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| 1 | SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION | ||||||
| 2 | WHEREAS, It is fitting and proper for the State of | ||||||
| 3 | Illinois to honor the historic election of Pope Leo XIV; and | ||||||
| 4 | WHEREAS, The Roman Catholic Church, with over 1.4 billion | ||||||
| 5 | members worldwide, has selected a new spiritual leader, Pope | ||||||
| 6 | Leo XIV, following the passing of Pope Francis; and | ||||||
| 7 | WHEREAS, Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost at | ||||||
| 8 | Mercy Hospital in Chicago on September 14, 1955, is the first | ||||||
| 9 | American-born pontiff in the history of the Catholic Church; | ||||||
| 10 | and | ||||||
| 11 | WHEREAS, Pope Leo XIV was raised in the south suburban | ||||||
| 12 | village of Dolton, and he grew up in the parish of St. Mary of | ||||||
| 13 | the Assumption in nearby Riverdale, where he served as an | ||||||
| 14 | altar boy, sang in the choir, and was deeply involved in parish | ||||||
| 15 | life; and | ||||||
| 16 | WHEREAS, Pope Leo XIV's early education included attending | ||||||
| 17 | St. Augustine Seminary High School, a minor seminary near | ||||||
| 18 | Saugatuck, Michigan, followed by receiving a Bachelor of | ||||||
| 19 | Science in Mathematics from Villanova University and a Master | ||||||
| 20 | of Divinity from the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago; | ||||||
| 21 | and | ||||||
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| 1 | WHEREAS, Pope Leo XIV's commitment to faith and service | ||||||
| 2 | led him to join the Order of Saint Augustine in 1977, and he | ||||||
| 3 | was ordained as a priest in 1982; his early ministry included | ||||||
| 4 | teaching physics and math at St. Rita of Cascia High School in | ||||||
| 5 | Chicago; and | ||||||
| 6 | WHEREAS, Pope Leo XIV's extensive service includes over | ||||||
| 7 | two decades as a missionary and bishop in Peru, where he was | ||||||
| 8 | known for his pastoral compassion and theological insight, | ||||||
| 9 | eventually serving as Bishop of Chiclayo from 2015 to 2023; | ||||||
| 10 | and | ||||||
| 11 | WHEREAS, Pope Leo XIV was appointed by Pope Francis to | ||||||
| 12 | lead the Vatican's Dicastery for Bishops in 2023, and he was | ||||||
| 13 | elevated to the rank of cardinal, reflecting his significant | ||||||
| 14 | contributions to the Catholic Church; and | ||||||
| 15 | WHEREAS, Pope Leo XIV's election as the 267th pope on May | ||||||
| 16 | 8, 2025 marks a historic moment for the Catholic Church and | ||||||
| 17 | highlights the momentous election of an Illinois-born leader | ||||||
| 18 | to the highest office in the Roman Catholic Church; therefore, | ||||||
| 19 | be it | ||||||
| 20 | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL | ||||||
| 21 | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE HOUSE OF | ||||||
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| 1 | REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING HEREIN, that we designate the | ||||||
| 2 | portion of Interstate Route 80 within the State of Illinois | ||||||
| 3 | from Illinois State Route 394 to the interchange at Interstate | ||||||
| 4 | Route 55 as the "Pope Leo XIV Highway"; and be it further | ||||||
| 5 | RESOLVED, That the Illinois Department of Transportation | ||||||
| 6 | and the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority are requested to | ||||||
| 7 | erect at suitable locations, consistent with State and federal | ||||||
| 8 | regulations, appropriate plaques or signs giving notice of the | ||||||
| 9 | name; and be it further | ||||||
| 10 | RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be | ||||||
| 11 | presented to Pope Leo XIV, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of | ||||||
| 12 | Chicago, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Joliet, and the | ||||||
| 13 | Secretary of Transportation. | ||||||