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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, The Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas is celebrating |
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the 125th anniversary of its founding in 2015; and |
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WHEREAS, In response to the growing Catholic population in |
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Texas, Pope Leo XIII created the Diocese of Dallas in 1890; Thomas |
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Francis Brennan of Tipperary, Ireland, was appointed as the first |
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bishop over an area that encompassed most of North and West Texas; |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Through the years, the Diocese of Dallas has evolved |
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to accommodate the changing needs of its parishioners, with the |
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establishment of such institutions as the Texas Catholic diocesan |
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newspaper, Holy Trinity College, and St. Paul Hospital; in 1902, |
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the Sacred Heart Cathedral was constructed when the congregation |
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outgrew the simple wooden church that had previously served as the |
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seat of the diocese; as the local Catholic population continued to |
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increase, the boundaries were redrawn several times to form the |
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Dioceses of El Paso, Amarillo, Austin, San Angelo, Fort Worth, and |
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Tyler, and today, the Diocese of Dallas covers an area of 7,523 |
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square miles, including Collin, Dallas, Ellis, Fannin, Grayson, |
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Hunt, Kaufman, Navarro, and Rockwall Counties, and is one of the |
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fastest growing dioceses in the country; and |
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WHEREAS, Since 2007, the faithful of the diocese have |
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benefited from the wise and compassionate oversight of Bishop Kevin |
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Joseph Farrell, who is leading an effort not only to increase parish |
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support for families and children but also to advance work on |
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restoration of the landmark Cathedral Shrine of the Virgin of |
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Guadalupe; and |
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WHEREAS, Countless Texans have looked to the Catholic Diocese |
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of Dallas for spiritual guidance over the last 125 years, and its |
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member parishes continue to be a positive and vital force in the |
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communities they serve; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 84th Texas |
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Legislature hereby commemorate the 125th anniversary of the |
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founding of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dallas and extend to its |
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parishioners and clergy sincere best wishes for the future; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the diocese as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |