 
director of the Office for Pro-Life Activities and 2 years later took 
the same position in the Office for Justice and Peace. This commitment 
to needs of the living Church community in an evermore complex society 
eventually propelled Father Bryce here to Washington, DC as the Pro-
Life Activities Secretary for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, 
a position which he held for 10 years.
  In 1988, he returned to his hometown to lead St. Bede Parish in 
Pittsburgh's Point Breeze neighborhood, where he has served as pastor 
for over 20 years. Beyond his dedicated ministry to the faith and 
educational life of the St. Bede parish, Father Bryce continued to play 
important roles in the larger Pittsburgh Catholic community as dean of 
the Central Deanery, consultor in the College of Consultors, and a 
member of the priest council. Continuing on as administrator of St. 
Bede past his retirement age, he provides the parish with continuity 
and an ever-present model for faithful ministry.
  Father Bryce credits the priests that he knew growing up in St. 
Bernard Parish as providing the inspiration for his vocation of 
priestly ministry. I have no doubt that he himself has provided similar 
inspiration to generations of St. Bede parishioners and members of the 
Catholic community in Pittsburgh.
  I want to congratulate Father Bryce for his 50 years of dedicated 
service to the Church and the Pittsburgh community and I wish him many 
more years at St. Bede.

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