When Northwestern students return to the Sheil Catholic Center this fall, they will find a new director and chaplain.
After the departure of John Kartje, Kevin Feeney will take over as director of Sheil on July 1. Feeney said he hopes to form strong relationships with students and foster greater cohesion and collaboration among the Sheil staff.
“My first priority is to get to know the people, the staff, the students, the associates,” Feeney said. “There are a lot of good things going on there. There are a lot of bright and generous people who work and go there.”
Before taking the job, Feeney worked at the Mundelein Seminary as a member of the formation team and director of spiritual life for eight years. He then became the pastor at St. Sylvester Parish in Chicago for nine years before returning to the seminary, where he served as the dean of formation and director of spiritual life for 13 more years. He said he has never worked in a university setting before, but he has experience mentoring individuals through his work in the seminary.
“I have a lot to learn,” Feeney said. “As chaplain I will try to be available as much as possible to serve people’s spiritual need.”
Feeney said he will bring with him a different set of expertise than Kartje, though he admires Kartje’s initiatives and hopes to learn from his experiences. Kartje said he is going to miss Sheil and the relationships he has formed in its community, but he is excited to begin this new chapter in his life at the seminary and feels he is leaving the organization in good hands. Kartje praised Feeney and emphasized the need for new outlooks and viewpoints within the organization.
“He comes across with a very easygoing demeanor, a great sense of humor, certainly a very prayerful man, and he relates very well to people,” Kartje said.
Sheil Advisory Board president Beata Luczywek said although she will miss Kartje, she is looking forward to welcoming a new leader into the community and is excited to see what he can bring to the organization.
“Personally, I think that it’s always great to have a new point of view, someone who can focus on different things,” said Luczywek, a Weinberg junior. “Every person brings a different gift, and Father Feeney has a separate set of gifts.”
Feeney said although this job brings with it unfamiliar experiences and interactions, he hopes to embrace this opportunity and looks forward to learning from the community throughout his time at Sheil.
“I just hope to be around to add things, to introduce myself to people individually and to groups,” Feeney said. “I think you can’t be a leader until people know and trust you.”
