September 21, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1637 

TRIBUTE TO THE LATE REVEREND 

ALFRED C. KRASS 

HON. MICHAEL G. FITZPATRICK OF PENNSYLVANIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Mr. FITZPATRICK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today 

to honor the life and memory of the late Reverend Alfred C. Krass, retired pastor of the 

United Christian Church in Levittown, Pennsylvania, and former missionary to Ghana. 

This weekend, the Interfaith Community of 

Lower Bucks County will posthumously 

present their inaugural Peace Prize to Reverend Krass, who passed away last year at 

the age of seventy-four. 

Throughout his life, Reverend Krass was a 

symbol of unity and peace who called for open 

communication between those of different 

faiths and cultures. 

Reverend Krass was also the founder and 

first president of the Interfaith Housing Development Corp. of Bucks County and the Lower 

Bucks Center for Church and Community. 

Dedicating his life to the service of others, 

Reverend Krass was a selfless leader who left 

a lasting impression on his community, and 

serves as an example to us all. 

f 

IN RECOGNITION OF THE 100TH 

BIRTHDAY OF MARGARET BURNS 

HON. WILLIAM R. KEATING OF MASSACHUSETTS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Mr. KEATING. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 

recognition of Mrs. Margaret Burns, a resident 

of my district in Pocasset, Massachusetts, as 

she celebrates her 100th birthday. 

Margaret was born on September 29, 1912 

in Braintree, Massachusetts. After finishing 

high school she went on to work at Armstrong 

Cork Flooring, now World Industries, as a secretary. 

In 1953, Margaret, met the love of her life, 

Garrett Burns. Together they have raised two 

children, Tom and Carol, who gave them six 

grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren. 

Margaret considers herself lucky for having 

been ‘‘happily married for nearly sixty years.’’ 

Some of her most memorable moments were 

with her husband at the Beacon Inn in New 

Hampshire where they would go for weekends. 

In addition to spending time with her husband, Margaret was always involved with her 

children. She was a devoted attendee of Parent-Teacher Association meetings when her 

children were young. Today, she loves to cook 

for her many family gatherings, she enjoys 

weaving rugs, and she looks forward to the 

many bridge games she plays with her friends. 

Margaret does not attribute her longevity to 

any one thing except her overall happiness. 

She makes sure to mention that her successful marriage has helped her to live a long and 

content life. 

Mr. Speaker, I am proud to honor Margaret 

Burns on this joyous occasion. I ask that my 

colleagues join me in wishing her many more 

years of happiness and health. 

RECOGNIZING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF STAFF SERGEANT 

ANTONIO RIVERA 

HON. JIM GERLACH OF PENNSYLVANIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Mr. GERLACH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

congratulate Staff Sergeant Antonio Rivera of 

the Pennsylvania National Guard and resident 

of Pottstown, Montgomery County on the occasion of being selected as the 2012 Liberty 

USO Service Member of the Year (Army). 

SSG Rivera enlisted in the Pennsylvania 

National Guard on October 18, 2000 as a 14M 

stinger missile operator and joined the ranks 

of Charlie Company 213 ADA. In 2006, SSG 

Rivera was ordered to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. After six months of training, he was deployed as a 31B military police 

officer and served as a team leader providing 

convoy security. SSG Rivera earned a Combat Action Badge when an IED detonated beneath his vehicle in his first month in country. 

In 2008, SSG Rivera transitioned into a 21B 

Combat Engineer Company and in 2009 

achieved his current rank before being deployed for a second time in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. While serving on this 

deployment, SSG Rivera earned Battalion Soldier of the Quarter. On August 10, 2010, SSG 

Rivera earned the Purple Heart after his vehicle was struck by an IED during a routine 

clearance operation. Although he suffered 

shrapnel wounds to his neck, SSG Rivera 

stayed focused on taking care of his platoon 

and teammates. 

Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join 

me today in recognizing Staff Sergeant Antonio Rivera of the Pennsylvania National Guard 

on the occasion of being selected as the 2012 

Liberty USO Service Member of the Year 

(Army) and for his great service to the United 

States of America. 

f 

75TH ANNIVERSARY OF CATHOLIC 

CHARITIES AND MONSIGNOR JOSEPH SEMANCIK 

HON. PETER J. VISCLOSKY OF INDIANA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Mr. VISCLOSKY. Mr. Speaker, it is with 

great respect and admiration that I recognize 

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Gary, as the organization celebrates its 75th anniversary. 

During the celebration, which will take place 

on Friday, October 5, 2012, at the Center for 

Visual and Performing Arts in Munster, Indiana, Catholic Charities will also take time to 

honor my dear friend, Monsignor Joseph 

Semancik, for his 38 years of dedicated service to the organization. 

Catholic Charities, a part of the Diocese of 

Gary, has been helping to meet the needs of 

citizens throughout Northwest Indiana for the 

past 75 years. It is a private, not-for-profit social service agency that serves Lake, Porter, 

LaPorte, and Strake Counties in Northwest Indiana. Catholic Charities, established in 1937, 

was originally part of the Diocese of Fort 

Wayne until 1957, when it became part of the 

Diocese of Gary. Initially, its function was to 

serve the underprivileged and needy through 

programs that would meet the professional 

standards of social work. However, throughout 

the years, Catholic Charities has focused its 

attention on programs that meet the changing 

needs of the community. In recent years, 

counseling, volunteer programs, and programs 

for the elderly and family life ministry have 

been added. Catholic Charities has been triumphant due to the unwavering dedication of 

its staff, board members, volunteers, and donors. Catholic Charities is a remarkable organization that is dedicated to serving those 

most in need and has been an extraordinary 

asset to the community. Northwest Indiana is 

not only grateful, but proud to have had the 

organization’s support and help during the 

past 75 years. 

Born in 1929, Joseph Semancik was ordained a Catholic priest in 1953 and in 1984 

was named a Domestic Prelate with the title 

Monsignor. First and foremost, Monsignor 

Semancik is a man of God, who has tirelessly 

discharged his sacred duties with vigor, compassion, and an uncommon practicality. Generous to a fault with this time and commitment 

to help those most in need, Monsignor Joseph 

Semancik was deeply involved for most of his 

entire adult life with Catholic Charities, both locally and at the national level. A holder of a 

Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, Father 

Semancik is an author and teacher as well. In 

his ‘‘spare time,’’ Monsignor was the local Diocesan Director of Catholic Relief Services, 

representing North America on a planning 

committee for Caritas Internationalis, a union 

of 145 Catholic Charities organizations worldwide. He also was a founder of Hospice of the 

Calumet Area and one of the originators of the 

Indiana Catholic Conference. Monsignor 

Semancik currently serves on the Board of 

Trustees of Calumet College of Saint Joseph, 

the Board of Directors for Saint Catherine 

Hospital, the Board of the Community Foundation of Northwest Indiana, and is a member of 

the Lake County Advancement Committee. 

The recipient of numerous awards, I believe 

Joe Semancik is probably most gratified by 

the respect and affection shown by those innumerable individuals whose spirit, body, and 

mind were guided, made whole, and yes 

made to laugh, because this good man 

touched their lives. It is an honor to consider 

Monsignor Joseph Semancik a friend, and it 

has been a privilege for each of us in Northwest Indiana to have had our lives enriched by 

this good and holy man. 

Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my distinguished colleagues to join me in commending 

Catholic Charities and Monsignor Semancik. 

For their remarkable commitment to serving 

those most in need, Catholic Charities and 

Monsignor Semancik are to be highly commended, and they serve as an inspiration to 

us all. 

f 

HONORING THE 250TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE CITY OF ALLENTOWN 

HON. CHARLES W. DENT OF PENNSYLVANIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Friday, September 21, 2012 

Mr. DENT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the 

250th anniversary of the founding of my 


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