HR1284 LRB096 22403 KXB 41553 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives are pleased to congratulate the pastor and
4 parishioners at St. Catherine Laboure Parish in Glenview as
5 they celebrate the golden anniversary of the church in 2010;
6 and
 
7     WHEREAS, While celebrating his 25th anniversary of
8 ordination in Europe, Father William Buckley received a letter
9 from Msgr. Casey, the Vicar General, that Cardinal Meyer wanted
10 him to build a parish in the western Glenview area; it was on
11 this day that Father Buckley and his three traveling companions
12 visited the shrine of St. Catherine Laboure and knelt at the
13 chair where the Blessed Mother sat when she appeared to St.
14 Catherine Laboure; Father Buckley was so impressed with the
15 shrine that upon leaving, he announced that St. Catherine
16 Laboure would be the name of the new parish; and
 
17     WHEREAS, Upon returning home, Father Buckley was greeted by
18 Father Dussman and Father Ryan, from Our Lady of Perpetual
19 Help, who gave Father a place to live; the Superintendent of
20 Public Schools, then Dr. Springman, arranged for Father Buckley
21 to rent the Junior High School gym as a temporary place to say
22 Mass and hold services; and
 

 

 

HR1284 - 2 - LRB096 22403 KXB 41553 r

1     WHEREAS, By October 1960, a Ladies' Guild and Holy Name
2 Society had been formed and plans were underway for a
3 combination church-school facility; on April 23, 1961, ground
4 was broken for a church-school structure; the cornerstone was
5 laid on August 26, 1961; Mass was celebrated in the new church
6 quarters on Christmas Eve, 1961 and the school was opened on
7 January 3, 1962; and
 
8     WHEREAS, Cardinal Meyer dedicated the new $750,000 parish
9 building on April 8, 1962; Father Burns was the first associate
10 pastor, followed by Father Paul Burke, Father James Ouletta,
11 Father William Barry, Father Richard Welc, Father Joseph
12 Altman, and Father Walter DeRoeck; and
 
13     WHEREAS, In 1965, a building at 3360 Thornwood Avenue was
14 purchased for use as a convent; on June 4, 1968, John Cardinal
15 Cody approved plans for the erection of a permanent church and
16 groundbreaking took place on June 9, 1968; the church was
17 opened officially on October 3, 1969, and dedicated on December
18 14, 1969 by Cardinal Cody; in 1970, permission was granted for
19 construction of the 4-bedroom rectory; and
 
20     WHEREAS, In 1994, Marian Hall was constructed, the existing
21 Father Buckley Hall was renovated, and new meeting rooms were
22 created for parish use; on the Feast of Christ the King,
23 November 26, 1995, the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel

 

 

HR1284 - 3 - LRB096 22403 KXB 41553 r

1 was dedicated and opened; in 1998, the church and chapel were
2 renovated and the Pro-Life Shrine was built; Francis Cardinal
3 George joined in the celebration, dedicating, and blessing the
4 church, chapel, and shrine on September 11, 1999; the Early
5 Childhood Development Center was completed and opened in the
6 fall of 2001; and
 
7     WHEREAS, The 50th anniversary will be celebrated with
8 special mass services, a dinner dance, a brunch, and a special
9 time of sharing; and
 
10     WHEREAS, The parish has 1300 registered parishioners, 325
11 school children from pre-school to 8th grade; the current
12 pastor is Father P. Maina Waithaka, assisted by Associate
13 Pastor Father Alfredo Salera, and weekend Associate Father
14 Joseph O'Brien; therefore, be it
 
15     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
16 NINETY-SIXTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
17 congratulate the pastor and parishioners of St. Catherine
18 Laboure Parish and wish them continued success for years to
19 come; and be it further
 
20     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21 presented to Father P. Maina Waithaka as a symbol of our
22 respect and esteem.