[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 1309]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  A TRIBUTE TO BISHOP JOHN J. McRAITH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BRETT GUTHRIE

                              of kentucky

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 21, 2009

  Mr. GUTHRIE. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Bishop John J. 
McRaith for his faithful service to the Catholic Diocese of Owensboro, 
Kentucky. He has served the church and his community with distinction 
for over 26 years. Bishop McRaith, the third bishop of Owensboro, 
resigned from his position on January 5, 2009.
  Bishop McRaith graduated from St. John's Prep School in Collegeville, 
Minnesota, and Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. Then, he graduated from 
the School of Theology, St. Bernard Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, in 1960 
and was subsequently ordained a priest of the Diocese of New Ulm, 
Minnesota, on February 21, 1960.
  Bishop McRaith began serving the Diocese of Owensboro on December 15, 
1982. The diocese encompasses 32 counties and covers approximately 
12,500 square miles. It includes 79 parishes, three high schools, two 
middle schools, and 13 elementary schools. In a testament to Bishop 
McRaith's dedication, he would typically log more than 25,000 miles a 
year traveling across the diocese.
  Known for his humble spirit, Bishop McRaith is quick to credit others 
with the successes over the last 27 years, including one of the highest 
church attendance rates in the Nation. Last week he said, ``The good 
things that have happened while I was here, many, many people made them 
happen.''
  Beyond his service to the Catholic Church of Western Kentucky, Bishop 
McRaith serves the community as a board member for Brescia University, 
the Daniel Pitino Center, the McAuley Free Clinic in Owensboro, and 
Lourdes Hospital Foundation in Paducah.
  Bishop McRaith's devotion is an example for all Kentuckians to 
follow. I thank Bishop McRaith for his many years of service and 
commitment to western Kentucky.

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