HR0956 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0956 LRB094 19680 HSS 56169 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, It has come to our attention that St. Vincent Ferrer Parish is celebrating its 75th anniversary during 2006; and

WHEREAS, In 1922, George Cardinal Mundelein, then Archbishop of Chicago, granted to the Dominican Order a unique privilege by giving it permission to establish a parish to serve an area comprising north River Forest and south Elmwood Park; this was unique in that the property to be acquired would be owned by the Dominican Order rather than by the Archdiocese of Chicago; thus, the order would have the complete responsibility for financing, developing, and maintaining the proposed parish; and

WHEREAS, The Order began implementing its plan for this new parish in 1923 when it appointed the Reverend John Dooley, O.P., as titular pastor; for approximately $33,000 Father Dooley purchased the full square block which encompasses the present church, school, convent, and rectory; the parish was named in honor of St. Vincent Ferrer, the Dominican known as the "Patron of Builders"; and

WHEREAS, In 1931, with approximately 35 families in the parish, the Reverend William McIntyre, O.P., was appointed pastor; he began holding services in the auditorium of Trinity High School; the following autumn a temporary frame church, accommodating about two hundred people, was erected facing North Avenue; in December of the same year, the people of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish were able to attend Mass in their own church; three years later the number of families in the fledgling parish had grown to 64; and

WHEREAS, In 1940 the school building consisting of four classrooms was constructed; the total enrollment was 44, with the largest class boasting 12 pupils; of the four classrooms, only three were used for school; the fourth served as a winter chapel because of the difficulty in adequately heating the frame church; the new school was staffed by the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa with Sister Ramona McAllister, O.P., as principal; and

WHEREAS, In 1945 the old frame church was sold for $400; it was moved to Wood Dale, where it again became a "first" church, that of Holy Ghost Parish of the Diocese of Joliet; refurbished, it remained in use through August of 1981; and

WHEREAS, During Father Richard B. Connolly's pastorate the present convent was erected, two classrooms were added to the school, and in 1949, the rectory was built; on October 25, 1954, the cornerstone of the present church was laid and construction was begun; in less than two years, St. Vincent Ferrer Church was completed; it was consecrated by Cardinal Stritch on September 23, 1956; and

WHEREAS, Reverend Vincent W. Bryce, O.P., served from July, 1970, to July of 1979; the outstanding characteristic of Father Bryce's pastorate was the implementation of his conviction that every parish should be a living Christian community, and that the principal endeavor of the pastor and staff is to create an atmosphere in which this Christian community can be nurtured and developed; building on the accomplishments of the previous pastors, he shepherded the parish as it came alive spiritually, liturgically, and socially, so that today, at St. Vincent's the people truly are the Church, and this Church is truly a Christian community; and

WHEREAS, The current pastor of St. Vincent Ferrer is Fr. Thomas D. Noesen, O.P.; Fr. Robert Kilbridge, O.P., Fr. Albert G. Judy, O.P., and Fr. Michael Kyte serve as Pastoral Vicars; Mr. Jerome J. Trakszelis and Mr. John Gaughan serve as Deacons; Mr. Robert Sassetti is Deacon Emeritus; Ms. Frances Mazzula is the Principal of St. Vincent Ferrer School; Mrs. Karen Dix is the Director of the Parish School of Religion; Mr. Steve Senski serves as Worship Director; and Mr. Patrick Curran serves as Youth Director; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we congratulate the staff and parishioners of St. Vincent Ferrer Parish on the occasion of the parish's 75th anniversary; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to St. Vincent Ferrer Parish as an expression of our esteem.