WASHINGTON, May 14 (UPI) -- U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, teared up Saturday as he addressed graduates of Catholic University and received an honorary degree.
Boehner, who has a reputation for public weeping, cried when he told graduates of the Washington, D.C., school about his favorite virtues, as he described what he believes was a divine call at the time of the Republican leadership election in 2006 and when he got the honorary degree, ABC News reported.
Boehner, who is Catholic, said he went to early mass the day in 2006 the caucus was to vote for a minority leader and prayed to the Virgin Mary. He thought he received no sign of what to do until his phone rang.
"It was old [Notre Dame football] Coach Gerry Faust [who had been his coach in high school], calling to wish me luck, and telling me you can do it," he said. "You know I've never gotten a call from the Blessed Mother before and I don't think I ever will, but I got to tell you it was pretty darn close."
