HR1585 95TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1585 LRB095 22879 KXB 53322 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are pleased to congratulate Father John Breslin on his years of service as pastor of St. Ailbe's Church in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, Father John Breslin was born on September 30, 1958 on the southwest side of Chicago; after finishing elementary and high school, he attended Loyola University in Chicago and received his undergraduate degree in Social Work with minors in Philosophy and English; he continued his graduate studies at St. Mary of the Lake University in Mundelein, where he received a Master in Divinity Degree; and

WHEREAS, He was ordained a priest on May 18, 1985; his parish career began as Associate Pastor of St. Joachim Church from 1985 to 1990; he was then appointed Associate Pastor of St. Kilian Church from 1990 to 1991, a position he held until he was appointed pastor of St. Ailbe's Church; he has served as pastor of St. Ailbe's since his appointment in 1991 until the present; and

WHEREAS, Three years ago Father Breslin was diagnosed with a debilitating chronic neurological illness and made the decision to resign as the pastor of St. Ailbe's effective November 2, 2008; and

WHEREAS, During his tenure as pastor, St. Ailbe's has grown from a church in danger of closing to the second largest African-American Catholic Church in Chicago; as a visionary pastor he has led the church in the development of 154 units of housing for seniors as well as six units of housing for physically challenged families, called the St. Ailbe Faith and Love Apartments and the St. Ailbe Hope apartments; and

WHEREAS, Father John has also served as an adjunct professor at St. Joseph College Seminary and St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, as well as consultant to the Catholic Charities Family Shelter Program; he has also served on the Vocation Task Force for the Archdiocese of Chicago, and has served on a variety of Advisory Boards within the Archdiocese of Chicago, especially those related to the African-American Catholic Church and Priestly Formation and Development; and

WHEREAS, Father Breslin will continue to be a priest and will continue to serve the Archdiocese of Chicago; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we thank Father Breslin for his years of ministry and service to the people of Chicago, especially his parish at St. Ailbe's Church; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to Father John Breslin as a symbol of our sincere respect.