HR81 - Commemorating the 95th anniversary of Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church in Fort Worth.

      H.R. No. 81       R E S O L U T I O N          WHEREAS, The members of Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church   in Fort Worth are celebrating the 95th anniversary of their   church's founding on January 19, 2025; and          WHEREAS, In January 1929, Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church   was established by Father Narcissus Denis of the Josephite Fathers;   masses were initially held in a private residence, and parishioners   eventually began gathering in a chapel that was converted from an   old drugstore; later that year, a new facility was built, and by   1935, the parish had grown to a membership of 150; the church served   as the first Catholic school for African American children in Fort   Worth and as a community center for Black Catholics in the area, and   in 1941 it opened the St. Veronica's mission in the city's Lake Como   area; in 1952, Our Mother of Mercy moved to its permanent location   on East Terrell Avenue; after serving for nearly eight decades, the   Josephite Fathers were later succeeded by the Society of the Divine   Word; and          WHEREAS, Known as the only African American Catholic Church   in Tarrant County and in the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, Our   Mother of Mercy is home to a multiethnic congregation, and it has   produced leaders in a number of fields, both locally and   nationally; moreover, it was designated as the principal church for   the 2015-2016 Jubilee Year of Mercy, and over the years, its members   have established a variety of commendable programs, including   music, youth, bereavement, and guardian ministries, services for   those who are homebound or ill, and the Society of St. Vincent   DePaul, which provides emergency aid to the community; and          WHEREAS, Countless Fort Worth residents have looked to Our   Mother of Mercy Catholic Church for spiritual guidance over the   years, and it is a pleasure to join in honoring the parish at this   special time in its rich history; now, therefore, be it          RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas   Legislature hereby commemorate the 95th anniversary of Our Mother   of Mercy Catholic Church and extend to its members sincere best   wishes for the future.     Collier     ______________________________   Speaker of the House                 I certify that H.R. No. 81 was adopted by the House on March   13, 2025, by a non-record vote.     ______________________________   Chief Clerk of the House