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CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, St. Rita of Cascia Catholic Church in Greenwood |
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celebrated the dedication of its new building by Bishop Michael |
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J. Sis of the Diocese of San Angelo on March 16, 2024; and |
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WHEREAS, In 2018, Bishop Sis gave permission for the |
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establishment of the Greenwood Catholic Community; Greenwood |
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Elementary School generously offered its auditorium for Sunday |
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services, allowing the faithful in the area to begin worshipping |
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closer to home; and |
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WHEREAS, Bishop Sis issued a decree in 2020 naming the church |
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for Saint Rita of Cascia; born in the Italian village of |
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Roccaporena, near Cascia, Saint Rita lived from 1381 until 1457, |
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and she is regarded as the patron saint of impossible causes; the |
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first oil well in West Texas, Santa Rita No. 1, was named in her |
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honor; and |
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WHEREAS, St. Rita of Cascia has been a mission of San Miguel |
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Arcángel Parish in Midland, with Father Patrick Akpanobong as |
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pastor; community members worked tirelessly to raise funds for the |
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construction of their church, and they purchased a six-acre |
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property that includes the site of the earliest school in |
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Greenwood; they gathered for the ground breaking on September 17, |
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2022; deacon Bill Scarmardo served as architect and N. C. Sturgeon |
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was the general contractor; and |
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WHEREAS, The completion of this house of worship is a tribute |
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to the vision and perseverance of the St. Rita of Cascia community, |
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and the prayerful devotion of its members will ensure that the |
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church continues to thrive in the years to come; now, therefore, be |
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it |
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RESOLVED, That the 89th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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hereby commemorate the dedication of St. Rita of Cascia Catholic |
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Church and extend to its clergy and parishioners sincere best |
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wishes for the future; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for the church as an expression of high regard by the Texas |
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House of Representatives and Senate. |