The Rev. Jeremy Dixon, C.M., will step down next month as pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church after leading the parish for eight years. (Image courtesy of Fr. Jeremy Dixon)
At Mass on Sunday, June 13, the Rev. Jeremy Dixon, C.M., announced he will step down as pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish at the end of July. Fr. Dixon said that he will take an extended leave to reflect upon his next steps and to discern where he will be called to serve next.
"This is my own voluntary decision, which was difficult to make and which has weighed on me, but it is necessary for me to step back to more clearly understand where God is calling me to grow personally and professionally, without the many demands of active ministry," Fr. Dixon says.
Throughout his time at St. Vincent de Paul, Fr. Dixon has continued the community life and faith formation of the parish ministry through the Knights of Columbus, Vincentian Women, Vincent's People, Gen 2, TNT and the Seton Food Pantry and Sandwich Kitchen.
Rev. Patrick McDevitt, provincial of the Western Province of the Congregation of the Mission, says, "On behalf of all of the priests and brothers in the Western Province, I want to thank our brother, Jeremy, for his eight years of service here. I know he has been a zealous and faithful pastor, and I'm most grateful for his service. Now we look to the future as we look for a successor."
"I have been very blessed over these past eight years to have been a part of people's lives," Fr. Dixon says. "I will carry with me all of these memories. I am especially proud of the welcoming community that we formed and maintained through the pandemic, as well as our increased collaboration with the university."
DePaul University President A. Gabriel Esteban says, "When Jo and I arrived in Chicago to join DePaul, Father Jeremy welcomed us with a warm and open heart to the St. Vincent de Paul Parish community. We were blessed to have met him and worked with him on a number of volunteer efforts. He will be missed, but we wish him well as he pursues how best to continue serving St. Vincent de Paul's mission."
The full text of Fr. Dixon's announcement is on
the St. Vincent de Paul Church website.