Ask parishioners to describe Father Leroy and you’ll hear many answers. He’s the priest who begins every homily with a joke! He’s the priest who enjoys playing bocce with the Prime Timers, which he helped create. He’s the priest who willingly spends hours– day or night– comforting families who have lost a loved one. He’s the priest passionate about Catholic education. Yet these impressions and many others offer only a glimpse of Father Leroy.
He is a graduate of Chicago’s Saints Peter and Paul School, where he received the call to priesthood. He delights in remembering that every parish in which he has served has had elementary schools that continue to offer Catholic education. The son of Sylvia and Albert Wickowski, he weighed in at a whopping 10 pounds three ounces. One of five siblings– all who have passed on– today his family are his niece Becka Shipp of Chicago, and his nephew George Wickowski of Arizona. Yet Father Leroy is quick to add that he is part of a much larger family since he considers parishioners his extended family.
Following his graduation from Quigley, then St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, he was ordained in 1966 and assigned as associate pastor of Saint Tarcissus Parish. He then served as associate pastor at Holy Name Cathedral, pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine, Chaplain of Holy Family Villa, associate pastor of St. Giles, and associate pastor of St. Luke Parish until his retirement in 2010.
For ten years, Father Leroy also had the honor of serving as Director of the Archdiocesan Office of Hospitals. While at the Cathedral, he served as Master of Ceremonies for Cardinals Cody and Bernardin, as well as at other liturgical services around the Archdiocese. He also oversaw construction of the new church, after a fire destroyed the church at St. Robert Bellarmine.
When he is not serving the parish community, Father Leroy enjoys travel, theatre, movies and reading mystery novels.
Today Father Leroy resides at the St. Luke Rectory and, in retirement, he continues to celebrate Masses at St. Luke and St. Bernardine churches, and to be a proud member of the unified parish. The people of each of the parishes and ministries he has served are profoundly grateful for his service. His life has been and continues to be one of faithful and generous priestly ministry.
We honor Father Leroy Wickowski this year for his special dedication to Catholic education, to St. Luke School, to St. Luke and St. Bernardine Parish and most especially to the vocation of the priesthood.