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WHEREAS, as early as 1849, the Redemptorists Fathers had built a chapel where North Catholic High School Auditorium now stands, and on December 12, 1850, a Solemn High Mass was celebrated for the repose of the souls of the faithful departed, which is believed to mark the first Mass offered on Troy Hill; and
WHEREAS, on August 26, 1866, a cornerstone was laid, and on June 7, 1868 - 140 years ago this week - the Most Holy Name of Jesus Church was dedicated in Troy Hill, and Father Suitbert Mollinger was appointed the first pastor, a man who had been educated in medicine and prescriptions in Italy, and whose family had considerable wealth; and
WHEREAS, Father Mollinger considered the primary concern of the parish to be education of the children, and devoted a room in the back of the church to education, in 1874 building Most Holy Name School;
WHEREAS, when Father Mollinger arrived in this country in 1868 he brought with him his own larger-than-average collection of relics, and when he found a need for a formal repository he built St. Anthony's Chapel with his own funds, laying the cornerstone on June 13, 1883 - 125 years ago, on the Feast of St. Anthony; and
WHEREAS, St. Anthony's Chapel houses beautiful wood-carved life-sized stations and a marble altar, and features many relics of St. Anthony, slivers of bones believed to be from each of the Apostles, a piece of cloth that was worn by the Virgin Mary, splinters from the actual cross carried by Jesus, a small piece of wood from the table of the Last Supper, all being certified by the Church as real - all representing a collection second in size only to that of the Vatican; and
WHEREAS, St. Anthony's Chapel had fallen into a state of disrepair, and in 1972, a Saint Anthony's Chapel Restoration Fund Committee was formed, and two stages of restoration were completed by November 1977; and
WHEREAS, in June 1983, a religious articles gift shop was opened to help support the Chapel, and on June 10, 1986, a museum to house artifacts and memorabilia of the Father Mollinger era was dedicated, and regular visiting hours for the Chapel and Museum are kept, for 10,000 visitors per year;
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NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Council of the City of Pittsburgh, does commend and congratulate the Most Holy Name Parish on 140 years of service to Christ, and St. Anthony's Chapel on 125 years since its dedication, and declare the week of June 8 through 14, 2008, to be Most Holy Name Parish and St. Anthony's Chapel Week in the City of Pittsburgh.