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91_HR0264
LRB9106449CBcb
1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, Those individuals who minister to the spiritual
3 needs of others are worthy of the highest respect and
4 admiration; and
5 WHEREAS, It has come to the attention of this House that
6 the Reverend Vytas Memenas has announced his upcoming
7 retirement in June of 1999; and
8 WHEREAS, During his 40 years as a priest, he has spent 30
9 years as a pastor and 27 years as a police chaplain; and
10 WHEREAS, He was born in Lithuania and lived through World
11 War II in Lithuania and Germany; he finished high school and
12 2 years of college while living in a refuge camp in Hanau,
13 Germany; in 1950, after working as a clerk for the United
14 States Army for one year, he went to Rome on a scholarship;
15 he studied at the Gregorian University for 7 years, receiving
16 a Master's Degree in Philosophy and a Bachelor's Degree in
17 Theology; and
18 WHEREAS, He was ordained on April 28, 1957 at Sacred
19 Heart Church in Rome by the Pope's Vicar General for Rome,
20 Archbishop Aloysius Traglia, and celebrated his first mass on
21 April 29 at St. Peter Basilica at Vatican City; his first
22 solemn mass was offered on July 21, 1957 at St. Anthony
23 Church in Cicero, Illinois, the parish of his family; and
24 WHEREAS, In 1957, he was assigned as Associate Pastor at
25 Visitation Church in Elmhurst, beginning a long and
26 productive history with the Diocese of Joliet; in 1967, he
27 was made Pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Gibson City
28 and St. George Church in Melvin; in 1972, he went to St. Mary
29 Church in Mokena; in 1978, he went to St, Patrick Church in
30 Joliet; and in 1990, he went to St. Anthony Church in
31 Frankfort; and
-2- LRB9106449CBcb
1 WHEREAS, His involvement and commitment to law
2 enforcement agencies began with his first appointment as
3 Co-Chaplain of Illinois State Police District 5, Joliet, and
4 has continued through today; and
5 WHEREAS, He has held many positions in the Diocese,
6 including 20 years serving on the Diocesan Presbyteral
7 Council and 13 years as a member of the Diocesan Priest
8 Pension Board; and
9 WHEREAS, The illustrious life and extraordinary service
10 of Father Vytas Memenas are shining examples of the love of
11 God to all the people of this State; therefore, be it
12 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
13 NINETY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
14 we congratulate the Reverend Vytas Memenas on his retirement;
15 that we commend his tireless devotion to divine service; and
16 that we extend our best wishes to him for continued health
17 and happiness in the future; and be it further
18 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
19 presented to him as a token of our great respect and esteem.