Bill Text: IL SR0983 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Mourns the passing of Reverend Dirk Ficca of Oak Park.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2022-04-09 - Resolution Adopted [SR0983 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-SR0983-Introduced.html

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SR0983 LRB102 27225 LAW 38866 r
SENATE RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened
to learn of the death of Reverend Dirk Ficca of Oak Park, who
passed away on December 21, 2021 at the age of 66; and
WHEREAS, Rev. Dirk Ficca was born to John and Patricia
(Hurst) Ficca in Iowa City, Iowa on January 8, 1955; he was
raised in Bloomington, Illinois; he earned his undergraduate
degree from the University of Iowa and his Master of Divinity
from McCormick Theological Seminary; he married Lynda Hoffman
in Benton Harbor, Michigan in 1984, and they later moved to Oak
Park and started their family; and
WHEREAS, Rev. Dirk Ficca was a pioneer in the global
interfaith movement; throughout his career, he served as a
minister, professor, and interfaith organizer; and
WHEREAS, Rev. Dirk Ficca formerly served as pastor of the
First Presbyterian Church of Benton Harbor in Michigan; and
WHEREAS, Rev. Dirk Ficca previously held a number of
prominent academic roles, teaching at DePaul University,
Garrett Evangelical-Theological Seminary, and the Lutheran
School of Theology; he additionally served as an advisor to
Dr. Antje Jackelen, the current archbishop of the Church of

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Sweden and a former colleague of the Lutheran School of
Theology; and
WHEREAS, Rev. Dirk Ficca served as the executive director
of the Council for the Parliament of the World's Religions for
20 years; during his tenure, he led the creation of three
international parliament events in Capetown, South Africa,
Barcelona, Spain, and Melbourne, Australia; and
WHEREAS, At the time of his passing, Rev. Dirk Ficca was
serving as the executive director of the Twin Cities Social
Cohesion Initiative and senior advisor to the Church of Sweden
and the World of Neighbors Initiative; and
WHEREAS, Rev. Dirk Ficca wrote a September 11th memorial
message in 2010, which was printed in the Chicago Tribune,
where he offered solace to the individuals and families who
were still in mourning; he also affirmed the peaceful tenets
of Islam and defended the constitutional right of American
Muslims to openly practice their faith; and
WHEREAS, Rev. Dirk Ficca was an avid cinephile and golfer;
and
WHEREAS, Rev. Dirk Ficca was preceded in death by his
mother, Patricia Ficca; and

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WHEREAS, Rev. Dirk Ficca is survived by his wife of 37
years, Lynda (Hoffman) Ficca; his sons, Dillon Ficca and
Connor Ficca; his father, John Ficca; his sisters, Darby
Venerable and Dawn Coursey; his brother, Douglas Ficca; and
his several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews;
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED SECOND GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of
Reverend Dirk Ficca and extend our sincere condolences to his
family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
presented to the family of Rev. Dirk Ficca as an expression of
our deepest sympathy.