[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 17205]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



    REVEREND MONSIGNOR GERARD T. LA CERRA DISTINGUISHED AND BELOVED 
                         CHANCELLOR AND FRIEND

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 6, 2000

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I note 
the passing of Reverend Monsignor Gerard T. La Cerra, one of South 
Florida's most beloved and distinguished residents.
  With selfless devotion and love, Monsignor La Cerra served the 
Archdiocese of Miami not only as its Chancellor from 1978 to 1993, but 
also as a source of strength and inspiration to all who knew him. 
Although we will all remember his important position in the Church for 
he was designated as Prelate with Honor with the title of Reverend 
Monsignor by His Holiness Pope John Paul II and was appointed Founding 
Supervising Principal of the new Catholic High School in South Dade, 
Archbishop Coleman F. Carroll High, we will remember most his 
extraordinary acts of kindness to the people of South Florida.
  We were fortunate to have Monsignor La Cerra and the love and 
kindness that he expressed to our community and our church will forever 
be remembered and cherished. My office and the rest of the South 
Florida Congressional delegation had the opportunity to get to know 
Monsignor La Cerra more closely and to restitute some of the work he 
did for his parish by organizing an effort to increase public awareness 
on the need for organ transplant and donations. He underwent a 
successful heart transplant surgery and was able to continue his work 
in the Archdiocese of Miami.
  I ask my Congressional colleagues to join me in paying tribute to 
this devoted spiritual leader and to express our heartfelt condolences 
to his family and friends, may they find peace and comfort in the 
knowledge that he made significant differences in the many lives he 
touched. He will forever be remembered.

                          ____________________