[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 149 (Thursday, October 28, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2212]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN HONOR OF REV. RALPH A. BODZIONY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 28, 1999

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Rev. Ralph A. 
Bodziony for his contributions to Saint John Cantius of Cleveland, 
Ohio. Father Ralph has spent thirty years at St. John Cantius and is 
retiring after forty years of priesthood. His family and friends will 
honor his years of service with a celebration on November 28, 1999.
  In his thirty years of service to St. John Cantius, Father Ralph has 
gone to great lengths to help the parish grow and revitalize. Years 
ago, when it was not economically feasible to maintain the parish's old 
convent, Father Ralph helped turn it into The Malt Talbot Inn, an 
alcoholic rehabilitation center and halfway house. He also was heavily 
involved in the old elementary school being used for the Positive 
Education Program. In 1984, under Father Ralph, the parish held its 
first Polish Heritage Festival. It proved to be a very popular event 
and is now an annual celebration for parishioners and friends from all 
over to come and enjoy themselves.
  Father Ralph has also led the church to a major facelift recently. In 
1992, a beautiful Gothic altar was installed in the sanctuary; in 1994, 
the church organ was refurbished; and in 1997, the church was painted 
in anticipation of the one hundredth anniversary. St. John Cantius has 
come a long way in its one hundred years and, through projects like 
these, Father Ralph has been able to revitalize the parish alongside 
the redevelopment of the Tremont area.
  St. John Cantius, through the leadership of pastors such as Father 
Ralph, has served the community for one hundred years. The 
parishioners, who value their ethnicity and beliefs, have developed new 
traditions while passing on their Polish ancestry to each new 
generation in the parish. Father Ralph's leadership and commitment to 
the parish has helped contribute to its rich and colorful history.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring the beloved Rev. Ralph 
Bodziony for his dedication to the church and his extraordinary works 
in the Tremont area. His life and efforts towards a better community 
have inspired us all.

                          ____________________