HR0507

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HOUSE RESOLUTION


 
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    WHEREAS, Msgr. Kevin William Vann of the Diocese of 
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Springfield has been appointed Coadjutor
Bishop-designate of 
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the
Diocese of Fort Worth by Pope
Benedict XVI; and

 
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    WHEREAS, The announcement was made May 17, 2005, in 
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Washington D.C., by Archbishop Gabriel Montalvo, apostolic 
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nuncio to the United States; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Bishop-designate Kevin Vann will assist Bishop 
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Joseph P. Delaney in the day-to-day affairs of the diocese; as 
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a coadjutor, he will assume the office of bishop when the 
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office becomes vacant; the Diocese of Fort Worth is made up of 
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28 counties in north central Texas; it has more than 400,000 
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Catholics, with 90 parishes served by 113 priests and 62 
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deacons; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Msgr. Vann is currently the Pastor of Blessed 
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Sacrament Catholic Church in Springfield and Vicar for Priests 
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of the diocese; he was born May 10, 1951, was baptized in 
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Blessed Sacrament Parish,  and grew up in nearby St. Agnes 
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Parish; and

 
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    WHEREAS, Prior to entering the seminary, Msgr. Vann 
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received his associate's degree from Springfield College in 
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Illinois and his bachelor's degree in medical technology from 
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Millikin University in Decatur; he began his religious studies 
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at the Diocesan Seminary of the Immaculate Conception in 
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Springfield, and then graduated from Kenrick Seminary in St. 
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Louis; he received his diploma in Latin Letters from Pontifical 
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Gregorian University, Rome, and his canon law degree from the 
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Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome; he also 
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taught canon law at Kenrick Seminary; and

 
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    WHEREAS, As a newly-ordained priest, Msgr. Vann was a 
 


 






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parochial vicar at Cathedral Parish and Blessed Sacrament 
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Parish in Springfield; he was pastor at St. Benedict in Auburn 
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and Our Lady of Lourdes; while retaining his principal 
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parochial assignments, he acted as parochial administrator to 
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St. Mary Parish in Pittsfield, Holy Redeemer Parish in Barry, 
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Holy Family Parish in Griggsville (1989-1990), St. Mary in 
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Pawnee (1991-1992), Our Lady of the Holy Spirit in Mt. Zion 
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(1995), St. Isidore in Bethany, and Sacred Heart in Dalton City 
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(1995-1997); and

 
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    WHEREAS, Msgr. Vann served as diocesan judge, defender of 
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the bond, and advocate for the Office of the Tribunal for nine 
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years; he was dean of the Decatur Deanery from 1996 to 2001 and 
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currently serves on the Committee for Hispanic Ministry and is 
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the Episcopal contact for Hispanic ministry; he served as a 
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judge on the Interdiocesan Court of Appeals, Province of 
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Chicago, and has served as adjutant judicial vicar since 1994; 
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he is a Knight of the Holy Sepulchre; in February of 2002, he 
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received the papal honor, being named a Chaplain to His 
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Holiness (Monsignor); therefore, be it

 
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    RESOLVED, BY THE  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE 
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NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that 
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we congratulate Msgr. Kevin Vann on his appointment as 
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Coadjutor
Bishop-designate of the
Diocese of Fort Worth; and be 
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it further

 
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    RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be 
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presented to Msgr. Kevin Vann as an expression of our 
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admiration and esteem.