Fr. Jason Nesbit, CSV has been selected as Executive Pastor for Bishop McNamara Catholic School. Fr. Jason succeeds Fr. John Peeters, CSV in this role following Fr. Peeters’ retirement as pastor of St. Patrick Church in Kankakee.
“Fr. Peeters’ playing this role for nine years was a big help to all of us pastors to provide this support to the school,” Fr. Jason said. “I’m happy for the Viatorian Community to have this opportunity to support and strengthen Bishop McNamara.”
At top, in 2022, St. Patrick Church hosted Bishop Hicks and the Bishop Mac community for a 100 Years Mass – back row: Fr. Don Wehnert, CSV, Fr. Tony Nugent (an alum), Fr. Vern Arseneau, Fr. Jason Nesbit, CSV, and Fr. Moses Mesh, CSV; middle row: Deacon Patrick Skelly of MBVM, Fr. John Horan, Fr. Joel Fortier (an alum), Bishop Ronald Hicks, and Fr. Matthew Pratscher, St. John Paul II pastor; front row: Fr. John Peeters, CSV with altar servers; at bottom, Viatorians have long played a big role in the sacramental life of the school, such as this graduation Mass in 2019 with former St. George pastor Fr. Dan Belanger, CSV, Fr. Jason, retired Director of Catholic Ministry Associate Michelle Barrie, former MBVM parochial vicar Fr. Dan Lydon, CSV, and Fr. Peeters.
Bishop McNamara Catholic School serves Kankakee County across three sites: PreK-5 in Bradley, PreK-5 in Bourbonnais on the campus of Maternity BVM, and grades 6-12 in Kankakee. Viatorian parishes Maternity BVM and St. Patrick are two of the partner parishes supporting the school. When the school reorganized in 2016, the pastors designated Fr. Peeters as the first executive pastor. Our continued service in this role is another piece of Viatorians’ part in Mac’s history, including hosting the former high school location at St. Pat’s and our roles in faculty, administration, and chaplaincy since the 1930s.
The Executive Pastor represents the parishes and pastors alongside the diocese’s superintendent and CFO, and they receive report from the school president, finance officer, and other directors. Last year, in this role, Fr. Peeters took part in searching for and hiring the new principal/president, Kaelyn Bess, who succeeded Associate Terry Granger following his retirement. Fr. Peeters’ greatest joy was the community events: “When there’s an important event, I would come to celebrate with them, including wearing a short-sleeved clerical shirt to draw the annual raffle ticket winners,” Fr. Peeters said. “Plus, my signature was the one on the eighth-grade and high school diplomas!”
In addition to Fr. Peeters’ retirement, chaplain and theology teacher Fr. John Horan has been appointed pastor of St. Mary Immaculate Parish in Plainfield, effective July 1. Fr. Horan often invited Viatorians to celebrate Sacraments, concelebrate Mass, and preach, and we pray for his new ministry with our gratitude for his collaboration. Fr. Jason will now play an ongoing role helping coordinate local priests, including Viatorians, to support the sacramental life of the school alongside the Catholic Ministry Office.
We thank Fr. Peeters and pray for Fr. Jason’s new ministry!
Additionally, as July is a time of transition around the church, here’s an overview of new placements within the Viatorian Community:
- Bishop Christopher Glancy, CSV has begun as pastor at St. Patrick Parish in Kankakee, Illinois, where he lives with St. George administrator Fr. Pat Render, CSV and Fr. Peeters. Bishop Glancy also continues as parochial administrator for Sacred Heart Church, which he began in March.
- Br. Peter Lamick, CSV has begun full-time ordination-track theological studies at Catholic Theological Union and will move to Hyde Park in Chicago in the coming weeks. He will continue as a member of the vocation ministry team.
- Fr. Dan Lydon, CSV has moved to Colombia where he lives in Bogotá in Casa San Justo as Director of Pre-Novices, forming these men and living with vocation director and house director Fr. Juan Carlos Ubaque, CSV.
- Fr. John Eustice, CSV will begin another stint as Director of Vocation Ministry in the coming weeks. Working part-time in that role, he will also continue as chaplain for Saint Viator High School.
- Fr. Jhobany Orduz, CSV will begin as campus minister at Saint Viator High School, working with Associate Ann Perez, Vice President for Mission and Identity, who will direct campus ministry.
- Fr. Edgar Suárez, CSV has begun as pastor at St. Viator Catholic Community in Las Vegas. He lives in the rectory with parochial vicar Fr. Dan Belanger, CSV and Fr. Bill Haesaert, CSV, who is retired.