H.R. No. 175 R E S O L U T I O N WHEREAS, The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas is celebrating the 125th anniversary of its founding in 2015; and WHEREAS, In response to the growing Catholic population in Texas, Pope Leo XIII created the Diocese of Dallas in 1890; Thomas Francis Brennan of Tipperary, Ireland, was appointed as the first bishop over an area that encompassed most of North and West Texas; and WHEREAS, Through the years, the Diocese of Dallas has evolved to accommodate the changing needs of its parishioners, with the establishment of such institutions as the Texas Catholic diocesan newspaper, Holy Trinity College, and St. Paul Hospital; in 1902, the Sacred Heart Cathedral was constructed when the congregation outgrew the simple wooden church that had previously served as the seat of the diocese; as the local Catholic population continued to increase, the boundaries were redrawn several times to form the Dioceses of El Paso, Amarillo, Austin, San Angelo, Fort Worth, and Tyler, and today, the Diocese of Dallas covers an area of 7,523 square miles, including Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, and Rockwall Counties, and is one of the fastest growing dioceses in the country; and WHEREAS, Since 2007, the faithful of the diocese have benefited from the wise and compassionate oversight of Bishop Kevin Joseph Farrell, who is leading an effort not only to increase parish support for families and children but also to advance work on restoration of the landmark Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe; and WHEREAS, Countless Texans have looked to the Catholic Diocese of Dallas for spiritual guidance over the last 125 years, and its member parishes continue to be a positive and vital force in the communities they serve; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas Legislature hereby commemorate the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas and extend to its parishioners and clergy sincere best wishes for the future; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be prepared for the diocese as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of Representatives. Sheets Rinaldi Sheets Rinaldi Sheets Rinaldi Fallon Anderson of Dallas Fallon Anderson of Dallas Fallon Anderson of Dallas Alonzo Anchia Alonzo Anchia Alonzo Anchia Burkett Button Burkett Button Burkett Button Collier Cook Collier Cook Collier Cook Crownover Davis of Dallas Crownover Davis of Dallas Crownover Davis of Dallas Flynn Giddings Flynn Giddings Flynn Giddings Johnson King of Parker Johnson King of Parker Johnson King of Parker Klick Koop Klick Koop Klick Koop Krause Laubenberg Krause Laubenberg Krause Laubenberg Leach Meyer Leach Meyer Leach Meyer Murphy Parker Murphy Parker Murphy Parker Phillips Rose Phillips Rose Phillips Rose Sanford Schofield Sanford Schofield Sanford Schofield Shaheen Simmons Shaheen Simmons Shaheen Simmons Spitzer Springer Spitzer Springer Spitzer Springer Stickland Turner of Collin Stickland Turner of Collin Stickland Turner of Collin Villalba Wray Villalba Wray Villalba Wray ______________________________ Speaker of the House I certify that H.R. No. 175 was adopted by the House on February 19, 2015, by a non-record vote. ______________________________ Chief Clerk of the House Sheets Rinaldi Fallon Anderson of Dallas Alonzo Anchia Burkett Button Collier Cook Crownover Davis of Dallas Flynn Giddings Johnson King of Parker Klick Koop Krause Laubenberg Leach Meyer Murphy Parker Phillips Rose Sanford Schofield Shaheen Simmons Spitzer Springer Stickland Turner of Collin Villalba Wray