By Berlanga                                      H.R. No. 185

      75R5979 SAJ-D                           

                                 R E S O L U T I O N

 1-1           WHEREAS, The Texas House of Representatives is proud to honor

 1-2     the Most Reverend Rene Henry Gracida, Bishop of Corpus Christi, on

 1-3     the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the

 1-4     Episcopacy; and

 1-5           WHEREAS, Before he received his calling, this New Orleans

 1-6     native enjoyed professional careers both as an instructor at  the

 1-7     University of Houston School of Architecture and as an architect

 1-8     with the firm of Donald Barthelma and Associates; and

 1-9           WHEREAS, He was drawn to become a Benedictine in 1951 because

1-10     of his love of the liturgy, and after completing his religious

1-11     training at Saint Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, he

1-12     was ordained to the priesthood in 1959; and

1-13           WHEREAS, Bishop  Gracida has been well regarded throughout

1-14     the Catholic Church for his utmost devotion to the Lord, and he was

1-15     consecrated as bishop of the Archdiocese of Miami before he was

1-16     installed as first bishop of the Pensacola-Tallahassee Diocese in

1-17     1975; and

1-18           WHEREAS, For more than 13 years, he has faithfully served the

1-19     people of South Texas as fifth bishop of Corpus Christi, in which

1-20     capacity he has offered special strength and wisdom to countless

1-21     individuals; and

1-22           WHEREAS, Bishop Gracida has distinguished himself through his

1-23     active ministry, writing 10 pastoral letters during his Episcopacy

1-24     and further serving the Lord and his community through his

 2-1     involvement in several worthy causes; deeply committed to

 2-2     immigration and migration issues, he was the National Episcopal

 2-3     Promoter of the Apostleship of the Sea in the United States for 17

 2-4     years and also chaired many church conferences on migration; and

 2-5           WHEREAS, This respected clergyman has strongly supported the

 2-6     concerns of migrant farm workers as well, traveling to the sugar

 2-7     beet fields of Nebraska and Wyoming to celebrate the sacraments,

 2-8     bless their families and the crops, and sometimes even weed rows of

 2-9     vegetables; and

2-10           WHEREAS, Bishop Gracida's commitment further extends to

2-11     religious education issues; he is a staunch supporter of Catholic

2-12     schools and religious education programs for children and adults,

2-13     and he was instrumental in the creation of the Pastoral Institute

2-14     in the diocese in 1984; and

2-15           WHEREAS, In Bishop Gracida, the church has found both a

2-16     preacher and a stalwart friend for the work of the ministry; his

2-17     religious guidance has provided comfort and spiritual support to

2-18     countless individuals, and he is indeed worthy of our highest

2-19     praise and recognition as he celebrates 25 years of service to the

2-20     Episcopacy; now, therefore, be it

2-21           RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 75th Texas

2-22     Legislature hereby honor the Most Reverend Rene Henry Gracida,

2-23     Bishop of Corpus Christi, and extend to him warmest best wishes on

2-24     the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his ordination to the

2-25     Episcopacy; and, be it further

2-26           RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be

2-27     prepared for Bishop Gracida as an expression of highest regard by

 3-1     the Texas House of Representatives.