Chicagoland

Remembering retired Auxiliary Bishop Thad Jakubowski

By Michelle Martin | Staff Writer
Sunday, July 21, 2013

Remembering retired Auxiliary Bishop Thad Jakubowski

Retired Auxiliary Bishop Thad Jakubowski, 89, died July 14 at St. Mary of Providence Home, where he lived.
Cardinal George was the main celebrant during a Mass on July 19 at Holy Name Cathedral for Retired Auxiliary Bishop Thaddeus "Thad" Jakubowski. Fr. Tom Mulcrone, chaplain to the Chicago Fire Department, who served at St. Robert Bellarmine with Bishop Jakubowski, delivered the homily. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
Cardinal George prays before the casket of Bishop Jakobowski during the final commendation. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
Father Tom Mulcrone, chaplain to the Chicago Fire Department, who served at St. Robert Bellarmine with Bishop Jakubowski, delivers the homily. Mulcrone lived with the bishop at St. Mary of Providence home, where the bishop died. Mulcrone called Bishop Jakubowski a man of great prayer with a special devotion to Mary. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
A worshipper reads Bishop Jakubowski's biography prior to Mass. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
Bishop Jakowbowskis brother Edward says goodbye prior to the Mass. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
(Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
Cardinal George prays before the casket of Bishop Jakobowski during the final commendation. Cardinal George was the main celebrant during a Mass on July 19 at Holy Name Cathedral for Retired Auxiliary Bishop Thaddeus "Thad" Jakubowski. Fr. Tom Mulcrone, chaplain to the Chicago Fire Department, who served at St. Robert Bellarmine with Bishop Jakubowski, delivered the homily. Bishop Jakubowski was 89 years of age at the time of his death. He was a priest of the Archdiocese for 63 years and an auxiliary bishop for 25 years. He is survived by his brother Edward, and nieces and nephews. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
Cardinal George prays before the casket of Bishop Jakobowski during the final commendation. (Karen Callaway/Catholic New World)
(Catholic New World)
Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Perry and Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus Jakubowski congratulate newly-ordained Orlando Flores, 28, and Hernan Cuevas, 29, during the Kiss of Peace at Holy Name Cathedral on May 21, 2011. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)
Bishop Jakubowski was the main celebrant during a Mass of Thanksgiving to celebrate the beatification of Pope John Paul II on May 18, 2011. He joined parishioners and priests from the Polish community from St. Priscilla Church in Chicago for the celebration.(Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)
Bishop Jakubowski and Consul General Zygmont Matynia join other digntaries in front of Stanislaw Batowski's painting "Pulaski at Savannah" during the annual Casimir Pulaski Day celebration at the Polish Museum of America in Chicago on March 2, 2009. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)
Bishop Jakubowski joined priests and worshippers gathered at St Ferdinand Parish, 5900 W. Barry Ave., on Feb. 18, 2011 for a Mass to honor Archbishop Jozef Zycinski who passed away in Rome on Feb.10 at 62 years old. Zycinski served as Archbishop of Lublin from 1997-2011. (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)
Joliet Bishop Joseph Imesch, Bishop Thad Jakubowski, Cardinal George and Father Robert McLaughlin in a Catholic New World file photo dated April 12, 2000.
Retired Auxiliary bishops John Gorman, left, and Thad Jakubowksi at a seminary golf outing in 1991. (Catholic New World file photo)
Pope John Pail II and Auxiliary Bishop Thad Jakubowski at a May 30, 1996, ceremony in which the cornerstone of the Pope John Paul II Cultural Center was blessed. Bishop Jakubowksi helped raise money in Chicago for the center in Washington, D.C. (Catholic New World file photo) (Karen Callaway / Catholic New World)
Bishop Jakubowski leads a prayer during the Pulaski Day Celebration at the Polish Museum of America in Chicago in March 2010. (Julie Jaidinger / Katolik)

Retired Auxiliary Bishop Thad Jakubowski, 89, died July 14 at St. Mary of Providence Home, where he lived.

He was remembered as a pastor and teacher, someone who was direct and approachable.

“He was a realist,” said retired Auxiliary Bishop Timothy Lyne, vicar for senior priests for the Archdiocese of Chicago. “He was very good at looking at things and people and taking them as they were.”

“Bishop Jake,” as he was known, had served as Bishop Lyne’s co-vicar for senior priests since his retirement in 2003, a job he did with grace and joy, Bishop Lyne said.

“He got along well with people,” Bishop Lyne said. “He had a good sense of humor. I’m very sorry about his death.”

