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Home was his ‘diversity training’ bonanza

He is: Father William Tkachuk, pastor of St. Nicholas Parish, Evanston since July 2009. Previously pastor of Church of the Holy Spirit, Schaumburg. Ordained at Mundelein in 1981.

Family: Has a younger sister and two younger brothers. His father’s working career was with Kemper Insurance. “My mom volunteered at St. Edward’s, our parish school, and ran the school library for a time.”

Growing up: Active in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts. Made Eagle Scout before entering Quigley.

The “Call”: “I felt called to be a priest when I was in second grade and never wanted to be anything else. When we received First Communion and started to serve the Latin Mass (before everything changed), I decided it was what I wanted to be. Then it was nurtured and encouraged by many people.”

First years out: His first three assignments in three years were not ideal for a newly ordained priest. Eventually he asked Cardinal Bernardin for a leave of absence. “There was nothing else I wanted to do, but I felt I needed to leave.” He took on a six-year career at Andersen Consulting. “The cardinal remained encouraging. We met periodically, and after four years I began the process of re-entry.” He openly shares his journey and tells kids he came back to priesthood because “This is who I’m meant to be and I haven’t had a moment’s doubt after returning, even on the difficult days.”

What parish life has taught him: “I’ve seen how circumstances can tear a faith community apart. New life is possible if people work at it and have good pastoral leadership. In one parish we used the rosary as a prayer to hold us together. We said, ‘We’re not going to take sides, we’re going to pray for each other.’ Ultimately, we were all praying for God’s presence.”

Anchoring: “It is an ongoing struggle to walk away from the desk and trust what should be done will get done. My annual retreat is at least eight days of silence, either at a Jesuit house in Gloucester or the Trappists at New Melleray. Silence is where I reconnect with the Lord and get regrounded. Eucharist, the communal prayer, balances with the silence. Two classmates and I have been part of a prayer support group.”

Favorite saint: “St. Nicholas. It’s my confirmation name and my dad’s first name. His quiet generosity of spirit and openness to people in need — the diversity of groups he’s become patron of.”

Leisure: “Just finished reading ‘Under This Unbroken Sky,’ a novel about a Ukrainian immigrant family in Canada during the Depression. I’ve just started ‘Future Church’ by John Allen. I subscribe to the Chicago Symphony and the Goodman Theater.”

Any other fascination? “Diversity of the church on all levels. Being the child of an Irish Catholic mother and a Ukrainian Orthodox father who became Catholic, he from the South Side; she from the North Side; he was an only child; she was the youngest of seven — there was so much family diversity, how could I not appreciate it?”

Motto: “‘It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you …’” (Jn 15:16).