[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 174 (Friday, October 26, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1454]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   RECOGNIZING THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF ST. RICHARD PARISH IN CHICAGO

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                          HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 26, 2018

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 90th anniversary 
of St. Richard Parish in Chicago. On Sunday, October 28, the church 
will hold a celebration to commemorate nearly a century of faith and 
service to the community, and I am pleased that I will be joining them.
  St. Richard Parish has a long and thriving history, dating back to 
the 1920s. As the Archer Heights community grew, George Cardinal 
Mundelein of the Archdiocese of Chicago recognized the need for a new 
Catholic parish in the area and established St. Richard on June 8, 
1928.
  While services were temporarily held in a storefront on 51st Street, 
the men from the parish banded together and built their first church. 
This endeavor required hard work, commitment, and sincerity, all 
unifying characteristics of the church's parishioners. Fr. Edward 
Kilroy became pastor in 1944, and during his 22 years leading the 
parish he oversaw significant growth. In 1947 the St. Richard Parish 
School was opened, giving the children of Archer Heights an opportunity 
for an outstanding Catholic education and chance to better themselves 
spiritually and intellectually. As the parish grew, a new church was 
constructed in 1959 on the comer of Kastner Avenue and 50th Street. In 
the first decade of the 21st century, under the leadership of Fr. 
Thomas Bernas, a community center was added by the parish. I'm proud to 
have been able to help with the funding for that project which helps 
the parish serve the Archer Heights community.
  From their first pastor, Rev. Horace Wellman, to their current 
pastor, Fr. Krzysztof Janczak, St. Richard's diverse group of 
parishioners continue to enrich the community with outreach programs, a 
strong school, and an unwavering commitment to their faith in Jesus 
Christ.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring St. Richard 
Parish and its parishioners on the parish's 90th anniversary. I am 
proud to have in the Third District of Illinois such a vibrant example 
of the values that can be provided by a church with outstanding 
leadership and committed parishioners.

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