SR0421 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0421 LRB093 21175 KEF 47250 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate were saddened to learn of the death of Father Alcuin Deck, O.S.B., a founding Benedictine monk of Marmion Abbey, on December 19, 2003; and

WHEREAS, Father Alcuin Deck was born in St. Louis, Missouri on December 9, 1912; he was the eighth of nine children; he professed vows as a Benedictine monk of St. Meinrad Abbey on August 6, 1934; he was ordained a priest by The Most Rev. Joseph E. Ritter Archbishop of Indianapolis, Indiana on May 30, 1939; after working for a short time as Assistant Director of the Oblate School for Brothers at St. Meinrad Abbey, he was assigned as an instructor to Marmion Military Academy on August 14, 1940; and

WHEREAS, Father Deck served on the faculty of Marmion Academy in Aurora for the next 55 years; during those years, he taught the sciences and Theology but is remembered for the many years when he taught Latin; and

WHEREAS, The 91-year-old Benedictine monk spent his life strictly living out the vows he made almost seven decades ago, teaching and guiding hundreds of students through Marmion Military Academy while at the same time acting as a spiritual mentor for his fellow monks at Marmion Abbey; "The Duke", as he was known, was a man who saw the world in black and white and devoted himself to the pursuit of time-tested truths through regimented self-discipline; and

WHEREAS, For more than 40 years, Father Deck worked as the vice-postulator for the cause of beautification of Abbot Columba Marmion, the Irish monk after whom the academy and abbey are named; he lived to see Abbot Marmion receive the honor in 2000 and was working the past few years toward his canonization, the final step toward Catholic sainthood; and

WHEREAS, Father Deck served his brother monks and the wider Marmion family in many capacities including, Subprior, Master of Novices, Director of College Guidance Counseling, and Moderator of the Alumni Association; and

WHEREAS, Father Deck used sports to teach the boys at Marmion about using their God-given gifts to the best of their ability; he prayed with players before games, and when he couldn't make it to sporting events, he called the coaches later in the day to find out the results; his support of Marmion's athletic teams was legendary; he was always found cheering on the football team from his golf cart when the team played at the Academy stadium; and

WHEREAS, After retiring several years ago, Father Deck spent much of his time at the abbey and less time at the academy, though he became known to the newest generation of Marmion students simply as "The Duke", the monk who roamed the sidelines at football games in a golf cart; some of them never even knew his real name; and

WHEREAS, Whether he was pushing for the sainthood of his abbey's namesake or riding the sidelines of a football game on the golf cart that bore his nickname, Father Alcuin Deck for decades was the face of the Marmion community; and

WHEREAS, The passing of Father Alcuin Deck will be deeply felt by many especially his nephew, Father Philip Kremer, O.S.B.; and many more nieces and nephews; and

WHEREAS, He was preceded in death by his parents; and all eight of his siblings; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Father Alcuin Deck, O.S.B., along with all who knew and loved him and extend our sincere condolences to his family and friends; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Father Alcuin Deck as an expression of our deepest sympathy.