Director of Youth and Young Adults

​Dear parishioners,

Mr. James Holzhauer-Chuckas who is the UCYM Senior Director has informed me about his decision to resign from UCYM ministry here at St. John XXIII effective September 15th.  We would like to take this opportunity to thank James along with his staff for their dedication, passion, and love in serving our parish youth. We wish James and UCYM a fruitful ministry in the new location.

I have asked Faith Lavoie and Alex Roman to temporally coordinate the Young Adult and Youth Ministry programs in the parish while we are searching for a new Director.

There is a Full time Job opportunity for Director of Young Adult and Youth Ministry in the parish, click here for the full job description. 

Please see the letter below from Mr. James Holzhauer-Chuckas, once again thank you for your service at our parish. 
 
Fr Jean-Philippe Lokpo
Pastor.

______________________

Dear St. John XXIII Parish,

Almost six years ago, the Evanston parish communities set out on a journey of collaboration. The then-pastors and I wanted to meet the road ahead head on and empower our young people to lead the way into new realities for our parishes. United Catholic Youth Ministries was formed to be a ministry and a ministerial resource not only for the Evanston parishes, but any parish or Catholic organization that wanted to collaborate in providing vibrant programs for youth and young adults. This shared mission has been something near and dear to my heart, and it started right here at St. Nicholas. After five wonderful years of UCYM, and a total of nine years of personal service, the leadership of the parish has made its desire for a single-parish youth and young adult ministry clear. This model of ministry will be great for St. John XXIII Parish.

With gratitude and an admitted sadness in my heart, I am writing to let you know that I have resigned from my position within the parish and will be moving on to reestablish UCYM in another setting. My last day will be September 15. I have thought long and hard about how to author a letter that expresses my sincerest gratitude for the parish’s support not just of UCYM, but of me in this part of my life in ministry. I became interested in ministry here, grew up in ministry here, and have learned from so many amazing people. I have also been blessed with so many amazing pastors who have supported the work I have done, both here and in the regional setting. Lastly, but certainly not least, I have the utmost respect and endless gratitude for our UCYM team. Over the years, so many wonderful people have stepped up as volunteers and paid staff and have helped guide the many amazing programs you saw. I am so proud of all that UCYM, and New Horizons before it, has accomplished. We have seen so many people’s faith, myself included, grow into their young adulthood and beyond because of the many strong leaders in the parish and the support of pastors. It has been my highest honor and privilege to have been a small part of each of those young people’s journey.

As the parish looks to continue building its new reality, it is important that youth and young adult ministry are at the front of people’s minds and hearts, and strongly embedded within the priorities of the strategic plan of the parish.

Please be assured of my prayers, gratitude, and hope for you and the parish. I will miss you and, again, THANK YOU.

Yours In Christ,
Oblate James Holzhauer-Chuckas, ObSB