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| 1 | HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of | ||||||
| 3 | Representatives mourn the loss of Monsignor Ignatius | ||||||
| 4 | McDermott, who died on December 31, 2004; and
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Monsignor McDermott was born on July 31, 1909 on | ||||||
| 6 | Chicago's South Side and lived to the age of 95; and
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| 7 | WHEREAS, Monsignor McDermott, known as "Father Mac", was | ||||||
| 8 | ordained in 1936 after studying at the Quigley Preparatory | ||||||
| 9 | Seminary and Mundelein's St. Mary of the Lake Seminary; and
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| 10 | WHEREAS, While studying for the priesthood in 1930, Father | ||||||
| 11 | Mac worked at Arlington Park racetrack and began ministering to | ||||||
| 12 | the homeless and alcoholics who populated the area along his | ||||||
| 13 | commute known as "Skid Row"; and
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| 14 | WHEREAS, In 1946, Father Mac was named assistant director | ||||||
| 15 | for the Chicago Archdiocese's Catholic Charities; and
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| 16 | WHEREAS, He served as a parish priest and Chicago | ||||||
| 17 | Archdiocese administrator before co-founding the Haymarket | ||||||
| 18 | House at the age of 65; and
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| 19 | WHEREAS, The Haymarket Center was officially founded on New | ||||||
| 20 | Year's Eve in 1975 by Monsignor McDermott and Dr. James West, | ||||||
| 21 | who were long-time colleagues in the field of substance abuse; | ||||||
| 22 | and
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| 23 | WHEREAS, The Haymarket Center was initially housed in a | ||||||
| 24 | brick structure at 12 South Peoria Street, and became a haven | ||||||
| 25 | for alcoholics with no other treatment available for their | ||||||
| 26 | addiction; and
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| 27 | WHEREAS, Urban renewal forced two moves before a location | ||||||
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| 1 | was found in 1985 at the corner of West Washington Boulevard | ||||||
| 2 | and Sangamon Street; and
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| 3 | WHEREAS, The McDermott Foundation was formed soon after | ||||||
| 4 | this move to support the Haymarket Center's new location; the | ||||||
| 5 | Haymarket Center was renamed the McDermott Center, and more | ||||||
| 6 | than $10 million was raised during the ensuing decade to help | ||||||
| 7 | finance structural improvements to the building complex; and
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| 8 | WHEREAS, Monsignor McDermott died on the 29th anniversary | ||||||
| 9 | of the Haymarket Center, the institution he co-founded; and
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| 10 | WHEREAS, Father Mac's 68 years in the priesthood were spent | ||||||
| 11 | caring for people in need and helping people overcome their | ||||||
| 12 | addiction to alcohol; and
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| 13 | WHEREAS, The avid sports fan who loved his White Sox team | ||||||
| 14 | often used football, baseball, and basketball analogies in his | ||||||
| 15 | sermons; and
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| 16 | WHEREAS, Many remember the kind Irishman who helped them | ||||||
| 17 | through difficult times and was a friend to all; and
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| 18 | WHEREAS, Even in his final days, Father Mac thought of | ||||||
| 19 | others and continued to pray for his friends; and
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| 20 | WHEREAS, We remember the life of a great religious leader | ||||||
| 21 | and community servant; therefore, be it
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| 22 | RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE | ||||||
| 23 | NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we | ||||||
| 24 | mourn the passing of Monsignor Ignatius McDermott along with | ||||||
| 25 | all who knew and loved him; and be it further
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| 26 | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be | ||||||
| 27 | presented to the Haymarket Center and the McDermott Foundation | ||||||
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| 1 | as a token of our deepest sympathy.
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