2012 -- H 8275

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LC02844

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2012

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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N

CONGRATULATING REVEREND RAYMOND P. LUFT ON THE OCCASION OF HIS

RETIREMENT AFTER MORE THAN FORTY-FOUR YEARS OF DEVOTED

COMMITMENT TO CHURCH AND FAITH

     Introduced By: Representative Michael A. Tarro

     Date Introduced: June 13, 2012

     Referred To: House read and passed

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     WHEREAS, Reverend Raymond P. Luft was born in Providence, but grew up in

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Warwick, attending the city’s public schools. At an early age, he began to think about becoming a

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priest. He attended the diocesan minor seminary of Our Lady of Providence and graduated from

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the college division in 1964. He was then assigned to St. Mary’s Seminary for theological studies;

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and

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     WHEREAS, Ordained as a deacon in May of 1967, Fr. Luft returned to his alma mater,

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Our Lady of Providence Seminary, to serve as a deacon prefect at the high school; and

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     WHEREAS, On June 8th of 1968, Fr. Luft was ordained a priest by Bishop McVinney

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and was assigned to St. William’s in Norwood. He later served at Blessed Sacrament Parish, St.

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Patrick’s Parish, and was then appointed Pastor of St. John’s Parish in March of 1985; and

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     WHEREAS, In January of 1990, Fr. Luft was appointed administrator of Our Lady of

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Mount Carmel Parish, in addition to serving as Pastor of St. John’s Parish. He officially changed

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his title from administrator to pastor of Mt. Carmel Church in June of 1991, when St. John’s

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Church closed its doors; and

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     WHEREAS, In addition to providing his parishioners with leadership and spiritual

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guidance, Reverend Luft has also proven to be a dynamic force within the community. He has

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served as Chaplain to the Police and Fire Departments of Warwick and as one of the Chaplains to

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the Police Department in Providence. He was also both the Department’s Chaplain and a call man

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for the Valley Falls Fire Department; and

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     WHEREAS, Reverend Luft has spent most of his life in devout service to God. Through

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that unification, he has served and blessed the faithful, enriched the spiritual lives of many Rhode

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Islanders, and earned our total respect and admiration for his achievements; now, therefore be it 

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     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

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Providence Plantations is hereby pleased to honor Reverend Raymond P. Luft on the occasion of

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his retirement, with appreciation and gratitude for his many years of priestly ministry. May he

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have good health and many more years of benevolent service to his fellow man; and be it further

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Reverend Raymond P. Luft.  

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LC02844

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