WATCH: House Chaplain Prays to ‘Cast Out Spirits of Darkness’ from Capitol

Last updated on: July 18, 2019 at 1:39 pm by Deacon Greg Kandra

WATCH: House Chaplain Prays to ‘Cast Out Spirits of Darkness’ from Capitol 2019-07-18T13:39:31-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

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From CNN:

You know things are bad in Congress when the chaplain’s morning prayer on the House floor sounds like an exorcism.

On Thursday, the Rev. Patrick Conroy told members of Congress it has been a “difficult and contentious week in which darker spirits seem to have been at play in the people’s house.”

“In Your most holy name, I now cast out all spirits of darkness from this chamber, spirits not from You,” continued Conroy, a Jesuit priest who has been chaplain of the House of Representatives since 2011. As he prayed, Conroy closed his eyes and raised his hands in supplication.

Related: What Kind of Priest is Father Patrick Conroy?

At times, Conroy’s prayer sounded strikingly similar to the Catholic Church’s old Rite of Exorcism, in which a priest cast “unclean spirits” from a possessed person. (The rite was revised in 1999.)

In a brief interview afterward, Conroy said the echo was intentional. But he added that his prayer, which he wrote himself, was more inspired by traditional blessings for homes or other buildings.

“Anoint your servants here in the House with a healing balm to comfort and renew the souls of all in this assembly,” Conroy prayed. “May your spirit of wisdom and patience descend upon all do that any spirit of darkness might have no place in our midst.”

Read more. And watch the video of the prayer below.

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