Gingrey honors Catholic Schools for positive impact
Washington,
Jan 21 -
U.S. Congressman Phil Gingrey today delivered a speech in support of H. Res. 39 – a resolution honoring the contributions of Catholic schools across the country, for the upcoming commemoration of National Catholic Schools Week. As an alumnus of Sacred Heart Elementary School and Aquinas High School, in Augusta, GA, Congressman Gingrey emphasized the invaluable impact that Catholic schools have on the lives of students throughout the country. Congressman Gingrey specifically recognized the contribution of three Catholic Schools in the 11th District: St. Catherine of Siena in Kennesaw, St. Joseph’s in Marietta, and St. Mary’s in Rome. H. Res. 39 passed the House by voice vote.
Below, please find the video, audio and text of Congressman Gingrey’s remarks. To watch the video, click on the link below, or paste the link into your web browser.
http://content.cq.com/floorvideo/play.do?id=7cadb5d9c4085799b8a4e1a00776311a132747fb1d4e24bb72a2eb73a75ca55542a417129c56a7e48b604f40821ebdb2507ee7a498907b748860d221f98561ec692bf96a97ace6db
Rep. Phil Gingrey
Statement for H.Res.39 – Recognizing Catholic School Week
House Floor
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of H.Res.39 to honor the contributions of Catholic schools across the country, and in honor of National Catholic Schools Week from January 25th through 31st. I want to thank my colleagues – Mr. Lipinski of Illinois and Mr. Smith of New Jersey – for their leadership in bringing this resolution to the House floor today.
As a graduate of Catholic elementary and high schools – Sacred Heart Academy and Aquinas High School in Augusta, Georgia – I am keenly aware of the contributions that they provide to the 2.3 million students educated in Catholic schools across the country every year. These include close to 1,200 students at three Catholic schools in my District: St. Catherine of Siena in Kennesaw, St. Joseph’s in my hometown of Marietta, and St. Mary’s in Rome.
Not only do Catholic schools – like Sacred Heart and Aquinas – provide a strong and competitive academic environment, they also teach moral and ethical standards, skills for living and self esteem, and a Christian integration of spirit, mind, and body in each of their students.
Upon graduating from Aquinas, I thought that the Catholic school curriculum would be what best prepared me for my future. However, I must admit that I was wrong. While the strenuous academics at Sacred Heart and Aquinas did lay the foundation for success at Georgia Tech and The Medical College of Georgia, it was the faith and ethical standards taught at these schools that truly prepared me for life's struggles.
Mr. Speaker, while opening and running my medical practice, the respect for life taught at Sacred Heart and Aquinas led me to value and care for life at all stages, indeed from the moment of conception until natural death. Now that I have left my medical career to serve as a Member of Congress, I find the lessons learned from my days in Catholic schools more valuable now than ever. On a daily basis, I am confronted by difficult questions that affect millions of lives. If it were not for the moral standards and faith in God taught at Sacred Heart and Aquinas, I do not believe that I could properly represent the people of Northwest Georgia.
Mr. Speaker, our education system is only made stronger by Catholic schools in Northwest Georgia and throughout the nation which fully prepare their students for a brighter future. I urge all of my colleagues to support H.Res.39 and I yield back the balance of my time.
