[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 3]
[Senate]
[Pages 3135-3136]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                 REVEREND GERRY CREEDON, GUEST CHAPLAIN

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. President, I commend the Senate's guest Chaplain, 
Rev. Gerry Creedon, for his eloquent prayer opening today's session of 
the Senate. Father Creedon has been a friend of long standing to the 
members of my family. We first came to know him in 1975 when he became 
the associate pastor at St. Luke's Catholic Church in McLean, VA.
  Somehow he managed to learn the names not only of my children, but of 
all my nieces and nephews. This greatly impressed us all, especially 
Ethel, who knew then he must be very special, for it is a rare 
accomplishment even to this day. Over the years he has watched the 
children grow up and has always been there for them, and for all of us, 
in times of joy and in times of sorrow. It is Father Creedon who has 
presided over many a happy family wedding, and it is he whom we have 
always asked to celebrate the Mass in memory of my brother at his 
graveside in Arlington Cemetery.
  You may have noticed a bit of a lilt in Father Creedon's voice as he 
gave the prayer this morning. You would not be wrong if you thought you 
heard an Irish accent. He was born in County Cork in Ireland.
  He was educated at the University College Dublin and then came to the 
United States where he received his master's degree at Washington 
Theological Union in Maryland. He also studied at Catholic University 
here in Washington, DC, before being ordained in 1968 at All Hallows 
College in Dublin.
  Fortunately for us, he was sent back to the United States after his 
ordination and started his pastoral service at Blessed Sacrament in 
Alexandria, VA. From Alexandria, to McLean, to pastor at Good Shepherd 
in Mt. Vernon, VA, Father Creedon has spent most of his life 
ministering to those in the metropolitan area. But in 1991 he was 
transferred to the Dominican Republic where he was a pastor and 
pastoral coordinator in the Diocese of San Juan de la Maguana for five 
years. He returned with a renewed passion in the Latino community and 
human rights issues, and has become an active spiritual advisor for 
people of Hispanic background in this area.
  Currently, Father Creedon is the pastor of St. Charles in Arlington, 
VA. He is the Chair of the Virginia Inter-faith Center for Public 
Policy, and on the Steering Committee of Northern Virginia's Inter-
faith Coalition for Justice. He has always taken a special interest in 
the housing needs of our less fortunate citizens and been active on 
behalf of disadvantaged children.
  He was president of Gabriel Homes, Inc. which sponsored group living 
for developmentally disabled adults from 1982 until 1991, and was the 
Founder of Friends of Children's Services in 1983. His efforts have 
been recognized with many awards including the Human Rights Award from 
Fairfax County, the Social Worker of the Year Award from the Virginia 
Council of Social Workers. He received a nomination for Northern 
Virginian of the Year in the area of community service. Of course, 
being Irish, he has also found time to write poetry. It has even been 
published in Poetry Ireland Review.
  When Father Creedon is not busy with his pastoral duties, you will 
find him on the golf course. It is a game he takes very seriously and I 
hear he is much improved. I think we can presume that prayer on the 
putting green

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works. But most of all we love to be with him when he picks up his 
mandolin and sings us the Irish songs of his beloved County Cork and 
Dublin.
  Whether he is with us for a sail at the Cape, talking about his 
achievements in hurling, celebrating mass, or baptizing the newest 
member of the Kennedy family, Father Gerry Creedon is a valued friend 
and a welcome spiritual presence in our lives. It is a privilege to 
have him here with us in the Senate today. We are grateful for his 
inspiring prayer as our guest Chaplain.
  I thank the Chair.
  The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Alabama is 
recognized.

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