Greg Ganske: “as an Iowa Republican Congressman who is Catholic and has been supported by Christian conservatives as well as…”

“as an Iowa Republican Congressman who is Catholic and has been supported by Christian conservatives as well as moderates, I feel compelled to comment on the Bob Jones University and the House Chaplain controversies. Mr. Speaker, I went to Catholic grade school in the 1950s and early 1960s. I remember what a big deal it was when JFK was elected President. In those days, there were still discriminations against Catholics and terrible stories told about my faith. To be fair, Mr. Speaker, Catholics were not always tolerant, either. My mother came from an Irish-Catholic Democrat family. Older Catholics today still have vivid memories of anti-Catholicism. Our country's anti-Catholicism history goes way back before the virulent 'Know-Nothings' just before the Civil War. In the early days of my party, the GOP did not do much to reassure Catholics that the Republican Party was a place where they could be comfortable. But times change. Along came the Ecumenical Council, Christians of all creeds became more tolerant, and now even Garrison Keillor can make jokes about the foibles of Catholics and Lutherans in Lake Wobegone. I certainly believe that my Lutheran mother-in-law and father-in-law have every bit as good a chance to go to heaven as my Catholic relatives do, maybe better in light of all their good works, but do not let us get into good works versus faith.…”