[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 136 (Thursday, October 11, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1851-E1852]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN HONOR OF FATHER THOMAS MARTIN

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 11, 2001

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor of Reverend Thomas 
Martin, who

[[Page E1852]]

passed away on September 22, 2001 at the age of 72. Father Martin spent 
25 years as the pastor of St. Francis Catholic Church on Superior 
Avenue in Cleveland, where he dedicated his life to helping those in 
his parish and the community find meaning in their lives and to 
increase the opportunities available to those who are less fortunate.
  Rev. Martin was born in Cleveland, Ohio and graduated from 
Benedictine High School in 1947. He then attended St. Procopius College 
in Illinois, St. Gregory Seminary in Cincinnati, and St. Mary Seminary 
in Cleveland, before being ordained in 1956. While he spent the latter 
years of his life at St. Francis, Fr. Martin also served at a number of 
other parishes located in Cleveland, Bay Village, and Painesville, as 
well as on several diocesan commissions.
  Rev. Martin was a strong advocate of helping those in need with every 
means possible and spent countless hours working on projects to improve 
the lives of low-income families. One such project Rev. Martin helped 
organize was the Famicos Foundation, which is a neighborhood 
development organization that provides housing and social services for 
low income families. He and Sister Henrietta founded Famicos in the 
Hough neighborhood, which is in close vicinity to St. Francis. In 
addition, Rev. Martin was a strong advocate of the use of vouchers to 
allow students to attend Catholic schools who otherwise could not 
afford to do so.
  Rev. Thomas Martin is survived by a sister, Delores M. Lucas, and by 
three brothers: Jerry J., George G., and Richard J. Thomas. Reverend 
Thomas will be sorely missed by those in his parish and community, and 
he will forever be remembered for his generous heart and for all the 
hard work he put into improving the lives of those around him.

                          ____________________