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1 HOUSE RESOLUTION
2 WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
3 Representatives wish to congratulate the Franciscan Sisters of
4 Chicago on the occasion of their 130th anniversary; and
5 WHEREAS, The Franciscan Sisters of Chicago was originally
6 founded as the Franciscan Sisters of Blessed Kunegunda in 1894
7 by Josephine Dudzik, also known as Sister Mary Theresa, with
8 the purpose of ministering to the poor; at the 1970 Chapter
9 Meeting of the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago, the order voted
10 to change their name to the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago,
11 hoping the new name would reflect the order's heritage with
12 the city of Chicago; and
13 WHEREAS, The Franciscan Sisters of Chicago was the first
14 religious congregation of women founded in the city of
15 Chicago; and
16 WHEREAS, In 1898, the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago opened
17 the first and oldest nursing home in Chicago, St. Joseph Home
18 for the Aged and Crippled, and built their first motherhouse
19 on the same site; these buildings not only housed the elderly
20 and the novitiate for new incoming Sisters but were also used
21 as sewing and vestment workshops where the Sisters would raise
22 funds to support themselves and their ministries; St. Joseph
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1 Home continues to serve the elderly and, in 2006, a
2 replacement community was built and named St. Joseph Village
3 of Chicago; and
4 WHEREAS, In 1899, the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago opened
5 St. Vincent's Orphan Asylum in Chicago, which was active until
6 1906 and cared for more than 500 children; and
7 WHEREAS, In 1901, The Franciscan Sisters of Chicago began
8 to minister on education, providing Sisters to teach at
9 various schools in Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio,
10 Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Texas; over the years, the
11 Sisters taught in 44 grammar schools and two high schools,
12 later opening St. Elizabeth Day Nursery in Chicago; and
13 WHEREAS, The Franciscan Sisters of Chicago purchased the
14 Walker estate in Lemont, which served as the congregation's
15 novitiate for 37 years; and
16 WHEREAS, In 1963, Our Lady of Victoria Convent opened as a
17 home for retired and infirm Sisters in Lemont; the old convent
18 was renovated and turned into a senior living community named
19 Mother Theresa Home; the motherhouse stayed in use until 2002
20 when a new convent was built on the grounds; and
21 WHEREAS, The Franciscan Sisters of Chicago created the
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1 Franciscan Sisters of Chicago Service Corporation, later
2 renamed Franciscan Ministries, which was established to help
3 support, manage, and operate all facilities sponsored by the
4 order and assist them in extending their charitable mission in
5 health care, social services, pastoral care, and education;
6 and
7 WHEREAS, In 1989, Franciscan Village, a senior living
8 community, was opened in Lemont, and the Mother Theresa Home
9 was incorporated into the community; and
10 WHEREAS, In 1998, another senior living community, Marian
11 Village, was opened in Homer Glen; and
12 WHEREAS, The Franciscan Sisters of Chicago has positively
13 affected the lives of countless people in this great state;
14 therefore, be it
15 RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
16 HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
17 we congratulate the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago on the
18 occasion of their 130th anniversary, and we recognize all of
19 the contributions by the Sisters who have impacted the health
20 of their order, their communities, the country, and the world
21 for the better; and be it further
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