Monsignor's Story

Monsignor Kurwicki - pastor

As a young boy growing up in central Illinois during the early 1960s, I had three special graces. Number one, I was raised in a completely Catholic family and atmosphere, which emphasized love of the Lord Jesus Christ and service to the Holy Church He founded. We had no one losing the faith and leaving the Church, and divorce was completely unknown. Secondly, I was lucky to attend a Catholic grade school which had dedicated teachers, both nuns and laity, who considered it their great accomplishment if one of their students would one day become a priest – my third grade teacher later attended my First Mass. They talked about and fostered vocations. And finally, I had excellent grandparents who overly indulged me with kindness and treats; in a particular way my grandmother, Martha Sherman, who maintained a large library containing books on foreign travel.

It was with this firm foundation that my studies for the Holy Priesthood began in 1973, culminating with my ordination as a priest in the Cathedral in Jefferson City by the late Bishop Michael F. McAuliffe in 1985. Since that time, I have been blessed to work and live in Catholic communities in Marshall and Sweet Springs for two years; St. Peters, Jefferson City and Helias High School for three years; Kahoka, Wayland, St. Patrick – the only town in the world dedicated to this Saint, for two years; Marceline – the boyhood town of Walt Disney – Hurricane Branch for five years; and since 1997, Westphalia – the Pearl of Osage County for seven years, and in 2001, Folk. Since 2004, I have been Pastor of Saint Joseph Cathedral in Jefferson City, a full circle of ministry.

A priest lives a life filled with opportunities and happiness which are discovered in oneself or presented as gifts by one’s parishioners or friends. As a priest, I have had many special blessings, such as being able to meet and speak personally and individually with both Pope John Paul II and Mother Teresa of Calcutta. My travels have allowed me to be a pilgrim to many churches and cathedrals that contain the tombs of the great saints in Europe, Mexico and Peru. I have been able to visit the Shrines of the Virgin Mary at Fatima, Lourdes, Knock LaSalette and Guadalupe.

I also have had the privilege of working with the late Bishop Michael F. McAuliffe and Bishop John R. Gaydos traveling through the 38 counties for the administration of Confirmation and at the Chancery for ten years. I have a great love of travel and have been able to visit the Holy Land and to celebrate the Eucharist at sites which witnessed Christ’s physical presence. I am particularly indebted to the priests who I have known and lived with over the years, Monsignor Maurice Driscoll, my hometown pastor in Illinois, still living in retirement in Alabama, some of my seminary professors, and the late Father Edward Owens, who I first met in Marceline, an individual I truly considered to be a saint. I was also fortunate, during the last years of his life, to work with Monsignor Ralph Kutz who always taught the lesson of doing good deeds in secret. He would always say, “You want your reward in heaven and not on earth”. Today I am happy to minister at the Great Cathedral with Father Shetler, our four wonderful deacons plus dedicated and devoted parish staff.