H.R. No. 777
R E S O L U T I O N
1-1 WHEREAS, The calling to the priesthood is perhaps one of the
1-2 most blessed and rewarding experiences in a young man's life; much
1-3 dedication, strength of character, wisdom, and gentleness of heart
1-4 are needed to embrace this challenging vocation; and
1-5 WHEREAS, For four wonderful years, the parishioners of St.
1-6 Austin's Catholic Church were privileged to walk with Paulist
1-7 Broderick Matthew (Rick) Walsh as he made his transformation from
1-8 seminarian to ordained Roman Catholic priest; and
1-9 WHEREAS, The youngest of seven children, Father Walsh was
1-10 born on July 7, 1961, to Michael and Ellen M. Walsh in Weymouth,
1-11 Massachusetts, and spent most of his young life in the Bay State
1-12 until, upon completion of his undergraduate studies at St. John's
1-13 Diocesan Seminary in Boston, where he earned a bachelor of arts
1-14 degree in philosophy, he took the first steps in answering that
1-15 unique and special calling to the priesthood; and
1-16 WHEREAS, In the early 1980s, he entered the novitiate of the
1-17 Congregation of St. Paul, better known as the Paulist Fathers, an
1-18 American Roman Catholic order of priests whose chief mission of
1-19 evangelization, reconciliation, and ecumenism attracted his
1-20 energetic spirit; and
1-21 WHEREAS, During his formative years with the Paulists, this
1-22 fine young man prospered in his preparation, having spent his time
1-23 in the Paulist centers of New York, Los Angeles and New Jersey
1-24 studying, growing, and discerning; and
2-1 WHEREAS, In May 1991, this dedicated seminarian came to the
2-2 Paulist Center of St. Austin's Catholic Church in Austin, Texas,
2-3 to complete his journey to the priesthood; and
2-4 WHEREAS, The young Paulist's willingness to serve others, his
2-5 wisdom, and his pleasant, cheerful demeanor quickly won the esteem
2-6 and love of parishioners and staff alike; and
2-7 WHEREAS, On February 16, 1992, several months after he
2-8 arrived, seminarian Rick Walsh, CSP, was ordained Deacon Rick
2-9 Walsh, CSP, by the Most Reverend John McCarthy, Bishop of the
2-10 Diocese of Austin, in the presence of the St. Austin's community;
2-11 and
2-12 WHEREAS, Now as Deacon Rick, he took a more active role in
2-13 his ministry, giving close care to those who are most vulnerable in
2-14 our society, the infirm, the poor, the homeless, and the young;
2-15 during his diaconate, he revived the parish's Hospital Communion
2-16 Ministry, a program designed to provide outreach and spiritual care
2-17 to parishioners and other Catholics who were confined to hospital
2-18 care; he devoted much time and effort to the St. Vincent De Paul
2-19 Society, an arm of the Church that takes care of the needs of the
2-20 poor and the homeless, and he was named chaplain of St. Austin's
2-21 School, where he gave spiritual guidance to the children; and
2-22 WHEREAS, After nearly three months as a deacon, on May 9,
2-23 1992, in the presence of his mother, siblings, fellow Paulists, and
2-24 friends, he was ordained a priest by the Most Reverend John Roach,
2-25 DD, Archbishop of St. Paul-Minneapolis, in the Paulist mother
2-26 church of St. Paul the Apostle in New York City; Father Rick
2-27 Walsh's first assignment upon being ordained to the Order of
3-1 Presbyter was to return to St. Austin's Catholic Church as
3-2 associate pastor; and
3-3 WHEREAS, Since his ordination, Father Walsh has been an
3-4 indefatigable source of energy and spiritual guidance for his
3-5 community, being active in nearly every facet of the parish, from
3-6 spending time with the small children who constantly run up to him
3-7 after Mass to ministering to the needy; and
3-8 WHEREAS, On top of his primary ministerial duties as a
3-9 priest, this generous individual also gives of his time at
3-10 Christopher House, being an enormous resource to its staff by
3-11 conducting courses for them on death and dying and lending them a
3-12 willing ear when one is needed; he can often be seen visiting
3-13 patients and consoling families, and his obvious skill in relating
3-14 to others has helped support many individuals so they could die
3-15 with peace and dignity; he has taken his work one step further at
3-16 St. Austin's by founding the parish's AIDS Care Teams Ministry; and
3-17 WHEREAS, He remains faithful to his primary calling, to
3-18 spread the Good News of the Gospel; through his carefully crafted
3-19 and inspirational homilies, his informative catechetical classes,
3-20 his patient manner with those needing spiritual guidance, and his
3-21 prayerful presence at Mass, Father Walsh has touched the lives of
3-22 many of the people who have come in contact with him; and
3-23 WHEREAS, It was with great sadness that the parishioners of
3-24 St. Austin's Catholic Church learned that this fine young priest,
3-25 having completed his tenure at their parish, would soon be
3-26 transferred to another area of the country where the Good News
3-27 needed to be heard and lived; and
4-1 WHEREAS, Although it is with sorrow that St. Austin's watches
4-2 Father Rick Walsh leave, it is grateful that, even for a short
4-3 time, they were blessed with his presence and his gifts; now,
4-4 therefore, be it
4-5 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
4-6 Legislature hereby commend the Reverend Broderick Matthew (Rick)
4-7 Walsh, CSP, for his outstanding four years of service to the
4-8 parishioners and staff of St. Austin's Catholic Church and wish him
4-9 many blessings and much success as he ventures forth to his new
4-10 assignment; and, be it further
4-11 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be
4-12 prepared for Father Walsh as a token of the highest esteem by the
4-13 Texas House of Representatives.