Reverend J. David Carter
Basilica of Sts. Peter & Paul
Chattanooga, TN
Sponsor: Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, (R-TN)
Date of Prayer: 06/12/2019
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mr. FLEISCHMANN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to welcome a very special guest to our Nation's Capitol, Father David Carter of the Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul in Chattanooga, and the Rist family.
Father David Carter is a man of strong faith and principled leadership. In our east Tennessee community, he serves as the vice chancellor for the Diocese of Knoxville and was the chaplain at
Knoxville Catholic High School until his tenure as the rector of the
basilica began in 2013.
Father Carter also enjoys the beauty that God has bestowed on the
Volunteer State, leading treks in the Great Smoky Mountains. But even
outside the House of God, he continues to show his faith, serving as chaplain to the parish's Trail Life troop.
In my service to east Tennessee in this Chamber, I often seek
guidance from the Lord's word, and I am thankful to have Father Carter
as my priest. I pray that our Nation knows more Father Carters, those who seek to serve and find Christ as the source of truth. I hope that Father Carter and his guests enjoy their time in this beautiful city.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, amen.
Almighty God and Father of all the nations, as we stand in this great Chamber of worldly power, we humbly acknowledge that the dome of this Capitol stands beneath the dome of the heavens, which You created and which You continue to rule in truth and justice.
We are grateful for the many gifts of Your providence that You shower down upon our people from on high. We also humbly acknowledge that all
our actions take place in view of Your sovereign omniscience. "For there is nothing hidden that will not become visible and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light." Therefore, we invoke this day Your blessing upon those who labor beneath this dome and who have been entrusted with the sacred duty of governing our Nation.
Banish from our hearts all temptations to greed and envy. Move our hearts to the virtues that will bring lasting happiness. Keep us steadfast in the pursuit of the common good. Make us ever mindful of the shortness of our days and make us always desirous of standing before You with integrity. Invoking Your mercy upon our failings and Your grace upon the work of our hands, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory