May 2026 Newsletter

Priestly Ordinations

Congratulations to Mundelein Seminary’s 32 Deacons from 14 dioceses on their ordinations to the priesthood.

Diaconate Ordinations

Congratulations to Mundelein Seminary’s 26 seminarians from 17 dioceses on their ordinations to the diaconate.

Permanent Diaconate Ordinations

Congratulations to the 14 men who will be ordained to the permanent diaconate for the Archdiocese of Chicago at Holy Name Cathedral on Saturday, May 16. They received their formation from the School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization. We also recognize the support each has received from their spouse.

May 27, 2026

5:30pm – 9:00pm

Due to an unforeseen weather event, we have a renewed date for the Celebration of Mundelein!

Step into an elegant evening of inspiration, community, and purpose at the Celebration of Mundelein at the Lincolnshire Marriot Resort. Hosted by University of Saint Mary of the Lake, this premier gathering brings together friends, families, clergy, and supporters to honor those who embody the spirit of service — and to invest in the future of our seminarians.

We are thrilled to recognize Fr. Jason Malave, Pastor at Queen of Apostles, and Matt and Christi Marcheschi from FOCUS. Their unwavering commitment to faith, education, and service embodies the spirit of Mundelein Seminary.

This year we are offering some incredible live auction items. These unique experiences are available to bid on in-person during the event.

• Private Lunch and Tour of St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City with Archbishop Ronald Hicks
• Christ and the Cosmos Dinner with Fr. John Kartje
• Stars and Stripes and Mundelein: In honor of 250th birthday, an exclusive viewing of Cardinal Mundelein’s American history collection
• Dinner and the Divine in Lincoln Square: Join As Those Who Serve award recipient Fr. Jason Malave for an evening that will delight your senses and nourish your body and soul.

Learn more and purchase tickets: https://usml.edu/celebration-of-mundelein/

For information on becoming a sponsor click here.

Join the Journey: Stewards of the Sacred

We invite you to continue the journey with the Stewards of the Sacred series. This exclusive series takes you behind the scenes to witness how your partnership shapes the future of our Church—from rigorous theological study to the selfless service of our deacons and lay leaders.

Don’t miss our three most recent features, showcasing the diverse vocations flourishing through your support:

• Mr. Jeff Ptacek on the transition toward a life of sacramental service in the permanent diaconate (read here).

• Fr. Sebastian Zebrowski of our Pontifical Faculty of Theology program on the intellectual formation required to defend the truth (read here).

• Mr. Emmanuel Franco, a School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization student, on the essential role of planting the seeds for a later harvest (read here).

Experience the mission firsthand and see the powerful stories of transformation made possible by your generosity.

May Crowning

On Sunday, May 3 Fr. Kartje presided over our Mass and May Crowning in the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. The Chapel provided a beautiful, intimate setting for today’s May Crowning. We loved seeing so many of you for Mass and brunch—it was a joy to celebrate this tradition with our community. The perfect way to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, even though the rain kept us indoors!

View the photos by clicking here.

Come & See and Open House Events

Explore where faith and mission meet. Join us for an upcoming Come & See or Open House event at the School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization and discover programs designed to form leaders for today’s Church.

Learn and view upcoming events by clicking here.

Quigley Alumni Mass and Reception

This special gathering is for alumni of Archbishop Quigley Preparatory Seminary—North and South.

Join honorary co-chairs Mike Cahill ’75 and Rick Lehocky ’72, and your fellow Quigley alumni for Mass at the beautiful St. James Chapel, and a reception to follow on May 21, 2026 from 5:30pm to 8:00pm.

Fr. John Kartje will preside. Concelebrants welcome (please bring alb and stole).

Learn more and register to attend by clicking here.

Pope Leo XIV appoints Rev. John Jairo Gomez as Bishop-elect of Laredo

 

Congratulations to Reverend John Jairo Gomez, Bishop-Elect of Laredo. Read the full announcement by clicking here.

Convocation 

Saturday, May 2 was USML’s Convocation, where we conferred degrees and certificates on those from Mundelein Seminary, our Pontifical programs, and the School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization. We’d like to especially recognize our graduates from the Archdiocese of Omaha and the Diocese of Des Moines. Congratulations to all of our graduates!

View the photos and watch the video of the ceremony by clicking here.

Msgr. Patrick Brennan Display 

Congratulations Nelly Lorenzo

Congratulations to Nelly Lorenzo, School of Parish Leadership and Evangelization’s Assistant Dean, on receiving the Francis Cardinal George Award from the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe! ¡Felicitaciones!

Pontifical Faculty of Theology

From the archives, the Sacred Congregation of Seminaries and Universities, now known as the Congregation for Catholic Education, established a Pontifical Faculty of Theology at the University of Saint Mary of the Lake in 1929. 

The Faculty was initially authorized to grant Pontifical degrees for five years, and in 1934, this authorization was made permanent, marking the first seminary in the US to receive this decree under the Apostolic Constitution “Deus Scientiarum Dominus.”

Learn more by clicking here.

The Bridge Magazine, Spring 2026

“I really felt that the Holy Spirit was present in the Mass. Something about the reckless abandon with which everyone seemed to give themselves to the Mass left me feeling like I had never really celebrated the Mass fully.”

In our Spring 2026 The Bridge Magazine cover story, Chicago seminarian Matthew Duff III shares his experience serving at St. Moses the Black Parish. 

Read the new issue and explore our archives by clicking here.

Jubilarian Mass

On Friday, April 17, Cardinal Cupich presided over the Jubilarian Mass at the beautiful Chapel of the Immaculate Conception. 

Thank you to these priests for 25 and 50 years of devotion to the Archdiocese of Chicago!

Watch the Mass and view the photos by clicking here.

Library Corner

Did you know that you can access the resources of Feehan Memorial Library even when you are not on campus? You may request materials from the USML library through your local public library’s interlibrary loan service.

As a public library patron, you benefit from access to a network of resources that extends well beyond your local community.

If you are an alum, don’t forget to visit the alumni services section of usml.edu/library for more resources. For questions, please e-mail us at AskALibrarian@usml.edu.

Online Short Course

Canon Law and Parish Sacramental Ministry

Our online short course, “Canon Law and Parish Sacramental Ministry,” led by Fr. Mark Augustine, explores pertinent canons, supplemented by the Archdiocese of Chicago’s Policies & Procedures regarding the sacraments and parish ministry.

Explore this online short course by clicking here.

Weekly Birdhouse Monitoring

Class Sponsorship Program

Rector Reflections

Alumni Updates