HR0174 98TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0174 LRB098 11478 MST 43530 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the now-former Cardinal-Archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected by his colleagues on March 13, 2013, to serve as Pope, Bishop of Rome, head of the See of St. Peter, and leader of the worldwide Catholic Church; and

WHEREAS, The new pope has taken the name of Francis, in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi, and will be known as "Pope Francis"; and

WHEREAS, Pope Francis was born on December 17, 1936, in his home city of Buenos Aires; he was ordained on December 13, 1969, consecrated as the auxiliary bishop of his native city on June 27, 1992, and become archbishop upon the death of his predecessor on February 28, 1998; and

WHEREAS, The elevation of Jorge, Cardinal Bergoglio, to the papacy under the name of Pope Francis is a powerful signal of the growing role of men and women of Spanish-speaking heritage, both in the western hemisphere and around the world; and

WHEREAS, The election of a new pope is announced with a plume of white smoke from the sanctuary of the Cardinal-electors, followed by the presentation of the new pope to the people gathered in St. Peter's Square; the March 13, 2013, news of Pope Francis' election was transmitted electronically throughout the world and followed with genuine interest and excitement by hundreds of millions of men, women, and children worldwide, and was verbally announced to the Illinois House of Representatives immediately; and

WHEREAS, Pope Francis, as head of the worldwide Catholic Church, is the head of Vatican City, the Holy See, a sovereign nation possessing diplomatic relations with the United States of America and many other nations; and

WHEREAS, It is triply appropriate for the Illinois House of Representatives to offer its congratulations and good wishes to Pope Francis as the head of Vatican City, the Holy See, a sovereign nation that enjoys friendly diplomatic relations with the United States, as the first head of the worldwide Catholic Church who was born in and served in the western hemisphere, and as a member of the global Spanish-speaking community; and

WHEREAS, We congratulate Pope Francis on his elevation to the See of St. Peter, sovereign of the Holy See, and leader of the worldwide Catholic Church; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-EIGHTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we wish Pope Francis a successful papacy as he embarks upon his tremendous responsibilities; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be transmitted to His Holiness, Pope Francis; to the Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See to the United States of America, the Most Reverend Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò; to the Most Reverend Archbishop of the Archdiocese and Ecclesiastical Province of Chicago, His Eminence Francis, Cardinal George; and to the Most Reverend Bishops of the Dioceses of Belleville, Joliet, Peoria, Rockford, and Springfield.