093_HR0402

 
                                     LRB093 12153 HSS 17197 r

 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, The members of House of Representatives  of  the
 3    State  of Illinois wish to congratulate Fr. Thomas J. Purtell
 4    on the occasion of his retirement as the Pastor of Saint John
 5    Fisher Parish in Chicago; and

 6        WHEREAS, Fr. Purtell is the son  of  the  late  John  and
 7    Betty  Purtell  who resided on the northwest side of the City
 8    of Chicago, where they raised four children and were  members
 9    of Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church; and

10        WHEREAS, Fr. Purtell was ordained in 1961 at the St. Mary
11    of  the  Lake Seminary in Mundelein and then served six years
12    at St. Joseph Parish in Homewood, six years at  Our  Lady  of
13    Lourdes  Parish on the west side of Chicago, six years at St.
14    Benedict's Parish in Blue Island, and  reached  his  home  at
15    Saint John Fisher Parish in 1979; and

16        WHEREAS,  Fr.  Purtell  was welcomed into St. John Fisher
17    Parish in 1979 as Associate Pastor by  Monsignor  Francis  J.
18    McElligott and was named Pastor in 1984; and

19        WHEREAS,  Fr.  Purtell has touched the lives of thousands
20    of individuals and families of St. John Fisher Parish through
21    his tireless works in the community; and

22        WHEREAS, The parishioners of St. John Fisher as  well  as
23    the  entire  Southwest  community will always be grateful for
24    his love, faith, friendship, and leadership over the last  24
25    years; therefore, be it

26        RESOLVED,   BY   THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES  OF  THE
27    NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS,  that
28    we  congratulate Fr. Thomas J. Purtell on the occasion of his
29    retirement as the Pastor of St. John Fisher  Parish,  and  we
30    commend him for his extraordinary courage and dedication, and
31    for his 42 years of distinctive service; and be it further
 
                            -2-      LRB093 12153 HSS 17197 r
 1        RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of this resolution be
 2    presented to Fr. Thomas J. Purtell as an  expression  of  our
 3    profound  respect  and esteem and with our sincere wishes for
 4    many happy years of retirement.