While his five brothers ran around during Mass, Matthew Litak would sit intently and listen.
“He just was always into church,” recalled his oldest sister, Michelle Ronquillo. “He would be paying attention. Always very focused.”
Years of hard work culminated Saturday when the 28-year-old Evergreen Park native – now Father Matthew – was ordained a Catholic priest at Chicago’s Holy Name Cathedral.
His first Mass is Sunday morning at Christ the King on the city’s far South Side, the first assignment for the graduate of Benedictine University and Mundelein Seminary.
Litak said he felt “overwhelmed” and “a great joy and a great peace” shortly after receiving the blessing of Chicago Archbishop Blase Cupich, who served as celebrant for the ordination of Litak and four other new priests.
“It’s like your whole life comes to a head,” Litak said. “It focuses and you just find this is what you’re meant to do and what you’re made for and your whole life is ahead of you.”
Cupich thanked family and friends of the new priests during the ordination ceremony, saying they were there to witness the five men as they realized their future in the clergy.
“In fact, it is you, the parents, the family, lifelong friends, classmates, who were the first formators of their vocations,” Cupich said.
Litak said he actually didn’t think seriously about whether he was called to the priesthood until he had almost graduated from Evergreen Park High School. He became involved in the Catholic community while at the Benedictine in Lisle.
Litak was ordained with two men destined for south suburban parishes: Miguel Angel Flores Andrade, 35, of Guadalajara, Mexico, whose first assignment is St. Michael in Orland Park; and Michael Trail, 26, who was born in Detroit, Mich., and whose first assignment is St. Damian in Oak Forest.
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Litak said it’s “very rare” for someone from who grew up in the south suburbs to receive their first assignment in the same area.
Knowing Chicago’s South Side will help him transition into the Christ the King community, Litak said.
“People automatically trust you. You already know who they are and they know who you are,” Litak said. “Even though I might not have met them … we share the same story.”
Nick Swedberg is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.