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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of 
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Representatives are pleased to congratulate the congregation 
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of the St. Joseph Catholic Church in Olney on the occasion of 
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the church's 150th anniversary; and

 
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    WHEREAS, St. Joseph Catholic Church was started in 1857, 
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when a group of parishioners met at the home of Peter McDonald 
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Jr. at 122 West North Avenue in Olney; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1861, St. Joseph Catholic Church's first 
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building was built at the corner of North Fair and East Butler 
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in Olney; in 1892, St. Joseph Catholic Church was moved to its 
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present location at the corner of South Elliott and East 
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Chestnut Streets; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1907, the congregation of St. Joseph Catholic 
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Church built a Catholic school, with the first day of school 
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starting in January of 1908; the church vacated the old church 
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building and held Mass in the school until 1938, when the 
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current church building was erected; and

 
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    WHEREAS, On April 22, 1953, the St. Joseph Catholic Church 
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congregation bought the C.P. Porter property south of the 
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church in order to build a convent for the church's nuns; in 
 


 






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1957, construction began on the church's Parish Center, which 
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houses the school's gymnasium and cafeteria; and

 
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    WHEREAS, In 1961, the property located at 215 South Elliott 
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in Olney was acquired by St. Joseph Catholic Church to be used 
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as a new rectory for the parish's priest; and
 
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    WHEREAS, St. Joseph Catholic Church's new Multi-Purpose 
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Center was built in August of 1997; the church's newest 
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addition contains meeting rooms, offices, additional 
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classrooms, an all-purpose room, kitchen, and school and church 
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offices; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The congregation has held many activities in 
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celebration of St. Joseph Catholic Church's 150th anniversary, 
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including a Day of Remembering, a Memorial Day Mass at the 
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Catholic cemetery, a parish picnic, and a visit from the Bishop 
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of Belleville; the celebration will conclude with the burial of 
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a time capsule in January of 2008; therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we 
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congratulate the congregation of the St. Joseph Catholic Church 
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on the occasion of the church's 150th anniversary and wish them 
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continued success and happiness in the future; and be it 
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further

 
 


 






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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to a representative of the  St. Joseph Catholic Church 
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as a symbol of our esteem and respect.