As St. Raymond de Penafort Church celebrates its 75th anniversary this year of serving families in Mount Prospect and the Northwest suburbs, this much they know: While its pastors and associate pastors have changed over the years, its lay parishioners have partnered with them to carry out the mission of the parish.
Pauline and Charlie Meyer
Take Charlie and Pauline Meyer, for example. They recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, naturally at St. Raymond’s, where Fr. Jerry Jacob, its pastor, blessed them during Mass before the couple gathered with family and friends in the parish’s community room.
While the couple may not be founding members of St. Raymond’s, Pauline settled in Mount Prospect in 1957, or three years after the parish was founded. She remembers driving out from Massachusetts with her family to their new home and one of the first things her parents did was to seek out the church.
“I’ve been here for all the pastors,” Pauline says proudly.
Pauline and Charlie Meyer on their wedding day, in St. Raymond Church
In fact, the couple believes they were one of the first couples to marry in what was called then, “the new church,” which was built in 1961 after the growing number of parish families outgrew the original one. Over the years, Pauline sang in the choir and volunteered in St. Raymond School’s Home & School Association. As a couple they helped fundraise for parish improvements, volunteered with sports and have served as Eucharistic ministers for years.
“Many things have changed these past 75 years, but one thing has been a constant hallmark of this community of faith,” Fr. Jacob says. “the dedication and commitment of lay men and women who took on key leadership roles that enabled our community to grow and to meet the challenges of the day.
“The key to the success of any pastor,” he adds, “is directly related to how well he is able to build a team of leaders and empower them to use their gifts and talents for the building up of God’s kingdom on earth.”
Charlie and Pauline Meyer surrounded by their children and grandchildren, who are part of the next generation of leaders at St. Raymond’s.
Fr. Jacob is the ninth pastor of St. Raymond’s and he leads a congregation of more than 3,000 families. Its long list of ministries bear out Fr. Jacob’s assertion, that lay people carry out much of the parish’s mission, which simply put is to “welcome, love, serve.”
“I believe that we have to see ourselves as being a part of something greater than ourselves and to be humble enough to recognize that none of us can do it on our own,” Fr. Jacob says. “A collaborative approach is successful to the extent that we are able to listen to one another and see ourselves as being in this together.
Fr. Jerry Jacob is the parish’s ninth pastor.
“As the ninth pastor of Saint Raymond, I hope to build upon the legacy of those who came before me,” he adds. “There are many unique challenges in our time as we devote ourselves to the renewal of our community and our Catholic faith. I pray that the Holy Spirit will inspire a new generation of leaders to lead us into the future.”
Other News:
