[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 18]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 24406]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING ST. DOMINIC'S PARISH IN BREESE, ILLINOIS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JOHN SHIMKUS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 19, 2008

  Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor St. Dominic's 
Parish in Breese, Illinois. For 150 years, St. Dominic's has 
represented the spread of Catholicism in rural America and has also 
acted as one of its community's cornerstones. The first church building 
was used from 1858 to 1868 and measured 40 feet by 60 feet. In 1858 
Father August Reineke was called to act as the first pastor of St. 
Dominic's and served until 1909. A larger church was needed due to the 
growing number of settlers in the area. The parishioners donated the 
land as well as the stone and limestone for construction of the present 
church still in use today.
  The original parish began with 70 Catholic families and today has 
grown to 867 families. One of St. Dominic's largest accomplishments was 
the establishment of Mater Dei High School. The men and women of St. 
Dominic's help by reaching out to their community and world with the 
parish's volunteer efforts. St. Monica's Altar Sodality and St. 
Joseph's Men's Sodality donate money to the parish's Vacation Bible 
School, food pantry and youth ministry. The ladies of the parish are 
currently sponsoring a child in Guatemala, while the men have donated 
over $20,000 to the new multi-purpose room.
  I join with my fellow Representatives to congratulate St. Dominic's 
on 150 years of faith and service.

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