2026 Celebration of Mundelein

Mundelein Seminary hosted the 33rd Annual Celebration of Mundelein, an evening of honor, community, and support, on Wednesday, May 27, at the Lincolnshire Marriott Resort.

This year, the event was hosted by the Very Reverend John Kartje, rector and president of Mundelein Seminary, and featured a special VIP reception with Cardinal Blase Cupich.

A vital fundraising event, the Celebration of Mundelein serves as a cornerstone in supporting the education and formation of the next generation of parish priests. The incredible generosity of our attendees directly impacts the training and formation of Mundelein seminarians, empowering them to carry forth the light of faith and service into the future of our communities.

One of the evening’s highlights was a panel discussion with Father John Kartje, who sat down with this year’s award recipients. The honorees shared profound, personal insights into the joys and challenges of ministry, the importance of lay leadership, and building strong parish communities. Their conversation gave guests a closer look at how clergy and lay ministers are working together for the Church’s future.

The evening included a lively paddle raise and a live auction with unique experiences. Guests could bid on exclusive items like a private lunch and tour of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City with Archbishop Ronald Hicks, a “Christ and the Cosmos” dinner with Father John Kartje, a private dinner and walking tour in Lincoln Square with Father Jason Malave, and a summer brunch at the Cardinal’s Villa overlooking Saint Mary’s Lake.

Mundelein Seminary sincerely thanks all sponsors, attendees, and supporters who adjusted to our new date and helped make the 2026 Celebration of Mundelein a great success. Your support furthers our mission to form the next generation of parish leaders.

Thank You to Our Sponsors

Rector Presenting Sponsor

Thomas and Linda Berk

Mundelein Sponsor

A.B. Edwards Enterprises, Inc.

Shepherd Sponsors

Wayne and Erma Kinzie
Ken and Zenith Chua
Jerome J. Claeys III

Congratulations to Our Honorees

As Those Who Serve Award

Fr. Jason Malave

Raised on the South Side of Chicago in the Marquette Park area, Fr. Jason Malave attended Quigley South High School and Niles College before spending four years at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake. After ordination in 1997, Fr. Jason served five years as Associate Pastor at St. Benedict Parish, ten years as Pastor at St. Bartholomew Parish, and then five years as Pastor at St. Benedict Parish.

In 2017, a few years after Cardinal Cupich called the Archdiocese to a time of renewal, specifically called “Renew My Church”, Fr. Jason was called to full-time ministry in that renewal effort. As the Cardinal’s Liaison to that effort, Fr. Jason served on a team of prophetic and pastoral people who accompanied communities in discerning a sustainable structure for their area. Through these conversations, the Archdiocese reduced its number of parishes from 350 to 216, with many newly configured parishes having multiple sites.

At the same time, Fr. Jason walked along a team discerning the Spiritual renewal our Archdiocese is currently undertaking. While the Spiritual renewal was always more attractive for Fr. Jason, the structural journey was the task at hand! After six years on the “Renew My Church” team, Fr. Jason became Pastor of the recently configured Queen of Apostles Parish, uniting St. Matthias and Queen of Angels. There, in the past almost three years, the Spiritual renewal has firmly begun with five seasons of Alpha, radical hospitality, small faith groups, and a growing culture of evangelization.

Fr. Jason is supported by both his parents, three amazing sisters and their families, and a strong brother who is a single dad to a fifteen-year-old young lady! Family is very important to Fr. Jason.

Christo Gloria Award

Matt and Christi Marcheschi

Matt and Christi Marcheschi have been married for sixteen years and are the grateful parents of five children on earth and three babies in heaven. From the day they met at George Mason University, their relationship has been centered around the mission of the gospel. For over 20 years, they have served together most notably through FOCUS, dedicated to evangelization and discipleship.

Rooted in a deep love for Jesus Christ, Matt and Christi are lifelong missionaries who walk alongside men and women toward deeper encounters with the Lord. Shaped by Christ’s humble, incarnational way of loving, they invest personally and intentionally in others, forming disciples who go on to disciple others.

Matt grew up in Glenview, Illinois, at St. Catherine of Laboure Parish. Though raised Catholic, it was not until a FOCUS missionary accompanied him that he realized he was made for a deep and personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Through Christian fellowship, FOCUS bible studies, and a deepening prayer and sacramental life, Matt’s heart for evangelization was ignited. He has served with FOCUS since 2004—first as a campus missionary at George Mason University, then in regional leadership across Illinois, Indiana, and Michigan. Since 2016, Matt has served as a parish missionary and Director of Parish Outreach at St. James Parish in Arlington Heights, working to build a culture of missionary discipleship.

Christi’s life was changed in college through the witness and invitation of a FOCUS missionary who walked with her personally and introduced her to life in Christ. Grateful for God’s mercy and the gift of accompaniment, she felt called to offer the same to others. Christi served as a full-time FOCUS missionary from 2008 to 2011 and continues to live the lifelong call to missionary discipleship among neighbors, parish families, and with her clients. In 2015, she founded Christi Lynn Photography as an extension of her mission, using her artistic gifts to honor the beauty of family life.

Above all, Matt and Christi’s primary mission is their family. Together, they seek to raise their children in the love of Christ, striving—imperfectly yet faithfully—to live the joy, sacrifice, and hope of the narrow path of discipleship.

Event Photos

2026 Celebration of Mundelein

2026 Celebration of Mundelein