Chaplain launches war on 'darker' spirits in House

Sessions of Congress have opened with prayer since the nation's founding.

So the fact there was a prayer by Rev. Patrick Conroy, a Jesuit priest who serves as U.S. House chaplain, to open Thursday's House session wasn't unusual.

The subject of the prayer was.

Business Insider reported he sought the removal of the "darker spirits," asking God to "cast out the spirit of petty divisiveness."

The headlines in recent weeks have been filled with infighting in Washington between Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and socialists, and even between factions of the Democratic Party.

One Democrat this week "abandoned the chair" of a House session as members of his party sought to formally reprimand President Trump and, in the process, violated House rules against calling the president a racist.

Conroy's prayer?

"This 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," he said.

"I cast out the spirit of discouragement, which deadens the hope of those who are of good will," he added. "I cast out the spirit of petty divisiveness, which clouds the sense and the desire to be of fruitful productivity in addressing the issues more appropriately before this House. I cast out any sadness brought on by the frustration of dealing with matters detrimental to the honorable work each member has been called to engage in."

He asked for God, the author of human rights according to the Founders, to "anoint your servants here in the House with a healing balm to comfort and renew the souls of all in this assembly."

He prayer: "May your spirit of wisdom and patience descend upon all so that any spirit of darkness might have no place in our midst."

CNN said the prayer sounded "like an exorcism," noting similarities to the Catholic Church's Rite of Exorcism.

Conroy told CNN he was on the House floor earlier this week amid the infighting and "felt like there was something going on beyond just political disagreement."

"While Conroy often invokes God to provide wisdom and aid to House members, he rarely mentions the darker side of the supernatural," the report said.

The Insider reported: "The last time Conroy made headlines was in the spring of 2018, when then-House Speaker Paul Ryan attempted to fire him as House chaplain. According to several lawmakers at the time, Ryan became frustrated with one of Conroy's prayers in which he called for a fair tax code while Republicans were pushing through their landmark Tax Cuts and Jobs Act."