[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 19187-19188]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




     MICHAEL MURRY HONORED AS 2002 FRANCISCAN HOPE AWARD RECIPIENT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GERALD D. KLECZKA

                              of wisconsin

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 3, 2002

  Mr. KLECZKA. Mr. Speaker. On Sunday, October 13, 2002, Milwaukee 
businessman, philanthropist and my friend, Michael J. Murry, will be 
honored as this year's Franciscan Hope Award Honoree at St. Josaphat 
Basilica's annual Loaves and Fishes Gala.
  Similar to the namesake of the Franciscan order, St. Francis of 
Assisi, Mike was also born the son of a prominent entrepreneur. Growing 
up in the shadows of the Basilica, he was first introduced to the world 
of banking through his father, a former president of Lincoln State 
Bank.
  After attending college and serving his country in the Air Force, 
Mike returned to Milwaukee. Through his diligent hard work and 
visionary expectations for his father's bank, Lincoln State Bank 
thrived and expanded from Lincoln Village, the Basilica's neighborhood, 
to branch into the rest of the state of Wisconsin under Mike's 
presidency.
  Just as St. Francis returned to his hometown to perform charity among 
the sick and through restoring churches, Mike has also put his Catholic 
values into action by serving on various healthcare boards of directors 
and the voluntary organization responsible for the beautiful 
restoration of the Basilica of St. Josaphat. The same enthusiasm and 
skill he has shown in the business community has benefited the 
philanthropic community and the Milwaukee area as a whole.
  The patron saint of ecologists, St. Francis of Assisi was often 
depicted outdoors surrounded by wildlife. During time away from the 
office, Mike, an avid outdoorsman, can often be found at his lake home 
in Hayward, Wisconsin, where he has shared his passions for hiking, 
fishing and outdoor pursuits with his wife Jan and children Michelle 
and Joe.
  It has been documented that thousands ``were drawn to [St. Francis of 
Assisi's] sincerity, piety, and joy.'' As the 2002 Honoree of the 
Franciscan Hope Award, Michael Murry has proven himself an embodiment 
of St. Francis's characteristics and deserving recipient of this great 
honor.
  Congratulations, Mike!

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