EDISON PARK — The associate pastor of a Park Ridge church will serve as the new pastor of St. Juliana in Edison Park starting July 1, church officials announced Monday.
In a message sent to parishioners at Mary Seat of Wisdom Church in Park Ridge, the Rev. James Wallace announced his appointment and said he was sad to leave the church where he has served since he was ordained in 2012. Wallace became the church's associate pastor in 2014, church officials said.
"I am incredibly excited to become a pastor, and especially at a tremendous parish like St. Juliana," Wallace said.
A spokesman for the Archdiocese of Chicago declined to comment on the appointment by Archbishop Blase Cupich, noting that new assignments for priests will be formally announced in June.
A native of Winnetka, Wallace is known at Mary Seat of Wisdom for his short, energetic homilies often peppered with references to his love of Chicago sports and golf. A statement from Mary Seat of Wisdom officials said Wallace would be missed.
Wallace will replace the Rev. Steve Kanonik, who stepped down as pastor of St. Juliana in June 2015 to accept the position as moderator of the curia for the Archdiocese of Chicago.
Kanonik is in charge of the archdiocese's day-to-day operations.
The Rev. Robert Beaven, who retired in 2012 after serving as the pastor of St. Benedict Church in North Center, has led St. Juliana during the past year as the parish's administrator.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
