Father Jack Wall

President, Catholic Extension

A lifetime Chicagoan, Father Jack Wall was ordained on May 2, 1968, after receiving his Master of Divinity and STL from the University of St. Mary of the Lake. He has served on the faculty of Niles College and the Seminary of Loyola University, and was Vocations Director for the Archdiocese of Chicago from 1979 to 1985.

In October 1983, Fr. Wall became pastor of Old St. Patrick's Church, the second parish founded in the city of Chicago and the city's oldest public building.  Fr. Wall successfully revitalized this urban church. Compared to the 25 people that attended his first Mass at Old St. Pat's, over 2,000 people weekly attend Sunday Mass at the Church.

In March 2007, The Holy See appointed Father Wall as President of the Catholic Church Extension Society. Father Wall brings an energetic approach to his new role of raising awareness of and resources for the 80-plus mission dioceses served by Catholic Extension in the United States.

His visionary and expansive "inviting" approach serves Father Wall well as he looks toward gathering support among the nation's Catholics to help provide for America's poor and remote missions, from the bayou country of Louisiana in the Deep South and Native America reservations in the West to the craggy outposts of faith in Alaska, where priests sometimes pilot planes to remote fishing villages once a month to celebrate Mass and bring the sacraments.

"A true church experience opens people to the work of God in them. We encounter God when we are open to each other and see His transforming power. Those who reach out to those in need know the good work that can be accomplished by letting God work through them - and it can be accomplished everywhere."

- Rev. John J. Wall, President, Catholic Extension