[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 115 (Thursday, July 1, 2021)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E732]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





     HONORING THE LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE OF BISHOP MICHAEL SHERIDAN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DOUG LAMBORN

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, July 1, 2021

  Mr. LAMBORN. Madam Speaker, I rise to honor the leadership and 
service of Bishop Michael Sheridan in the Diocese of Colorado Springs, 
Colorado.
  When Bishop Sheridan arrived in Colorado Springs from Saint Louis in 
2002, the diocese was still considered mission territory. Over the past 
two decades, Bishop Sheridan has worked tirelessly to ensure that, no 
matter where they live in the diocese, Catholics are served by a parish 
and a pastor. Under his leadership, several new parishes were 
established, and where existing churches were inadequate to serve the 
growing Catholic population, new ones were built.
  More importantly, Bishop Sheridan has overseen a robust vocations 
program that has attracted many seminarians, resulting in the 
ordination of new priests nearly every year since 2010.
  Bishop Sheridan is also known as an incredibly effective communicator 
and teacher of the Catholic faith. For over 10 years, he hosted a 
weekly radio show in which he interviewed a wide variety of Church 
leaders, theologians, authors, and other experts. This outreach 
provided an invaluable opportunity for Catholics in Colorado to gain 
deeper knowledge of the issues facing the church locally and around the 
world.
  Bishop Sheridan is passionate about Catholic education, and he did 
everything in his power to support and strengthen Catholic schools in 
the diocese. Notably, he made sure that tuition assistance was 
available for families who had limited financial resources but wanted a 
Catholic education for their children. He also worked with local 
leaders of all faiths to support school choice so that all parents 
could have access to the best educational options for their children.
  Bishop Sheridan has been a strong advocate for the poor and 
marginalized, and he has never flinched in the face of pressure to 
abandon or hide our brothers and sisters in need. In one of his most 
important accomplishments, Bishop Sheridan played an enormous role in 
the construction of Marian House soup kitchen in 2008, and the adjacent 
Hanifen Center in 2009. Those two facilities have served hundreds of 
thousands of people since their opening with meals, emergency aid, 
employment assistance, and many other services.
  Under Bishop Sheridan's leadership, the diocese has also expanded its 
Respect Life Apostolate, which works to protect life from conception to 
natural death. This includes supporting mothers in crisis pregnancies 
with baby items and adoption services, advocating for pro-life 
legislation on the local and national levels, and working to expand 
outreach to those who are imprisoned or homebound.
  Leaders are also judged by how they manage during difficult times. 
During his tenure, Bishop Sheridan led the faithful of a church that 
has been shaken by revelations of past mistakes. He has led during a 
time when the church is criticized both for defending itself and for 
advocating for its beliefs. He also helped navigate the uncertainty 
caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
  As Bishop Sheridan embarks on a well-earned retirement, it is my 
highest privilege to honor and thank him for being a faithful servant 
to Colorado's Fifth Congressional District.

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