[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 149 (Friday, September 7, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1225-E1226]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF ST. LAWRENCE CATHOLIC CHURCH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 7, 2018

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize St. Lawrence Catholic 
Church of Greenville, Illinois, on the occasion of its 150th 
anniversary.
  St. Lawrence began as a mission of the Mother of Dolors in the 1850s 
but the first mass wasn't celebrated until 1868. At that time the 
congregation consisted of just a dozen families without an assigned 
priest. Eventually, the faithful were rewarded with a parish of their 
own in 1877, under the patronage of St. Lawrence the Martyr. The first 
church was erected a year later. A resident priest began to occupy the 
parochial residence in 1895, and shortly thereafter land for the 
church's cemetery was purchased.

[[Page E1226]]

  In 1910, a fire destroyed the church shortly after the arrival of 
father John Enright, who went on to serve as St. Lawrence's pastor for 
47 years. The congregation quickly set to work rebuilding and two years 
later a new church was dedicated, serving the congregation until a new 
church replaced it in 1994. In the interim, a rectory was added as well 
as a confraternity school.
  To celebrate St. Lawrence's important milestone, the church held a 
``Mass in the Grass,'' followed by a time capsule ceremony. Musicians 
performed during the celebration, which included activities, games, 
food, and a good deal of fellowship.
  Mr. Speaker, since its start, St. Lawrence has had a strong presence 
in Greenville and been a focal point for the religious and spiritual 
needs of the community. I want to wish its pastor, Father Alan Hunter, 
and parishioners of St. Lawrence Catholic Church, the very best as they 
celebrate 150 years of service.

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