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[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 176 Introduced in House (IH)]

108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 176

Honoring the San Fernando Cathedral and the city of San Antonio on the 
       occasion of the completion of the cathedral's renovation.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 3, 2003

 Mr. Gonzalez (for himself and Mr. Rodriguez) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Honoring the San Fernando Cathedral and the city of San Antonio on the 
       occasion of the completion of the cathedral's renovation.

Whereas San Fernando Cathedral was founded in 1731, and was the first parish 
        church in the State of Texas, which was then the Spanish province of 
        Coahuila;
Whereas, at the request of the Crown of Spain, settlers from the Canary Islands 
        established a colony in Texas and founded the San Fernando Cathedral in 
        1731, naming it La Villa de San Fernando after the king who fought to 
        drive out the Moors from Spain in the 13th century;
Whereas the cathedral is the oldest building in Texas and the oldest cathedral 
        in the Nation;
Whereas San Fernando Cathedral has survived numerous fires, floods, wars, and 
        battles, including the Battle of the Alamo in 1836;
Whereas the cathedral has existed under the governments of Spain, Mexico, the 
        Republic of Texas, the United States, and, during the Civil War, the 
        Confederate States of America;
Whereas a 6-year project to renovate San Fernando is now complete;
Whereas the newly-restored San Fernando Cathedral serves as a tribute to the 
        traditional Spanish artwork used in Spanish Colonial churches in the 
        Americas, and includes a hand carved stone baptismal font that is 
        believed to be a gift of King Charles III of Spain in 1759, and a 24-
        foot retablo handcrafted in Mexico that is a new addition to the 
        cathedral;
Whereas after the United States took control of Texas, the cathedral served the 
        Hispanic people through their language, customs, and religious 
        traditions;
Whereas San Fernando Cathedral, throughout its history, has been of particular 
        significance to the Hispanic community, and is a center for great 
        Hispanic traditions such as the annual Passion Play, which attracts 
        25,000 people;
Whereas San Fernando Cathedral is the spiritual center of San Antonio, with over 
        4,000 people participating in masses at the cathedral each week;
Whereas the San Antonio City Council is blessed at San Fernando Cathedral at the 
        beginning of each term; and
Whereas today San Fernando Cathedral is helping address the critical needs of 
        the community by providing social and educational services to the poor: 
        Now, therefore, be it and and and and
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors the San Fernando 
Cathedral and the city of San Antonio on the occasion of the completion 
of the cathedral's renovation.
                                 <all>
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