Rev. Thomas Kaminski, 70, Retired priest made all feel at ease
Matthew Kruk
Retired priest made all feel at ease
By Bob Rakow
Last Modified: Feb 18, 2011 08:59PM
The Rev. Thomas Kaminski had a knack for putting people at ease.
"It was impossible not to feel welcome around him. Tom was open to
everybody," said Clayton Kort, a deacon and the business manager at St.
Helena of the Cross Parish in Chicago's Washington Heights community.
Father Kaminski, pastor emeritus of St. Helena of the Cross, died Feb.
12. He was 70.
He also served for six years as associate pastor at St. John Fisher
Parish in the Beverly community, beginning in 1994. He resided at St.
Joseph Parish in Homewood at the time of his death.
Father Kaminski was a priest for nearly 45 years and spent more than
half of his career at St. Helena of the Cross. He was named pastor in
1977 and served for 11 years. He returned to the parish in 1997 and
remained there until 2010 when he retired from active ministry.
Under his leadership, St. Helena sent more parishioners through the lay
ministry formation programs offered by the Archdiocese of Chicago than
any other parish, Kort said. He said the Rev. Kaminski also introduced
the Christ Renews His Parish program at St. Helena of the Cross.
"He was about empowering people to do what needed to be done," Kort
said.
A Chicago native, the Rev. Kaminski spent the majority of his priesthood
ministering to Chicago's black community.
"He was always drawn to the marginalized," Kort said. "That's where he
felt his ministry was."
But the Rev. Kaminski did not want to be a community activist. Rather,
he was dedicated to meeting the day-to-day needs of his parishioners,
Kort said.
"He was revered by all his fellow priests," said Kort, who gave the
eulogy at Father Kaminski's funeral. "He was a priest's priest."
Father Kaminski was ordained in April 1966 after graduating from the
University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He began his
ministry as an assistant pastor of St. Charles Lawanga Parish for eight
years and also served at Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Joachim parishes
before being assigned to St. Helena of the Cross.
Father Kaminski is survived by his sister, Mary Kaminski, and several
cousins.
Services have been held.
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