The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“REMEMBERING FATHER RAY DOHERTY” mentioning Patrick J. Leahy was published in the Senate section on pages S4761-S4762 on June 24.
Of the 100 senators in 117th Congress, 24 percent were women, and 76 percent were men, according to the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Senators' salaries are historically higher than the median US income.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
REMEMBERING FATHER RAY DOHERTY
Mr. LEAHY. Mr. President, there are some people who leave an indelible mark on your life, from the moment you meet them. On June 7, the Saint Michael's College community lost one such person with the passing of Father Raymond Doherty. As an alumnus of Saint Michael's College, I was shaped by the academic experience and lasting tight-knit community that a small college provides and will always feel a deep connection to the school. As a fellow alumnus, Father Doherty was a pillar of the Saint Michael's community and played a fundamental role in guiding and molding not only the College but its students for decades.
Raymond J. Doherty was born and raised in Newton, MA, and in 1948 he enrolled as a student at Saint Michael's College in Colchester, VT, a journalism student and skilled pitcher on the varsity baseball team. Upon his graduation in 1951, Father Doherty served his country as a staff sergeant and combat correspondent in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Korean war.
In 1953, Father Doherty returned to Vermont and joined the Society of Saint Edmund at the Edmundite Novitiate in Putney, where he took his first vows in 1954. Father Doherty was ordained into the priesthood in 1958 at the Cathedral of Immaculate Conception in Burlington, VT. As an Edmundite priest, Father Doherty spent the subsequent decades working throughout Vermont, New England, and across the South during the civil rights era, where he preached, served the community, and worked to further the cause of social justice.
Although his assignments pulled him to different corners of the globe, his home was always Saint Michael's. After many terms as a member of the staff and Campus Ministry at Saint Michael's throughout the 1960s and 1970s, Father Doherty returned permanently to Saint Michael's in 1985. His career at Saint Michael's spanned a variety of roles in the admissions office, athletics department, and as campus chaplain. Until his passing, Father Ray, as he was affectionately known, remained deeply involved on the Saint Michael's campus and in the surrounding community.
He leaves behind a life and legacy that should be an inspiration to many. Father Ray, through his compassion, humility, and commitment to serving his community, exemplifies what it means to be a Vermonter and a true leader. He led by example and inspired his students and those around him to strive to understand and address the needs and circumstances of all, to lead with grace, and to tirelessly work to improve the lives of others.
Father Ray once told me that when the time came for him to be called home, he hoped to fall asleep here and wake up there. That stuck with me. It is a comfort to know that wish came true. Like the extended Saint Michael's College community, I will miss Father Doherty. His legacy will live on in the students he taught, the lives he impacted, and the words he preached. Father Ray will be deeply missed.
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