House Speaker Paul Ryan has held meetings with Father Patrick Conroy, the House chaplain he had asked to resign but who has now been reinstated.
Ryan told House lawmakers in a private meeting Tuesday that the two have been talking about ways to ensure Conroy is providing adequate pastoral services to lawmakers, whose complaints, Ryan had said, led to his earlier decision to oust the Jesuit priest.
“They are going to have more meetings, they are going to have coffee together,” Rep. Chris Collins, R-N.Y., told the Washington Examiner. “He wants to make sure the pastoral services are in a very good place for all members.”
Conroy resigned on April 15, but rescinded the resignation May 3. Ryan has since reversed his request that Conroy leave.
Conroy said he had never been warned about inadequate pastoral services and implied the decision was based on a desire to install a chaplain who is not Catholic.
Ryan’s office denied the claim, but Ryan reversed his request that Conroy resign.
“He thought it was for the good of the House to bring him back and take this off the table,” Collins said.
Some lawmakers in both parties are demanding to know what led to initial decision to oust Conroy.
“He should have never been removed in the first place,” Rep. Pete King, R-N.Y., said Tuesday. “To me, there are still unanswered questions. I never heard any evidence he was not doing his job properly. He’s been here for 7 1/2 years, I’ve heard nothing but good things about him.”
