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Fr. Michael E. Komechak, O.S.B.
Eulogy prayer
Memorial Fund
Arrangements
The Reception of Fr. Michael and Wake Service:
Friday, September 4 at 7:00 PM in the Abbey Church.
The Funeral and Burial: Saturday, September 5 at 10:30 am.
Biography
Our confrere, Father Michael Komechak, long-time art curator at Benedictine University, died at the Abbey early on August 30, 2009.
Born in Gary, Indiana, on August 19, 1932, Edward Komechak came to Lisle as a high school freshman in 1946. After graduating from St. Procopius Academy in 1950, and from St. Procopius College in 1954 with a major in philosophy and education, he entered the monastic novitiate.
Following his profession of vows on June 26, 1955, Father Michael studied theology at St. Procopius Seminary and taught English and journalism at the Academy. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Martin McNamara at St. Raymond Nonnatus Cathedral on May 30, 1959. That same year, he became head of the English Department at the Academy and advisor to both the student newspaper and the yearbook.
Studying during the summers, he completed in 1961 a master of arts degree in literature from the University of Notre Dame. Although there had been plans for him to work towards a doctorate in that field from the University of Illinois, Abbot Daniel Kucera in 1965 chose him instead to oversee the planning and then the construction of the new St. Procopius Abbey church and monastery.
Working closely with Abbot Daniel and the architect, Edward Dart, Father Michael found outlet for his abundant energy and dynamism in helping to fashion what became an award-winning building. As part of the publicity for the monks' new home, he founded and for most of the next four decades was the editor of the St. Procopius Abbey News Quarterly.
From 1965-1975, he served as a residence hall counselor at the College, where he also taught in the English Department. In 1975, Father Michael began studies at Cardinal Stritch College in Milwaukee, with the intention of gaining the knowledge necessary to establish an art department at Illinois Benedictine College. After receiving his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 1978, Father Michael, as chair of the new Fine Arts Department, both developed the program and continued the accumulation of a vast and much-admired art collection at the school.
Even after he left the classroom, Father Michael remained the Art Curator of Benedictine University, and until almost the end of his life he delighted in helping new employees select pieces for the decoration of their offices. Both the Archdiocese of Chicago and the Diocese of Joliet benefitted from Father Michael's expertise as he served on art and environment committees.
For over twenty years, he led art history tours of select sites around Europe, and the fruit of his experience was made available to parishes and other groups in slide lectures on great pieces of art. One unfulfilled ambition of Father Michael was to publish a study of Edward Dart's architecture; another was to establish an art gallery at the University.
His energy, which seemed boundless and almost undiminished past his seventy-fifth birthday, suddenly declined during the early months of 2009. Learning that he was suffering from pancreatic cancer, he expressed gratitude that he had been given time to wrap up his affairs. He took great joy in the well-attended celebration of his golden jubilee of ordination .
Please remember Father Michael in your prayers.
Abbot Dismas and Community
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