Fr. Ronald N. Kalas, Pastor Emeritus
Fr. Ron Kalas became the 3rd pastor of Mary, Seat of Wisdom in July of 1981 and served until retirement in 2002. Previously he was an associate pastor at St. Simeon Church in Bellwood (1959-1966), and St. Raymond Church in Mt. Prospect (1966-1981). He also served as Vice-Chancellor of the Archdiocese of Chicago (1968-1981). During his tenure at M.S.W. the parish saw the continuing of lay leadership in various ministries, particularly in Social Concerns and Bereavement. The former convent began to be transformed into a ministry center, the church was renovated in 1996 and an addition to the school plus a new hall/gym combination was added in 1999. In 1995 Fr. Kalas was appointed Dean of Vicariate II-E, a position he still holds while offering time for sacramental ministries in nearby parishes. He lives privately in a home two miles from the parish, in Chicago, and occasionally returns to M.S.W. for various celebrations and offers sacramental assistance when needed. |
