[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 128 (Friday, October 13, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      A TRIBUTE TO SAINT JOSEPH PARISH ON THEIR 150TH ANNIVERSARY

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                          HON. JAMES A. BARCIA

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 12, 2000

  Mr. BARCIA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to sing praise for Saint 
Joseph's Parish in my hometown of Bay City, Michigan as they celebrate 
their 150th anniversary. The church has been the spiritual beacon of a 
fine neighborhood and, indeed, of the entire community.
  Since the middle of the 19th Century, the church has stood as the 
centerpiece of the city's Northeast Side, drawing family and friends 
into the light of Christian love and charity.
  The congregation's commitment to the community remains as strong 
today as it was when Father Kindekens first suggested in the late 1840s 
that Catholic settlers build a church in which he and visiting priests 
could minister to the needs of parishioners. By 1850, work began on the 
first Catholic church in the Saginaw Valley--Saint Joseph's.
  In the beginning, just 20 families formed the foundation of the 
church. Six years later, the burgeoning parish counted about 2,000 
members on its rolls and by 1868 that number had more than tripled. As 
the years went by, the church expanded to include additional buildings 
and educational facilities.
  The church's mission remains unchanged today as leaders continue to 
offer strong spiritual and academic training to the neighborhood's 
families and many beyond its environs. In fact, the church holds a 
special place in my heart because it is the home parish of my wife, 
Vicki, who received her religious and early educational guidance under 
the tutelage of St. Joseph's clergy, nuns, teachers and parishioners.
  Those who live in the shadow of St. Joseph's and those who have been 
touched by its influence cannot help but smell the sweetness of an 
angel's breath at their side and feel the hand of God on their 
shoulder.

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