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HR0399 |
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LRB096 12501 GRL 25567 r |
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| HOUSE RESOLUTION
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| WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of |
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| Representatives are pleased to honor Father Gary Graf for his |
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| many years of dedicated service to the citizens of Waukegan and |
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| the congregation of the Holy Family Parish; and
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| WHEREAS, Father Gary Graf has lived in Waukegan for almost |
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| 15 years; he arrived in Waukegan in 1994 to eventually replace |
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| the former St. Joseph Church's pastor, Father O'Connell; as |
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| pastor, Father Graf introduced many changes to the parish, |
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| including the conversion of the St. Joseph Social Center into a |
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| youth center for the children of the parish and the |
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| neighborhood; the youth center eventually moved to a larger |
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| location and become the Boys & Girls Club of Lake County; and
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| WHEREAS, Father Gary Graf is well known throughout his |
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| community for his compassion and generosity; during the |
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| preparation for the move to the new Holy Family Parish on |
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| Keller Avenue in April of 2002, Father Graf donated 60 percent |
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| of his liver to Miguel Zavala, an ailing parishioner; he has |
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| served as a champion of the cause of the undocumented immigrant |
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| and has always spoken eloquently on behalf of the stranger, |
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| even those with opposing views; he has also devoted several |
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| weeks each year to minister to the poor in Bolivia through a |
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| medical program and was involved with the opening of St. Martin |