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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
HONORING FATHER CHARLES DAHM OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF CHICAGO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE OUTREACH MISSION
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm grew up in suburban Elmhurst as a devout Catholic who was often the one to encourage his family to go to mass during the week; and
WHEREAS, even as a child Father Charles Dahm was known as an organizer among his friends; and
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm was a 1955 graduate of Fenwick High School, a Dominican College Preparatory School in Oak Park, Illinois and was ordained as a Dominican Priest in 1964; and
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm spent his early years as a Dominican Priest working with university students in Cochabamba and La Paz; and
WHEREAS, to better analyze and understand systems of oppression and power, Father Charles Dahm enrolled in a political science program at the University of Wisconsin Madison and began work towards his doctorate; and
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm arrived in Chicago as a young priest in the summer of 1973; and
WHEREAS, that same year Father Charles Dahm was elected to be the promoter of justice and peace for his Dominican province, which led to founding of the 8th Day Center for Justice; and
WHEREAS, the 8th Day Center for Justice was named after St. Augustine’s belief that humanity is in the “everlasting eighth day” of creation and is still active to this day as a critical voice to oppressive systems; and
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm has long believed issues of social justice should not be on the sidelined, but instead should be at the center of church life; and
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm became a regional point person for the national sanctuary movement, helping thousands of Central American refugees flee violence in Guatemala and El Salvador; and
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm co-founded the Chicago Religious Task Force on Central America, which went on organize 423 sanctuary hubs across the United States; and
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm moved to Pilsen and became pastor at St. Pius V in 1986, where he formed a social justice committee for parishioners to gather, pray, reflect and plan ways to transform their community; and
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm helped launch the Catholic Community of Pilsen, a grassroots community organizing and development organization that later became The Resurrection Project, which provided affordable housing to more than 840 families and connected immigrants, homeowners, new entrepreneurs and others with services and channels for political engagement; and
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm has spread his message of community engagement through the creation of other organizations including the Chicago Workers’ Collaborative, San Jose Obrero Mission, and Parenting 4 Non-Violence; and
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm is the first-ever Archdiocesan Director of Domestic Violence Outreach of Chicago; and
WHEREAS, the Archdiocese of Chicago has the most developed domestic violence outreach program in the United States, and is known as a model for their own local churches; and
WHEREAS, the Archdiocese of Chicago Domestic Violence Outreach mission is expressed in three words: awareness, services, prevention; and
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of the pervasiveness of domestic violence and to
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm is ceaseless in his commitment to connect domestic violence survivors with support, including the development of a counseling program for victims, children, and abusers; and
WHEREAS, in this role Father Charles Dahm has developed ministries for victims of domestic violence in 141 parishes throughout the Archdiocese; and
WHEREAS, the Archdiocese of Chicago Domestic Violence Outreach program has preached at over 150 parishes to date; and
WHEREAS, Father Charles Dahm received the Pope Saint John the XXIII Award in recognition of priestly dedication to Hispanic ministry from Cardinal Blasé Cupich in September 2015; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners does hereby honor Father Charles Dahm in recognition of his extensive work in the communities he has lived and preached, for his unwavering support of victims of domestic abuse, and determination to prevent domestic violence; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a suitable copy of the Resolution be tendered to Father Charles Dahm as a means of communicating our deepest thanks and well wishes.end