[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 119 (Tuesday, September 14, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1864]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SACRED HEART CHURCH IN SYRACUSE TO BE DEDICATED AS A MINOR BASILICA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JAMES T. WALSH

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 14, 1999

  Mr. WALSH. Mr. Speaker, I want to share with my colleagues today a 
significant honor for many of my Central New York neighbors and 
constituents who are parishioners at the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic 
Church in Syracuse.
  My wife and I attend mass at Sacred Heart quite often and so we were 
happy and proud, as are so many others who worship in this neighborhood 
church on the west side of the city, to hear the recent news from the 
Vatican that the church will be designated, by order of Pope John Paul 
II, a Minor Basilica during a mass to be celebrated on October 3.
  To many in the parish, this important designation represents years of 
prayers and hard work by Father Peter W. Gleba, the rector and pastor, 
who put together the papers of application (all in Latin, I might add), 
and the long-time leadership of Monsignor Adolph Kantor, Msgr. Kantor 
is now retired, but he will be on hand at the Oct. 3 mass to present 
the homily.
  This designation, aside from the magnificent honor paid to the church 
and the parish, has a practical effect. A Basilica Chair will sit in 
the vicinity of the altar and should the Holy Father ever come to 
Central New York, he would say mass at Sacred Heart and use this very 
special chair.
  The designation also means that our Bishop from the Diocese of 
Syracuse will say mass at Sacred Heart at least once a year, in 
addition to regular liturgical events such as administering the 
sacrament of Confirmation.
  Significantly, there are only two other Basilicas in New York State, 
one in Tonawanda near Buffalo, and one in Brooklyn. This is the first 
such designation in the history of the Syracuse diocese.
  We who are so proud of and thankful for this designation also give 
thanks to Bishop James Moynihan and former Bishop O'Keefe for their 
encouragement and support.
  In closing, I would like to pay tribute also to former pastors, 
Father Rusin and Monsignor Piejda, both of whom formed a very close 
bond with the parishioners, many of whom over the years have been of 
Polish and Eastern European descent.
  This is a tremendous honor for Sacred Heart Church, and I would ask 
my colleagues to join me in recognizing their great joy and 
thanksgiving.

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