Father John “Jack” Sullivan, at his request, began his pastorship at Sacred Heart Church-Salem, Christ the King Mission-Bunker and St. Jude Chapel-Montauk on July 6.
With a firm, intentional handshake, a welcoming smile and a ready, boisterous laugh, he is neither stiff nor aloof, but very personable.
“I don’t see how anybody can get through life without humor,” says Sullivan. “It differentiates us from the animals.”
Sullivan is the fourth generation since his great-grandparents came to the U.S. from Ireland, to be not only from the south side of Chicago, but from the same parish. He was born and raised in Chicago and lived his life there except for education and temporary assignments. Until now.
Sullivan completed his undergraduate and received his degree in Literature and Education, as opposed to seminary studies, from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, Iowa. He then attended Mundelein Seminary, where he received his degree in Theology, one of a class of 31. He was also one of only two who had not followed what was then a traditional seminary path into the priesthood. He was ordained in 1977 and in April celebrated his 40th anniversary as an ordained priest.
Sullivan believes that being raised in a blue-collar majority, largely poor, neighborhood has helped him in his vocation.
“In my day, those entering the priesthood were rather secluded or sheltered, not allowed to work manual labor, so as to protect their hands, important because of consecration and sacramental duties,” he said.
“Because my father died while I was in high school I had no money. So I spent three summers as a garbage man, two summers working asphalt on the streets, a summer on the docks unloading trucks and another summer moving furniture. Seven summers through the course of eight years at St. Ambrose and Mundelein.
“I fit right in with my fellow employees. I was from the stockyards. While I was at Mundelein they didn’t even know I was in the seminary. It teaches you things that are certainly not in the books. It was an absolute help in understanding people, their concern for their spouses, their children, bills, and mortgages. They were great guys, with rule number one being ‘you don’t know nothing, keep your mouth shut.’ ”
Rule number one has become a mainstay of Sullivan’s leadership and philosophy. Humor, common sense, when in doubt say nothing.
“Many times the key to successful relationships is what we didn’t say,” said Sullivan. “We as a people need to listen and perhaps not be so eager to offer or respond with words. Look, listen, stay alert is paraphrase of Biblical scripture, but very relevant to relationship. My father also added, ‘and stay alive’ in direct relevance to the blue collar south side of Chicago while growing up.”
My personal Motto is “Zip, Zip,” he states as he humorously zips his lips with his fingers.
Sullivan considers his No. 1 accomplishment being, “I have never broke a confidentiality.” Although due to circumstances that has not always been an easy thing to do. “There was the time when I had two parishioners with the same name and no caller id…” as he starts the humorous story that has a happy, humorous ending and with his record still intact.
Sullivan’s upbringing and tenure as a priest on the south side has given him, “a million laughs, with all the characters I’ve met, it’s enough laughs for a lifetime.”
After examining various professions, he made the decision to become a priest while a sophomore in high school.
“I thought it was a great way to help people, especially when all else fails and everyone else has thrown up their arms,” he says. “I prayed about it and thought about it, but continued my education without taking the seminary path. After completing college and at a time when there was a great exodus of priests leaving, I was sure of my decision for the priesthood.”
“Christian denominations, including the Catholic Church, are in 95 percent agreement of living according to the Gospel, the hallmark is really contained in the Sermon on the Mount and recognizing that Jesus is Lord,” says Sullivan, “and from the Old Testament, one the love of God, two the love of neighbor and three the Ten Commandments. The only divergence are the sacraments which are generally a Sunday thing, if that.”
Sullivan successfully served many parishes in the Chicago area before coming to Salem full time, being allowed to stay at one parish for 15 years, several years past the 12-year limit for time spent in a single parish. His service, spanning 40 years, also included being a law enforcement chaplain for the city of Chicago, the county and the State of Illinois. He and Rabbi Moshe Wolf, with whom he teamed, never had a complaint against them, which was almost miraculous.
“We treated each person as a fellow human being,” says Sullivan. He still maintains his position as Illinois State Police Chaplain-on leave, as well as being a certified teacher of English-secondary level in Illinois.
Over the course of fulfilling his priesthood, both as a parish priest and as a law enforcement chaplain,
Father Sullivan has cultivated or maybe honed a keen sense of observation that has developed into an intuitive and perceptive ability that supersedes empathy. He can indiscriminately “know” something about a person, confirming one local parishioner as a fireman with no prior knowledge of him and no uniform designation. Much to this writer’s amazement, he requested confirmation that I played the violin.
When asked how he came to request a transfer to Salem and this area, Sullivan replies, “I had bypass surgery a couple of years ago. After the surgery I needed the break of a slower pace. Plus, I really liked it here from my experiences of filling in for various pastors in the Springfield-Cape Girardeau diocese over the summers. I just loved it.
“I am here by choice and I love it, the people are so nice, the pace and attitude of the people are so nice, they are such a joy to minister too, and I love what I do. If you don’t love what you do you might as well head for the exit door, because it won’t work out. I love what I do. I love the slower pace and the people make it great. It’s far different than the city, a nicer culture and again, I love the people’s attitude.”
