HR0819 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0819 LRB095 14321 GRL 40214 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

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

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

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

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

WHEREAS, On April 22, 1953, the St. Joseph Catholic Church congregation bought the C.P. Porter property south of the church in order to build a convent for the church's nuns; in 1957, construction began on the church's Parish Center, which houses the school's gymnasium and cafeteria; and

WHEREAS, In 1961, the property located at 215 South Elliott in Olney was acquired by St. Joseph Catholic Church to be used as a new rectory for the parish's priest; and

WHEREAS, St. Joseph Catholic Church's new Multi-Purpose Center was built in August of 1997; the church's newest addition contains meeting rooms, offices, additional classrooms, an all-purpose room, kitchen, and school and church offices; and

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

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

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