“I would like to thank Fr. Tim Kesicki for his faith-filled, positive, hope-filled, and wise leadership over the past six years. Tim successfully merged the Detroit and Chicago Provinces, and, with Fr. Tom Lawler (Provincial of the Wisconsin Province) and their respective staffs, most of whom are in this room – you laid the foundations for the future USA Midwest province,” said Fr. Paulson. “There have been countless challenges, small and large, over the past six years, but you bore the heat of the day with grace and poise, which was a calming and steadying influence on all of us. On a personal note, I want to thank you for the many ways in which you have been personally supportive and encouraging to me over the past six years in my vocation and leadership at Saint Ignatius College Prep and Loyola University Jesuit Community, and during this transition.”
Fr. Paulson expressed his thanks to Frs. Tom Lawler and Pat Burns, “who have been most welcoming and supportive of me during these past nine months.”
Fr. Paulson offered gratitude as well to Fr. Walter Deye, who has served as both Vice-Provincial and Socius for several months, to afford Frs. Paulson and Kesicki a break before assuming their new roles. “(Fr. Deye)… provided a steady hand on the tiller of the province, and for that we are all deeply grateful. I look forward to working closely with (him) over the coming years.”
During his term as provincial, Fr. Paulson will become the provincial of the new USA Midwest Province when the existing Chicago-Detroit and Wisconsin Provinces come together by 2017 as part of an ongoing national realignment of Jesuit provinces.
For details about Fr. Paulson’s appointment as Provincial, including biographical details, please click here
| To view all images from Fr. Paulson’s installation Mass, please click here |