Hello St Margaret parish community!
Monsignor Mike Turek here . . . I am most grateful to Fr John Vien for welcoming me to reside here at St Margaret as I begin my retirement from service as a pastor. I make that distinction because I will never retire from being a priest – I still will be presiding over weddings, funerals, baptisms, celebrating Mass, etc – but I will no longer be in engaged in parish administration such as finances, personnel, buildings, meetings, etc.
A little bit about my journey: I am the first born of 4 children to my parents, Ed and Anne Turek, grew up in St Mary Magdalen parish in south city, attended Prep South HS Seminary, Cardinal Glennon College (B.A.Philosophy), Kenrick Seminary (M.Div. Theology), and Boston College (M.Ed. Catholic School Administration).
I was ordained on May 22, 1976, by Cardinal Joseph Carberry at the Cathedral Basilica (there were 16 of us ordained for the Archdiocese!). I spent my first 21 years in high school teaching, coaching, campus ministry at Valle HS (Ste Genevieve), Mercy HS, and Rosati Kain HS, and ultimately for the last 7 years, president of St Francis Borgia High School in Washington, MO.
Parish wise, I served in the following parishes: Ste Genevieve (Ste Genevieve), Our Lady of Lourdes (Univeristy City), Holy Cross (Baden), St Ann (Clover Bottom), St Norbert (Florissant), St Joan of Arc (south city), Christ the KIng (University City), and St Joseph (Clayton). With the “All things New” initiative I was also given charge of St Rita (Vinita Park), All Saints (University City), and St Roch (west end city) as they were being subsumed into Christ the King. The task of taking 4 parishes and making them one challenged the mystery of the Trinity!
I have loved and appreciated my range of experiences in these past 50 years, and I thank God for the gift and grace of sharing in the priesthood of Jesus Christ. But, ITS TIME – time to simplify and moderate the pace of life, do a little traveling while I am still able, and still be of assistance when needed.
One little curious note, I was a member of the St Margaret Senior Men’s Soccer Team in the 1970’s (it’s a good thing they did not have yellow and red cards back then).
Thank you for welcoming me to SMOS. Please be patient with me as my facility to retain names has diminished. It is my honor and privilege to pray with and for you.
Christ’s Peace, Love and Joy to you.
Msgr. Mike