R 054

2017 -- S 0241 Enacted 02/14/2017

S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

RECOGNIZING AND CELEBRATING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF PROVIDENCE COLLEGE ON FEBRUARY 14, 2017

Introduced By: Senators Paiva Weed, Ruggerio, McCaffrey, Doyle, and Lombardi

Date Introduced: February 14, 2017

WHEREAS, The Right Reverend Matthew D. Harkins, D.D., Bishop of Providence, in

the hope of founding a Catholic college in the city, first petitioned the Dominican Order to

establish a college in Providence in 1910 and, on November 24, 1910, the Provincial Council of

the Dominican Province of St. Joseph, which includes Rhode Island, approved that request; and

WHEREAS, Father Matthew L. Haegen, O.P., the Dominican Provincial of the Province

of St. Joseph, wrote to Father Hyacinthe Cormier, O.P., the Master of the Dominican Order, on

January 7, 1911, to report the Provincial Council's acceptance of the Bishop's offer to found a

college, asking that this endeavor be postponed for a few years until the Province had enough

priests and professors to handle the task; and

WHEREAS, Bishop Harkins, acting on the advice of the new Provincial, Father James

Raymond Meagher, O.P., wrote a formal invitation attached to a letter to Father Meagher, dated

October 9, 1915, a communication which is considered the classic document of the origin of

Providence College. This communication included maps showing the exact location of eleven

acres of land for the college and a promise from the Bishop of $10,000 in scholarships for the

college; and

WHEREAS, The Dominican Intermediate Chapter, at their meeting in Washington, D.C.,

on October 11, 1915, voted to accept the Bishop's offer of the land and scholarships; and

WHEREAS, World War I delayed the founding of the college due to the November 8,

1915, sinking of the ship which had left Naples, Italy, and was headed for New York City, and

which was carrying the stamped, formal approval from the Master of the Order to move forward

in establishing the college; and

WHEREAS, Father Meagher informed Bishop Harkins on January 29, 1916, that the

Province had permission to start a college in Providence; and

WHEREAS, On January 18, 1917, Providence State Representative John I. Devlin

introduced a bill of petition in the Rhode Island General Assembly, and a revised bill passed the

House of Representatives unanimously on February 2nd, followed by approval from the State

Senate on February 6th; and

WHEREAS, R. Livingston Beeckman, then Governor of Rhode Island, signed the bill

into law on February 14, 1917, making Providence College an official corporation in the eyes of

the State of Rhode Island with a charter granted by the State; now, therefore be it

RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby congratulates Providence College and its President, Reverend Brian J. Shanley, O.P., on

the occasion of the college's Centennial anniversary and wishes them continued success over the

next century; and be it further

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

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Father Shanley, O.P., President of Providence

College.

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LC001188

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