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| 3 | 4 | | |
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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, Deacon E. Generes DuFour is retiring as director of |
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| 6 | 7 | | the Criminal Justice Office of the Catholic Diocese of Austin in |
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| 7 | 8 | | 2017, drawing to a close more than three decades of outstanding |
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| 8 | 9 | | service in behalf of prisoners and ex-offenders; and |
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| 9 | 10 | | WHEREAS, A ministry of the Secretariat for Life, Justice, and |
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| 10 | 11 | | Charity, the Criminal Justice Office works with state and federal |
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| 11 | 12 | | correctional authorities and with local parishes and other dioceses |
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| 12 | 13 | | across Texas to provide spiritual counsel to both prisoners and |
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| 13 | 14 | | staff at correctional facilities; the office also offers spiritual |
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| 14 | 15 | | and material support to the families of offenders and to |
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| 15 | 16 | | ex-offenders and their families; and |
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| 16 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Deacon "Doots" DuFour took on this vital work as the |
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| 17 | 18 | | office's director in 1986, and over the course of his exemplary |
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| 18 | 19 | | 31-year tenure, many former inmates have received the guidance and |
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| 19 | 20 | | resources they need to successfully reenter life outside of prison; |
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| 20 | 21 | | he has also been a powerful advocate before the state legislature |
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| 21 | 22 | | for reform of the criminal justice system, placing an emphasis on |
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| 22 | 23 | | rehabilitation and the reduction of recidivism; in addition, he has |
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| 23 | 24 | | served as chair of the Texas Catholic Correctional Ministers, which |
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| 24 | 25 | | represents those Catholic men and women who are active in |
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| 25 | 26 | | correctional ministries across the Lone Star State; and |
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| 26 | 27 | | WHEREAS, An alumnus of the University of Notre Dame, Deacon |
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| 27 | 28 | | DuFour answered his nation's call to duty as a young man and joined |
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| 28 | 29 | | the U.S. Army; he served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War and |
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| 29 | 30 | | retired after 21 years, at the rank of lieutenant; and |
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| 30 | 31 | | WHEREAS, Deacon DuFour's dedication, skill, and compassion |
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| 31 | 32 | | have helped to inspire and provide solace to innumerable prisoners |
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| 32 | 33 | | and ex-offenders, and he may indeed reflect with pride on a career |
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| 33 | 34 | | well spent as he embarks upon the next exciting chapter of his life; |
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| 34 | 35 | | now, therefore, be it |
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| 35 | 36 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 85th Texas |
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| 36 | 37 | | Legislature hereby congratulate Deacon Doots DuFour on his |
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| 37 | 38 | | retirement as director of the Criminal Justice Office of the |
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| 38 | 39 | | Catholic Diocese of Austin and extend to him sincere best wishes for |
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| 39 | 40 | | the future; and, be it further |
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| 40 | 41 | | RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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| 41 | 42 | | prepared for Deacon DuFour as an expression of high regard by the |
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| 42 | 43 | | Texas House of Representatives. |
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