Bill Text: IL HR0760 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Congratulates St. Joseph Church in Island Grove on its sesquicentennial anniversary.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2024-05-25 - Added Chief Co-Sponsor Rep. Robyn Gabel [HR0760 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HR0760-Introduced.html

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HR0760 LRB103 40571 ECR 73155 r
HOUSE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of
Representatives wish to congratulate St. Joseph Church in
Island Grove on the occasion of its 150th anniversary; and
WHEREAS, In 1864, the first Catholic family arrived in
Island Grove, and they were joined by 12 more Catholic
families by the start of the new decade; during this time, the
nearest Catholic church was in Teutopolis, a journey which
became a hardship for Island Grove parishioners during cold
and wet months; and
WHEREAS, The local Catholic families expressed interest in
building a church in the Island Grove area; in the fall of
1870, Landelin Koebele, the head of one of the Catholic
families, donated four acres of land to be used for church
property; and
WHEREAS, Father Mauritius Klosterman deemed the land
appropriate and suitable for the church site, and construction
of St. Joseph Church was started in the spring of 1872; under
the guidance of experienced carpenter and fellow parishioner
Brother Camillus, the exterior of the church was completed in
the fall of 1873; and

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WHEREAS, In the spring of 1874, St. Joseph Church was
furnished by Dr. Eversman, who donated an altar and 16 benches
to accommodate 80 people; the building was fully furnished and
ready for services on March 25, 1874, giving parishioners the
opportunity to celebrate the Feast of Annunciation and the
first Mass in the new church; and
WHEREAS, St. Joseph Church grew to accommodate a parochial
school, attended by 14 children, in 1880; the church continued
to grow and, with the help of parishioners who volunteered
their time and building skills, more additions were completed
in 1884, further expanding the church's communal nature; and
WHEREAS, On December 29, 1917, St. Joseph Church was
destroyed in a fire; Father Joseph Meyer, the church's pastor
at that time, was able to save the Blessed Sacrament from the
Tabernacle mere moments before a ball of fire fell from the
ceiling to the foot of the altar; outside, the church
community gathered, helplessly watching their beloved house of
worship burn; that night, a few men from the church made the
rough trip to Teutopolis to retrieve an altar stone so
services could resume as soon as possible the following
Sunday; and
WHEREAS, St. Joseph Church was rebuilt and rededicated in
December 1918, again with the help of parishioners who donated

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time and money to restore the building; and
WHEREAS, St. Joseph Church remains a staple of Island
Grove and serves as a testament to the fortitude, dedication,
and perseverance of the previous generations of parishioners
and the legacy of their faith moving forward; therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE
HUNDRED THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
we congratulate St. Joseph Church in Island Grove on its
sesquicentennial anniversary; and be it further