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1
SENATE RESOLUTION

  
 
2    WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to 
3learn of the death of Brother John-Sebastian Laird-Hammond of 
4Washington D.C., who passed away on March 20, 2020; and
  
 
5    WHEREAS, Brother Sebastian graduated from 
6Minonk-Dana-Rutland High School in 1979; he worked as a 
7licensed practical nurse in Flanagan before joining the 
8Franciscans; and
  
 
9    WHEREAS, Brother Sebastian managed daily operations at his 
10residence in Washington as the Commissariat of the Franciscan 
11Monastery of the Holy Land in America; he coordinated the many 
12details of the monastery’s upkeep, the friars’ health, the 
13promotion of the Pontifical Good Friday Collection, and  most 
14importantly the relationship of the Holy Land friars with the 
15many friends and benefactors of the order; he was also an 
16ordained permanent deacon; most recently, he was transitioning 
17to a new job with Immaculate Conception Province in New York; 
18and
  
 
19    WHEREAS, In 1998, Brother Sebastian became  the founder and 
20chaplain of the all-volunteer Franciscan Monastery Garden 
21Guild; he was central to its development and growth, which had 
22started as an organization focused on maintaining the 
 
 
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1Franciscan Monastery's rose gardens and other ornamental 
2gardens; it added the expansion of the urban farm in 2014, 
3which has donated 20,000 pounds of harvested vegetables to 
4organizations in the metro D.C. area for those who need food; 
5and
  
 
6    WHEREAS, Brother Sebastian led the Franciscan Monastery's 
7capital campaign, which restored the historic 1915 
8Metropolitan Greenhouse for the year-round use of growing 
9vegetables; and
  
 
10    WHEREAS, Brother Sebastian was a kind soul and an example 
11of Franciscan joy; therefore, be it
  
 
12    RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL 
13ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of 
14Brother John-Sebastian Laird-Hammond and extend our sincere 
15condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved 
16him; and be it further
  
 
17    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
18presented to  the family of  Brother Sebastian as an expression 
19of our deepest sympathy.