CONGRATULATIONS EXTENDED TO FATHER SIMON BRAGANZA ON INSTALLATION AS PASTOR OF QUEEN OF ALL SAINTS BASILICA
WHEREAS, On September 30, 2018, The Reverend Father Simon Braganza was installed as the 8th Pastor of Queen of All Saints Basilica; and
WHEREAS, The City Council has been informed of this special occasion by Alderman Margaret Laurino, 39th Ward; and
WHEREAS, In March, 2018 Cardinal Cupich appointed Father Simon as Pastor of Queen of all Saints and installed by His Excellency, Bishop Mark Bartosic, along with his brother priests that served alongside him throughout his assignments within the Archdiocese of Chicago, and;
WHEREAS, Hailing from the Archdiocese of Hyderabad in South Central India, Father Simon was ordained a priest in 1992 where he served in various capacities in his native India before relocating to Chicago in 1999 and;
WHEREAS, Father Simon first served at St. Henry's Church, one of Chicago's diverse Asian-American parishes, in West Rogers Park, from 1999 to 2002. In 2002, he was transferred to St. Tarcissus Church in the Gladstone Park neighborhood, where he remained until June 2009; and
WHEREAS, In July 2009, Father Simon was appointed Associate Pastor of Queen of All Saints Basilica, His steadfast devotion to the parish community and its ministries, demonstrates his multifaceted style of interacting with the Church's flock from ministering to the QAS Men's Club, mentoring and directing the Rites of Christian Initiation for Adults program, and leading annual pilgrimages to the Holy Land and;
WHEREAS, In early January 2017, Father Simon was appointed Administrator of Queen of All Saints, where his willingness to be at the call of whatever challenges the parish faces; from overseeing a massive ceiling renovation to the overhaul of the parish's former convent, demonstrates one of the parish's missions in "Building the Church Together"; now, therefore
Be It Resolved, That we, the Mayor and members of the City of Chicago City Council, gathered here the 31st of October 2018, do hereby congratulate Reverend Simon Braganza on his installation as the 8th Pastor of Queen of All Saints Basilica, and;
Be It Further Resolved, that a suitable copy of this resolution be prepared and presented to Father Simon Braganza.
MARGARET LAUIRNO Alderman, 39th Ward