HJ512: Commending The Church of the Sacred Heart on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 512
Offered March 6, 2006
Commending The Church of the Sacred Heart on the occasion of its 100th anniversary.
Patron—Ingram and Janis

WHEREAS, The Church of the Sacred Heart in the Prince George County community of New Bohemia celebrates its centennial in 2006; and

WHEREAS, during the post-Civil War period at the end of the 19th century, the agricultural economy of Virginia had declined and land was readily available; and

WHEREAS, a wave of European immigrants, mostly Czech families from the provinces of Bohemia and Moravia, took the opportunity to acquire land and establish a settlement near the railroad whistle-stop of Wells Station in Prince George; some of the immigrants arrived directly from Europe and others moved to the area from their original destinations in the Midwest and elsewhere; and

WHEREAS, the whistle-stop at Wells Station was renamed New Bohemia to reflect this development and recognize the origin of the settlers; and

WHEREAS, by the early 1900s, the need for a Czech-speaking Catholic Church was recognized; in 1905 a Czech-speaking priest was finally secured, St. Mary's Parish was established with 29 original families, and The Church of the Sacred Heart was built the following year; and

WHEREAS, The Church of the Sacred Heart thereby became the first Czech Catholic Church in Virginia and one of the oldest in the nation; and

WHEREAS, as the congregation began to grow during and after World War II, a new brick church was completed and blessed in 1952 and a new school was built in 1967; and

WHEREAS, throughout its first 100 years, The Church of the Sacred Heart and St. Mary's Parish has had an admirable record of ministry to its congregation, service to the community, and outreach and mission to the entire Southside Virginia area; and

WHEREAS, the church has continued to grow and change to reflect the social and economic development of the Prince George area; today the parish has almost 400 families and almost 20%  of those are Hispanic; and

WHEREAS, ground was broken for a new church on May 22, 2005, and the new church will be dedicated by Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo on June 23 of this year, just three months short of the dedication of the original church; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend and congratulate The Church of the Sacred Heart on the occasion of its 100th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to The Church of the Sacred Heart as an expression of the General Assembly's best wishes for a joyful celebration and continued success in its ministry.