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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Family, friends, and parishioners are mourning the |
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loss of Monsignor Edward J. Dokupil of Bastrop, who died on January |
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18, 2009, at the age of 72; and |
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WHEREAS, Edward Dokupil was born on October 31, 1936, in |
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Burlington to Willie Frank and Angela Ermis Dokupil; after |
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graduating from Rosebud High School, he entered St. Mary's Seminary |
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in Houston, where he earned his college degree and then pursued |
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another four years of theological studies; and |
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WHEREAS, Monsignor Dokupil was ordained as a Catholic priest |
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in 1964, and after serving as associate pastor at Cristo Rey |
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Catholic Church in Austin, he went on to pastor Immaculate |
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Conception Church in Sealy, St. Mary's Catholic Church of the |
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Assumption in Waco, Church of the Assumption in West, and Sacred |
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Heart Church in Austin; and |
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WHEREAS, In 1972, Monsignor Dokupil became the pastor of |
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Ascension Parish in Bastrop, where he was an inspiring spiritual |
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leader and mentor for 37 years; over the course of his pastorate, |
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the membership of the church increased from 100 to more than 1,000 |
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families, and he created a Spanish Mass for the area's growing |
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Hispanic population; at the time of his death, he was making plans |
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for the building of a parish activity center; and |
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WHEREAS, While he was at Sacred Heart in Austin and Ascension |
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Parish in Bastrop, Monsignor Dokupil also served as the Catholic |
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chaplain at the Travis State School for 28 years and at Holy Cross |
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High School for Girls for three years; moreover, he was cofounder of |
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the Crisis Hotline in Austin and a member of its board of directors, |
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and he served as chaplain for the Bastrop Police Department; and |
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WHEREAS, Monsignor Dokupil was a leader in the governance of |
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the church as well; he held a seat on the Diocesan Presbyteral |
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Council, and he served as a Diocesan Consultor and as the Bishop's |
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Dean of the Southern Deanery of the Diocese of Austin; in 2001, he |
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was granted the title of monsignor by His Holiness, Pope John Paul |
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II; and |
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WHEREAS, A caring and compassionate man, Monsignor Edward J. |
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Dokupil was beloved by all who knew him for his strength, his |
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wisdom, and his good counsel, and he will be remembered forever for |
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the unfailing love and dedication he showed to his community; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Monsignor Edward J. |
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Dokupil and extend sincere condolences to the members of his |
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family: to his sister, RosaLee Wilkerson, and her husband, George; |
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to his brothers, Tom Dokupil and his wife, Debbie, Bob Dokupil and |
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his wife, Grace, Charles Dokupil and his wife, Ann, and William |
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Dokupil and his wife, Mildred; to his eight nieces and four nephews; |
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and to his other relatives and many friends; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for his family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Monsignor |
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Dokupil. |