Bill Text: TX HR48 | 2011 | 82nd Legislature 1st Special | Enrolled
Bill Title: Honoring Immaculate Conception Church in Rio Grande City for its service to the community.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-07-06 - Reported enrolled [HR48 Detail]
Download: Texas-2011-HR48-Enrolled.html
H.R. No. 48 |
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WHEREAS, For more than 140 years, Immaculate Conception | ||
Church has played a central role in the life of Rio Grande City; and | ||
WHEREAS, The Oblates of Mary Immaculate have served the | ||
Catholic population of the community since 1853, but no clergy were | ||
stationed in the community until the creation of a parish there in | ||
1880; Father J. M. Jaffres, O.M.I., became the first resident | ||
pastor, and Father Alexis de Saules, O.M.I., was assigned to assist | ||
him; and | ||
WHEREAS, A parish school was established in 1884, staffed by | ||
members of the Sisters of the Incarnate Word; that order was | ||
succeeded by the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed | ||
Sacrament in 1900, the Sisters of Mercy in the early 1920s, and the | ||
School Sisters of Notre Dame in 1985; today the faculty includes | ||
both religious and lay members, and the school offers instruction | ||
from prekindergarten through the eighth grade; and | ||
WHEREAS, The first church building, dedicated to Our Lady of | ||
Refuge, was blessed on January 3, 1870, and it served the parish | ||
until the present church was constructed in 1967; a number of other | ||
building programs have been undertaken at various times to meet the | ||
evolving needs of the parishioners; and | ||
WHEREAS, Immaculate Conception Church is especially renowned | ||
for its grotto, which is a replica of the famous shrine at Lourdes, | ||
France; dedicated in 1928, the grotto is built of local stone and | ||
petrified wood and incorporates statues of the Virgin Mary and of | ||
Bernadette; and | ||
WHEREAS, Since its founding, this historic church has | ||
benefited from the guidance of many devoted clergymen, and today | ||
the congregation is ably led by the Reverend Jean Olivier M. Sambu; | ||
and | ||
WHEREAS, Countless area residents have looked to Immaculate | ||
Conception Church for spiritual renewal and enrichment over the | ||
years, and its parishioners continue to find comfort, inspiration, | ||
and the welcoming embrace of a caring community; now, therefore, be | ||
it | ||
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 82nd Texas | ||
Legislature, 1st Called Session, hereby recognize Immaculate | ||
Conception Church for its many decades of dedicated service to its | ||
community and extend to all those associated with the church | ||
sincere best wishes as they carry forward its mission in the years | ||
ahead; and, be it further | ||
RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be | ||
prepared for Immaculate Conception Church as an expression of high | ||
regard by the Texas House of Representatives. | ||
Guillen | ||
______________________________ | ||
Speaker of the House | ||
I certify that H.R. No. 48 was adopted by the House on June | ||
28, 2011, by a non-record vote. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||