SR0051LRB101 07901 ALS 52956 r

1
SENATE RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to
3learn of the death of The Very Reverend Canon John Joseph
4Flattery of Danville, who passed away on January 17, 2019; and
 
5    WHEREAS, Reverend Canon Flattery was born in Danville to
6John and Hildegarde Faulstich Flattery on June 4, 1930; he
7attended St. Joseph Grade School in Danville; in 1943, after
8eighth grade graduation, he entered the classical prep school
9at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Worthington, Ohio; he
10graduated from high school in 1947; he received his bachelor's
11degree in philosophy and humanities in 1951; he received his
12teaching certificate from Illinois State University; On June 4,
131955, he was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Peoria; and
 
14    WHEREAS, Reverend Canon Flattery taught history, social
15science, Latin, and Greek at Marquette High School in Ottawa
16from 1956 until 1960; and
 
17    WHEREAS, Reverend Canon Flattery entered the United States
18Air Force Chaplaincy, Presidential Commission, in August 1960;
19he was a member of the USAF Chaplain Board and served in the
20Office of the Command Chaplain, Headquarters Air Training
21Command; he served as Chief of Professional Division twice and
22as assistant command chaplain; he was Installation Chaplain at

 

 

SR0051- 2 -LRB101 07901 ALS 52956 r

1several air force bases across the world, including in Morocco,
2China, Turkey, the Philippines, and the United States; and
 
3    WHEREAS, In 1970, Reverend Canon Flattery earned a master's
4degree in educational psychology from the University of
5Illinois; he earned a second master's degree in divinity from
6the Pontificial College Josephinum in 1974; in January 1975, he
7received his doctorate in education from Boston University;
8after completion of his doctoral studies, he was assigned to
9the USAF Chaplain Board at Air University, where he conducted
10extensive studies and evaluations on religious education
11materials; he then published two editions of the Catholic
12Curriculum and Resource Guide for chaplains to use in their
13religious education programs; several other publications
14followed and were used for recruits to reflect on their values
15and goals as they entered the Air Force; and
 
16    WHEREAS, On August 15, 1971, Reverend Canon Flattery was
17appointed a Very Reverend Canon in perpetuum of the Cathedral
18of St. John the Apostle and Evangelist in Izmir Turkey by the
19Most Rev. John B. Boccella, Archbishop of Izmir; he received
20the Air Force Meritorious Service Medal with seven Oak Leaf
21Clusters and the Air Force Commendation Medal with one Oak Leaf
22Cluster; he retired with the prestigious title of Colonel in
231988; and
 

 

 

SR0051- 3 -LRB101 07901 ALS 52956 r

1    WHEREAS, After his retirement from the Air Force, Reverend
2Canon Flattery joined the staff at St. Leo College in Florida;
3he then returned to the Peoria Diocese and served as pastor and
4vicar of the Danville Vicariate at Holy Family from 1990 until
51992; he was then called to be pastor at St. Matthew Church in
6Champaign from 1992 until 1994; he received Senior status in
7June 1995 and retired for a second time; he then conducted
8extensive research on the histories of the Catholic churches in
9Danville and published two books, Our Holy Family and Our Holy
10Family: It's Sacred Art; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Reverend Canon Flattery assisted area pastors on a
12regular basis and was active in the community; he was
13enthusiastic about education, especially history and the
14preservation of history; therefore, be it
 
15    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL
16ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
17The Very Reverend Canon John Joseph Flattery and extend our
18sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew
19and loved him; and be it further
 
20    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21presented to the family of Reverend Canon Flattery as an
22expression of our deepest sympathy.