HR1585 LRB095 22879 KXB 53322 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to congratulate Father John
4 Breslin on his years of service as pastor of St. Ailbe's Church
5 in Chicago; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Father John Breslin was born on September 30, 1958
7 on the southwest side of Chicago; after finishing elementary
8 and high school, he attended Loyola University in Chicago and
9 received his undergraduate degree in Social Work with minors in
10 Philosophy and English; he continued his graduate studies at
11 St. Mary of the Lake University in Mundelein, where he received
12 a Master in Divinity Degree; and
 
13     WHEREAS, He was ordained a priest on May 18, 1985; his
14 parish career began as Associate Pastor of St. Joachim Church
15 from 1985 to 1990; he was then appointed Associate Pastor of
16 St. Kilian Church from 1990 to 1991, a position he held until
17 he was appointed pastor of St. Ailbe's Church; he has served as
18 pastor of St. Ailbe's since his appointment in 1991 until the
19 present; and
 
20     WHEREAS, Three years ago Father Breslin was diagnosed with
21 a debilitating chronic neurological illness and made the
22 decision to resign as the pastor of St. Ailbe's effective

 

 

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1 November 2, 2008; and
 
2     WHEREAS, During his tenure as pastor, St. Ailbe's has grown
3 from a church in danger of closing to the second largest
4 African-American Catholic Church in Chicago; as a visionary
5 pastor he has led the church in the development of 154 units of
6 housing for seniors as well as six units of housing for
7 physically challenged families, called the St. Ailbe Faith and
8 Love Apartments and the St. Ailbe Hope apartments; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Father John has also served as an adjunct
10 professor at St. Joseph College Seminary and St. Mary of the
11 Lake Seminary, as well as consultant to the Catholic Charities
12 Family Shelter Program; he has also served on the Vocation Task
13 Force for the Archdiocese of Chicago, and has served on a
14 variety of Advisory Boards within the Archdiocese of Chicago,
15 especially those related to the African-American Catholic
16 Church and Priestly Formation and Development; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Father Breslin will continue to be a priest and
18 will continue to serve the Archdiocese of Chicago; therefore,
19 be it
 
20     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
21 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
22 thank Father Breslin for his years of ministry and service to

 

 

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1 the people of Chicago, especially his parish at St. Ailbe's
2 Church; and be it further
 
3     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4 presented to Father John Breslin as a symbol of our sincere
5 respect.