The Office of the Chaplain United States House of Representatives

Reverend John M. O' Neill

Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church
Vienna, VA

Sponsor: Rep. Hon. Tom Davis, (R-VA)
Date of Prayer: 07/08/2004

One Minute Speech Given in Recognition of the Guest Chaplain:

(Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute.)

Mr. TOM DAVIS of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank Father John O'Neill for joining us as guest chaplain and offering this morning's prayer .

Father O'Neill is the outgoing pastor of Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic church in Vienna, Virginia, where he has served for the past 12 years. Father O'Neill received his undergraduate degree and master's degree in psychology from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He completed his theological studies at de Sales School of Theology in Washington, D.C., and was ordained in June of 1973. Father O'Neill served as a guidance director/teacher at Bishop Ireton High School for 10 years and then served as the academic dean and teacher at Paul VI High School in Fairfax, Virginia, for 2 years.

Under his guidance as associate pastor and pastor, Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church enriched the spiritual lives of its parishioners and the community around it.

Father O'Neill's contributions both in northern Virginia and throughout the Commonwealth have made him an invaluable spiritual leader for my constituents. As he moves on to his sabbatical in Rome, he will be dearly missed by all of us.

We thank him for offering today's prayer .

Opening Prayer Given by the Guest Chaplain:

The Reverend John M. O'Neill, Pastor, Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church, Vienna, Virginia, offered the following prayer :

God our Father, praise and honor and glory and power forever. Praised be Your Holy Spirit.

Lord God, we come before You this day. Open our hearts and minds to Your words and Divine Will today and every day. Help us to learn Your desires for our lives. Encourage us, through the assistance of those here present, our representatives, to always follow Your lead and to avoid straying from Your compassionate love.

Guide us in our deliberations during this session of Congress and counsel us always to be Your faithful children.

We especially pray, Lord, that You guide the leaders of our Nation and extend Your loving protection to our men and women serving in our Armed Forces around the world, particularly in Afghanistan and Iraq. Grant us the peace which is the fruit of justice and charity, and may Your peace reign in our land and throughout the world. Amen.

To learn more about Members who have sponsored a Guest Chaplain, please visit the Congressional Biographical Directory