TRP remembers founding member Cecilia “Cece” Paz, who passed away in December 2014. Cece was one of several intrepid leaders in Pilsen who worked to found The Resurrection Project in 1990.

Perhaps the best way to describe Cecilia is a woman of God who used her love to put her faith and values into action to build God’s kingdom on earth.
However, all of this was first learned through the love shown to her by her family, especially her parents – Aurora and Leon Paz – and her siblings Juan Paz, Guadalupe Paz, Leon Paz Jr. and Daniel Paz.This love continued further by the love shown to her by her Tia Elena Chavez, and Tio Jaime Solano and all of her loving cousins.
Growing up, Cecilia went to grade school and high school at St. Procopius. She worked hard to help her family run their tortilla business, Tortilleria Durango.
Cecilia was also a pioneer. In her early 20’s Cecilia loved to participate in ballroom dancing competitions.At the encouragement of her father, Cecilia also ventured out of the community to work in the Chicago loop in the male-dominated financial services and insurance industries.

However, community and leadership were Cecilia’s passions. It all started in St. Procopius parish where she was a member of the Parish Council, Guadalupanos, and other lay leadership positions.
She branched out to work with other leaders at several churches in our community: Providence of God, St. Pius, St.Adalbert, St.Vitus, St.Ann, St. Paul, and many many more.
Through this, Cece found kindred friends who worked together to organize the annual Via Crucis on Good Friday, Street Masses, Safety Marches, and much more.These public displays of faith often became points of social activism to utilize the teachings of Christ to promote peace and non-violence in our communities.
In the 1990s, Cece was one of several intrepid leaders in Pilsen who worked to found The Resurrection Project—an organization that has worked for more than 24 years to make Pilsen a healthy place through the development of leaders, assets like affordable housing, and other education programs. Cece’s story is captured in books about Hispanic ministry written by professors from UIC, DePaul, and others.

Cece didn’t just lead. She taught. As Director of Religious Education at St. Procopius, Cece taught children and adults about faith. Cece was the kind of person where, if someone wanted to become part of the church and didn’t have a sponsor or Padrino, she herself would step up and serve in that role. People jokingly and truthfully call her comadre to the community – because she was.
Privately, Cece fought for her health through the latter part of her life. For the past 15 years, she was challenged several times but remained optimistic. Her mom, sister, brothers, and her beloved two generations of nieces and nephews—essentially her children—all stood by her side to keep her going.The love that Cece showed all of them throughout her life was given back to her through a beautiful demonstration of care and compassion up until her last breath.
Cece is love. Cece is faith. Cece is Action.
As a woman who lived for others Cece lived for the greater glory of God. May she rest in peace.

Return to Nueva Vida January 2015 here.