Reverend John DeSocio
St. Mary's Catholic Church
Elmira, NY
Sponsor: Rep. Tom Reed, (R-NY)
Date of Prayer: 04/20/2016
One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:
Mr. REED. Mr. Speaker, I rise today, and it is my pleasure and privilege to host the Very Reverend John A. DeSocio, pastor of St. Mary's Church in Elmira, New York, for today's opening prayer over the House of Representatives.
Father DeSocio has committed his life to both his faith and his country, displaying an extraordinary level of service and dedication to others.
The Elmira–Corning native dedicated his early years to service in his community by volunteer firefighting. He went on to complete his undergraduate career at St. John Fisher College in Pittsford, New York. He would later receive his master of divinity and master of arts from Saint Bernard's Seminary in Rochester, New York. Father DeSocio was ultimately ordained as a Roman Catholic priest in 1978. Father was also chaplain for Ithaca College.
Mr. Speaker, in 1992, which I am very proud of, Father DeSocio was commissioned in the U.S. Navy and served 17 years before being honorably discharged in 2009.
Following his military service, Father returned to his hometown and resumed working with groups like Lions International, the Knights of Columbus, and the Southport and Elmira volunteer fire departments.
He is a pillar in our community, Mr. Speaker, and we are tremendously honored to have him with us here today.
Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:
Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console, to be understood as to understand, and to be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying to self that we are born to eternal life.
Amen.
To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory