On the recordSeptember 10, 2019
Madam Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Father Columba Stewart for being named the 2019 Jefferson Lecturer in the Humanities by the National Endowment for the Humanities. During my time in Congress I have had the honor of meeting with Father Columba Stewart in his role as the executive director of the Hill Museum & Manuscript Library at Saint John's University in Minnesota's Sixth Congressional District. During these meetings I learned about his work rescuing religious heritage from sites across the world and the incredible mission he has carried out to preserve the religious art, literature, and cultural artifacts for the preservation of our shared history. Father Stewart's work has taken him to war-torn countries, which earned him the moniker ``the monk who saves manuscripts from ISIS'' by The Atlantic magazine. He has dedicated the last 15 years to finding and preserving the important religious documentation that built our world history. Thank you, Father Columba for all your great work and congratulations. Recognizing Minnesota Recovery Connection
