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90_HR0565
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1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives wish to congratulate Father John J. Dietzen
4 of Holy Trinity Parish in Bloomington, Illinois on his
5 retirement; and
6 WHEREAS, Father Dietzen was born on August 27, 1927 in
7 Danville, Illinois; he attended St. Joseph's School and
8 graduated from Danville High School; he attended St. Bede
9 College in Peru and went on to earn a Master's degree in
10 English as well as licentiate degrees in sacred theology from
11 St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein; and
12 WHEREAS, On June 6, 1954 he was ordained into the
13 priesthood by Bishop Cousins; for three years he served as an
14 assistant at St. Mary's Cathedral Parish in Peoria; in 1957
15 he was appointed associate editor of The Register (now The
16 Catholic Post) by the bishop; during his time with The
17 Register, Father Dietzen was privileged to write on the
18 Second Vatican Council, a time he considers exciting,
19 intellectual, and alive; he is a member of the board of
20 directors for the Catholic Press Association of the United
21 States and Canada and has served as secretary for the
22 organization; and
23 WHEREAS, While working for The Register Father Dietzen
24 was asked to direct the family life ministry for the diocese;
25 he held that position for sixteen years, establishing the
26 Cana and Pre-Cana programs and Christian Family Movement; and
27 WHEREAS, Father Dietzen was chaplain of St. Joseph's
28 Nursing Home in Lacon from 1968 to 1973; he was named pastor
29 of St. Mark's Parish in Peoria in 1973 and also chairman of
30 the diocesan Respect Life Board; Father Dietzen is nationally
31 recognized for his pro-life work; and
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1 WHEREAS, Father Dietzen is nationally known as the
2 columnist and writer of "The Question Box", a syndicated
3 column that appears in Catholic newspapers across the
4 country, including The Catholic Post in the Peoria diocese
5 and The Catholic Times in the Springfield diocese; the column
6 answers questions about the Catholic faith sent in by
7 concerned parishioners; and
8 WHEREAS, Father Dietzen is the co-author of "With Heart
9 and Hand: A Guide to Personal Prayer for the Modern
10 Catholic"; he is the author of "The New Question Box"; and
11 WHEREAS, In 1983 he was named pastor of Holy Trinity in
12 Bloomington; he calls leaving Holy Trinity the hardest part
13 of his retirement; Father Dietzen will continue to write his
14 weekly column for syndication; therefore, be it
15 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
16 NINETIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
17 congratulate Father John Dietzen on his retirement from Holy
18 Trinity Church; we wish him continued success in his future
19 endeavors; and be it further
20 RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
21 presented to Father John Dietzen.