SR0537 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0537 LRB101 12915 ALS 61750 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of Fr. John P. Finnegan, who passed away on June 16, 2019; and

WHEREAS, Fr. Finnegan was born in Chicago to William and Jennie Finnegan on July 8, 1928; he entered St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein in 1947; he was ordained a Catholic priest on May 5, 1954; he earned his master's degree from the University of Notre Dame and his doctorate in Greek and Latin from the University of Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Fr. Finnegan served in the Chicago parishes of Our Lady of Loretto in Hometown and St. Thomas the Apostle in Hyde Park; he also taught Latin at Quigley High School and Niles College; in 1978, he was appointed founding pastor of St. Mary of Vernon in Indian Creek by the late Cardinal Cody; he continued as pastor at St. Mary of Vernon until his retirement in 1998; he also served as Dean of Academics and liaison between Niles College and Loyola University; and

WHEREAS, After his retirement, Fr. Finnegan spent the next 20 years helping out at various churches in Lake County; he saw the need for expanding the Church's ministry to senior living centers and established Hawthorn Lakes in 1983; he devoted his life's work to the Catholic ministry; and

WHEREAS, Fr. Finnegan is survived by his siblings, Fr. William Finnegan, Thomas (Toni) Finnegan, and Mary (Jack) Discher; and many nieces and nephews; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of Fr. John P. Finnegan and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Fr. Finnegan as an expression of our deepest sympathy.