St. Michael Hosts Installation of New Pastor

Although Fr. Paul Burak commenced his duties as pastor of St. Michael Parish in Orland Park months ago, members of the St. Michael community along with the Knights of Columbus and Bishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller recently gathered at an official installation ceremony. Garcia-Siller offered a special blessing of St. Michael's new multi-purpose facility before presiding over the sacred ceremony that formalized and celebrated Burak's new appointment as pastor of St. Michael.

Burak received a warm welcome from the St. Michael community.

"I truly believe in the depth of my heart that I am where I am meant to be, that I am where God wants me to be," he said in a letter to the parish.

Burak was born and raised on the south side of Chicago, and was formed and educated in the Catholic faith at Little Flower and Saint Linus parishes. For the past 17 years, he served as pastor at Our Lady of the Ridge Parish in Chicago Ridge. Burak was so loved and admired by the Our Lady of the Ridge community that members of the parish were in attendance at the installation ceremony to say farewell and offer him well wishes in his new appointment.

Burak joins another new addition to St. Michael Parish - associate pastor Fr. Michael Foley. Fr. Mike, as he is affectionately called by the children at St. Michael School, has served as associate pastor, pastor, and principal in parishes and schools all over Chicago, such as St. Louis DeMontfort, Archbishop Quigley Seminary, St. John Berchmans and St. Thomas the Apostle.

Foley had a memorable beginning to the school year when he made a visit to the St. Michael School inaugural preschool class to say hello and meet the children. One preschooler went home and told his parents that God had visited the classroom. When the story was repeated back to Foley, he grinned and responded, "Well, I've been called worse."

Burak and Foley join Fr. Adan Sandoval, associate pastor at St. Michael since 2006. Sandoval uses his persistent energy in many efforts at St. Michael, but he is best known for leading the development of a Spanish ministry at the parish and also presiding over the 1:30 p.m. Sunday mass, which is spoken entirely in Spanish. The weekly attendance at the Spanish mass averages almost 400 people. Sandoval's enthusiasm for including children in his ministry is evident as he invites the children of all masses to join him on the altar for the blessing of the host and wine.

Fr. Burak and Fr. Foley have seamlessly come into their new places at St. Michael Parish and School, and together with Fr. Sandoval, the St. Michael community feels privileged to have these three seasoned, energetic and inspirational spiritual leaders.

See this article in the Orland Park Prairie.

For more information about St. Michael Parish, visit the parish web site.