Bill Text: PA HR481 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Commemorating the 30th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's visit to the City of Philadelphia on October 3 and 4, 1979.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 30-14)

Status: (Passed) 2009-10-03 - Adopted [HR481 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2009-HR481-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 2738
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 481 Session of2009
INTRODUCED BY McGEEHAN, ADOLPH, BELFANTI, BOBACK, BOYLE, BRENNAN, BROWN, CALTAGIRONE, D. COSTA, CRUZ, DALEY, DeLUCA, DONATUCCI, FREEMAN, GEORGE, GIBBONS, GODSHALL, HARHAI, HESS, KILLION, KORTZ, LEVDANSKY, MARKOSEK, McCALL, MELIO, MILLARD, MOUL, PALLONE, PASHINSKI, PHILLIPS, READSHAW, REICHLEY, SAINATO, SANTONI, SAYLOR, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, SOLOBAY, STEVENSON, SWANGER, VULAKOVICH AND KULA, OCTOBER 2, 2009
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35, OCTOBER 2, 2009
A RESOLUTION
Commemorating the 30th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's visit
to the City of Philadelphia on October 3 and 4, 1979.
WHEREAS, Ordained as a priest in 1946, Karol Jozef Wojtyla of
Poland spent years devoted to his scholarly duties, earning a
master's degree and two doctoral degrees in theology and
philosophy; and
WHEREAS, With such a significant reputation, Karol Jozef
Wojtyla was elevated to the position of archbishop at the age of
38; and
WHEREAS, Archbishop Wojtyla was later elected pope on October
21, 1978, taking the name Pope John Paul II in reference to his
predecessors; and
WHEREAS, Pope John Paul II became the first Slavic pope and
the first non-Italian to occupy the papacy in 455 years; and
WHEREAS, Within a year after his election, the 264th pontiff
became the first pope to travel extensively throughout the
United States and the first to visit the City of Philadelphia;
and
WHEREAS, Pope John Paul II visited more than 120 countries
and delivered more than 2,000 public addresses during the span
of his pontificate, making him the most traveled pope in
history; and
WHEREAS, Before an estimated crowd of more than one million,
Pope John Paul II celebrated a public mass in Philadelphia's
Logan Square on October 3, 1979; and
WHEREAS, The Benjamin Franklin Parkway was a sea of people
who gathered to be touched by the spirit of His Holiness; and
WHEREAS, For those brief two days of Pope John Paul II's
visit, an overwhelming sense of goodwill and optimism pervaded
the entire Philadelphia region; and
WHEREAS, Undeniably one of the most significant figures of
our time, Pope John Paul II preached nonviolence in overcoming
oppressive regimes and lent his great moral voice and tireless
efforts to freeing the world of injustice; and
WHEREAS, Pope John Paul II was fluent in ten languages and
possessed a unique passion and ability to bridge political and
religious divides across the globe; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commemorate the
30th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's awe-inspiring visit to
the City of Philadelphia on October 3 and 4, 1979.
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