Bishop Jakubowski was born in Chicago in 1924 and attended St. Mary Magdalene School and Quigley Preparatory Seminary before entering St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein. He earned a bachelor’s degree and a licentiate in sacred theology there, and later a master’s degree in classics from Loyola University Chicago.

He was ordained by Cardinal Samuel Stritch in 1950, and ordained an auxiliary bishop by Cardinal Joseph Bernardin in 1988. He served as episcopal vicar for Vicariate IV, which takes in the Northwest Side of Chicago and the near west suburbs.

Retired Auxiliary Bishop John Gorman was ordained a bishop with Bishop Jakubowski. “He was respected by the priests and he was very good in working with parishes,” Gorman said, “and he was dedicated particularly to the elderly and sick priests.”

As a priest, he served as associate pastor at St. Ann Parish, 1820 S. Leavitt (1950-1957) before teaching classical languages and eventually becoming dean of students at Quigley North (1957- 1976). He also served as associate pastor at St. Bartholomew, 3601 N. Laverne, pastor at St. Robert Bellarmine (1976-1988), urban vicar (1977-1984) and dean of Deanery 8 (1984-1988). He then resided at St. Mary of Providence, a home for women with developmental disabilities.

He also was the executive director of the Catholic League for Religious Assistance to Poland.

During his years as auxiliary bishop, he served as the cardinal’s liaison to the Polish community and was consistently involved with Chicago’s Polish Catholics. His work was recognized by that community first in 1997 with the Copernican Award and in 2009 with the Commander Cross with Star and White Eagle of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland, the highest honor medal awarded to a non-citizen of Poland.

In stories from the Chicago Catholic at the time of his ordination as bishop, he said he planned to use confirmation liturgies to encourage vocations to the priesthood and religious life.

He also shared his optimistic worldview, saying, “There are no problems in the world, they’re all opportunities.”

There was to be a vigil July 18 at St. Robert Bellarmine Church, 4646 N. Austin Ave., with a funeral Mass July 19 at Holy Name Cathedral. Father Thomas Mulcrone, Chicago Fire Department chaplain, who lived with Bishop Jakubowski at St. Mary of Providence, was to give the homily.

He is survived by a brother, Edward, and nieces and nephews.

Auxiliary bishops of the Archdiocese of Chicago

The following is a list of all of the men who have served the Archdiocese of Chicago as auxiliary bishops along with the years they served here:

Most Rev. Alexander J. McGavick (1898-1921)
Most Rev. Peter J. Muldoon (1901-1908)
Most Rev. Paul P. Rhode (1908-1915)
Most Rev. Edward F. Hoban (1921-1928)
Most Rev. Bernard J. Sheil (1928-1969)
Most Rev. William D. O’Brien (1934-1962)
Most Rev. William E. Cousins (1948-1952)
Most Rev. Raymond P. Hillinger (1956-1971)
Most Rev. Aloysius J. Wycislo (1960-1968)
Most Rev. Cletus F. O’Donnell (1960-1967)
Most Rev. John L. May (1967-1969)
Most Rev. Thomas J. Grady (1967-1974)
Most Rev. William E. McManus (1967-1976)
Most Rev. Alfred L. Abramowicz (1968-1995)
Most Rev. Michael R. Dempsey (1968-1974)
Most Rev. Nevin W. Hayes, O.Carm. (1971-1988)
Most Rev. Timothy J. Lyne (1983-1995)
Most Rev. John G. Vlazny (1983-1987)
Most Rev. Placido Rodriguez, C.M.F. (1983-1994)
Most Rev. Wilton D. Gregory (1983-1994)
Most Rev. Thad J. Jakubowski (1988-2003)
Most Rev. John R. Gorman (1988-2003)
Most Rev. Raymond E. Goedert (1991-2003)
Most Rev. Edwin M. Conway (1995-2004)
Most Rev. Gerald F. Kicanas (1995-2001)
Most Rev. George V. Murry, S.J. (1995-1999)
Most Rev. John R. Manz (1996-)
Most Rev. Joseph N. Perry (1998-)
Most Rev. Jerome E. Listecki (2000-2004)
Most Rev. Francis J. Kane (2003-)
Most Rev. Thomas J. Paprocki (2003- 2010)
Most Rev. Gustavo Garcia-Siller, M.Sp.S. (2003-2010)
Most Rev. George J. Rassas (2006-)
Most Rev. Alberto Rojas (2011-)
Most Rev. Andrew Wypych (2011-)

Source: 2012 Directory, Archdiocese of Chicago

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