[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 73 (Tuesday, May 10, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING REVEREND JON PEDIGO

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. ZOE LOFGREN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 10, 2016

  Ms. LOFGREN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the 25th 
Anniversary of Ordination of our pastor and friend, Reverend Jon 
Pedigo.
   Reverend Pedigo currently serves as a pastor of Our Lady of 
Guadalupe Church in East San Jose and has been a fixture in our 
community's spiritual life for over two decades. His dedicated and 
adroit leadership in the issues of immigrant and workers' rights, LGBT 
rights, and a focus on carving a path forward to a more peaceful world 
have been well known and a source of pride throughout our community. As 
a pastor at St. Julie Billiart Parish in South San Jose, Reverend 
Pedigo delivered his homily on the story of Bartimaeus in this way: 
``Physical sight was Bartimaeus's issue,'' he said, ``but the real sin 
was the blindness in the seeing-people around him. Seeing-people see 
skin color, status, age, gender, weight, orientation, education level, 
etc. They do not see the real you.'' Reverend Pedigo has been and 
continues to be a strong advocate for equal rights and fairness before 
our laws and in our culture.
   As he now serves the community at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, a 
spiritual haven to many working class immigrant families, Reverend 
Pedigo helps draw together multiple generations of parishioners of 
diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds and preaches inclusivity 
and mutual respect in the face of the issues that sometimes divide our 
society. ``In a time of hate, we must be love,'' he has said. ``At a 
time of exclusion, we must be inclusive.''
   Mr. Speaker, I am delighted to honor Reverend Pedigo for his twenty-
five years of service to our community. Reverend Jon Pedigo is an 
exemplar of selfless service to others. With his dedicated work, he has 
served to improve the lives of the parishioners who come to him for 
solace, respite, and guidance. I know that his many friends and 
colleagues join me in recognizing this milestone in his life.

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