Rick Lazio: “I rise today to help celebrate His Eminence John Cardinal O'Connor. For all of his accomplishments as a priest, a…”

“I rise today to help celebrate His Eminence John Cardinal O'Connor. For all of his accomplishments as a priest, a chaplain, and a humanitarian, there can be no way to fully honor him. The Congressional Medal of Honor--the highest honor Congress can bestow--is simply a beginning. While we will do our best in Congress to honor him, it is clear that the true honor is ours for having the privilege of learning from him. As New York's archbishop since 1984, Cardinal O'Connor has seen the Catholic population of the archdiocese rise from 1.8 million when he arrived to the 2.3 million it is today. In a time where many sense a loss of spirituality across America, this is a testament to the wonder and grace of Cardinal O'Connor. That he was able to reach out and touch the souls of so many people, help them, guide them--it is inspiring. We would all do well to follow the examples of what he has done for the people of New York and the American people. Cardinal O'Connor is an outspoken critic of racism. In the face of severe budget challenges, Cardinal O'Connor has protected and preserved inner-city Catholic schools. The Catholic High School's graduation rate is 99 percent. And his commitment to helping the sick and people with disabilities has been unwavering. It is our responsibility to honor him outside of this House, and beyond just today. We can do that by learning from his grace and practicing what he has taught us.”