Chicagoland

Meet the new monsignor in the archdiocese — Few here have received the honor since 1960s

By Alicja Pozywio | Staff writer
Sunday, May 9, 2010

The Archdiocese of Chicago has a new monsignor. Last October, Father Richard Zborowski, pastor of St. Theresa Parish in Palatine for the last nine years, received the honorary title of monsignor.

“It was the first time that a pastor in the Archdiocese of Chicago became a monsignor since 1969,” said Aux. Bishop George Rassas during the ceremony at St. Theresa Church.

The pope usually bestows the honor at the request of a priest’s diocesan bishop. In Zborowski’s case, it was a little different — the request came from Polish Archbishop Edward Ozorowski.

“It came because I started working with a lot of Polish intern priests. One of them told me years ago that they needed help in the Polish seminary in Bialystok” said Zborowski.

Helped Polish seminary

The Bialystok seminary, located in northeastern Poland, has educated more than 500 men for the priesthood during the last 60 years, and was in need of a new kitchen and a retreat house but couldn’t afford to build either.

“Because of my own love for the priesthood, I decided to help the seminary. I think it is important that the there be priests in the future,” said Zborowski. He chose the Polish seminary in gratitude for the priests Poland sends to the Archdiocese of Chicago. “I thought it was an appropriate gift to return” said Zborowski, a second-generation Pole who says he speaks “decent” Polish.

The honorary title of monsignor is given as a special recognition for a priest’s contribution to the ministry of the church. There are no special responsibilities to go along with the title.

“In the old tradition there was a custom to announce them at Christmas. They were like a Christmas gift to the particular priests,” says Zborowski.

The diocesan priests (not members of religious communities) honored with the title became members of the papal household.

There are three ranks of monsignors: Chaplain of His Holiness, Honorary Prelate and Protonotary Apostolic. The first two are lifetime titles. Each pope renews the third title.

Cardinal’s recommendation

“I’m the Prelate of Honor. First, when I found out that Bishop Ozorowski wanted to ask the pope to make me a monsignor, I had to write a letter to Cardinal George to ask his permission,” Zborowski said. That is always the case if the tribute comes from another bishop rather than one’s own.

“Cardinal George wrote a nice letter of recommendation, which went to Rome,” Zborowski said.

In order to receive the honor, Zborowski made a trip to Poland last November.

“The ceremony, done in Polish and English, was very simple. At the end of a special Mass, Bishop Ozorowski, the archbishop of Bialystok, called up two other priests and me. We were all honored at the same time, he congratulated us and gave us the papal document and blessing,” said Zborowski.

Along with the title comes a new cassock, which designates the type of monsignor.

“For the Prelate of Honor it is a cassock just like the bishop would wear with the red buttons and the sachets. You don’t wear the mantle,” said Zborowski. That is an everyday cassock, “then there is an all red one, kind of magenta color, which you wear for ceremonies,” said Zborowski.

The Archdiocese of Chicago does not have many monsignors. The priests who hold the title are those made outside of Chicago or those who received their titles in the 1960s.

“In the 1960s, the [archdiocesan] priests voted not to have monsignors. I think they felt it was always given to the privileged and very often those who were working every day should be monsignors and they weren’t,” said Zborowski.

Sharing the honor

The parishioners at St. Theresa were very happy that their pastor received the honor.

“It gives me a good feeling,” said Wladyslawa Gajcy, who has been with the parish for the last five years.

Zborowski is convinced that the title doesn’t belong only to him.

“I told them [his parishioners] it was not me but the parish that received the honor,” he said. “If I hadn’t come here, if I hadn’t worked with the Polish priests and not become aware of the needs in Poland, I might not have become a monsignor.”

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