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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
CONGRATULATING OUR LADY, MOTHER OF THE CHURCH PARISH AS IT CELEBRATES ITS 50-YEAR ANNIVERSARY
WHEREAS, in 1966, Archbishop John P. Cody established Our Lady, Mother of the Church (OLMC) as a parish in the Archdiocese of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, OLMC was the first parish Archbishop Cody built, and it is the last Catholic parish to be established within the City of Chicago limits; and
WHEREAS, during its first year, masses were held at Leigh School in Norridge and in a storefront at the strip mall at Lawrence and Cumberland; and
WHEREAS, the church was completed and mass was first celebrated in 1967 with Father Peter F. Hayes as the founding pastor; and
WHEREAS, the boundaries of the parish were originally River Road to the west, Thatcher Avenue to the east, Montrose Avenue to the south, and Bryn Mawr Avenue to the north, but today, the parish welcomes all, regardless of the location of their homes; and
WHEREAS, in 1983, Father Joseph F. Ognibene became pastor and oversaw the extensive renovation to the church; and
WHEREAS, when Father Joe retired in 1996, Father Daniel R. Fallon was appointed pastor. During his time, OLMC underwent yet another renovation in 2004, resulting in its present appearance; and
WHEREAS, in mid-2008, Father Rich Klajbor was appointed pastor. Father Rich became seriously ill, and in January, 2012, Father Jim O’Brien, pastor Emeritus of St. Eugene, was appointed Administrator of the parish; and
WHEREAS, Father Andrzej (Andrew) Bartosz was officially installed as pastor on September 30, 2012, by Bishop John Manz; and
WHEREAS, on Sunday, September 25, 2016, OLMC will celebrate “Taste & Toast to the OLMC Jubilee”; and
WHEREAS, the OLMC Jubilee event will be a social, cultural, and spiritual celebration honoring the diversity of the parish through ethnic food, dance, music, and more; and
WHEREAS, the Jubilee event will also celebrate a reunion mass at 11:00 a.m. on September 25 honoring those who received any of the sacraments at OLMC during the past fifty years.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby congratulate Our Lady, Mother of the Church Parish as it celebrates its 50-Year Jubilee Anniversary; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of this resolution be tendered to OLMC on the occasion of its Jubilee signature event.
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