Bill Text: VA HJR709 | 2013 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Celebrating the life of the Most Reverend Walter F. Sullivan.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)
Status: (Passed) 2013-01-24 - Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ709ER) [HJR709 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2013-HJR709-Enrolled.html
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WHEREAS, the Most Reverend Walter F. Sullivan, the 11th Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond whose ministry was marked by compassion and outreach, died on December 11, 2012; and WHEREAS, Bishop Sullivan, ordained a priest in the Catholic Diocese of Richmond in 1953, served briefly in parishes in Roanoke and Hampton before returning to Richmond in 1965 as Chancellor of the Diocese; and WHEREAS, in 1967 Bishop Sullivan became rector of the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart in Richmond and three years later was ordained an auxiliary bishop; and WHEREAS, in 1974 Bishop Sullivan was installed as Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond, a position he held for 29 years until his retirement in 2003; and WHEREAS, during Bishop Sullivan's tenure, the Catholic Diocese of Richmond greatly expanded, establishing 35 new parishes, 12 homes for the elderly, six schools, and four retreat centers; and WHEREAS, throughout his tenure, Bishop Sullivan reached out to those in need, welcomed individuals from all walks of life, and encouraged outreach to and solidarity with those of different faiths; and WHEREAS, Bishop Sullivan's influence extended beyond the Richmond area, as he championed justice and peace around the world as president of Pax Christi USA, the national Catholic peace movement; and WHEREAS, an active spiritual leader, Bishop Sullivan could be found in parishioner's homes, in prisons, on the streets, at the Vatican, and in impoverished countries, sharing words of comfort, faith, and joy with all he met; and WHEREAS, on the occasion of Bishop Sullivan's retirement in 2003, the former Norfolk Catholic High School was renamed the Bishop Sullivan Catholic High School in his honor; and WHEREAS, Bishop Sullivan dedicated his life to uplifting others, serving the Catholic Diocese of Richmond and the Church with great devotion and leaving behind many dear family members, friends, and parishioners to remember his work and love; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of an admired spiritual leader, the Most Reverend Walter F. Sullivan; and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of the Most Reverend Walter F. Sullivan as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory. |
