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May 25, 2008
McDonald’s taught him the ropes of pastoring
Father “Jerry” Jacob, pastor of St. Edna, Arlington Heights, knows his way around a garden and has made it a ministry. Catholic New World/Karen Callaway
He is: Father Jerome Jacob, pastor of St. Edna Parish, Arlington Heights. Ordained in 1992 at age 32, University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He is the oldest of three children.
Roots: Grew up in Northbrook. “In 1966 we moved into a new house, ‘out in the boonies.’ All three of us kids had our own bedroom. Big deal!” Dad was an insurance broker. His mom “mostly raised the kids.”
Growing up: “I was a hyper kid; good kid. I wanted to help out around the house, clean stuff, make mom and dad happy.”
Work ethic: “I started my own lawn-cutting business, and my brother and I had a paper route.”
Parish life: There was a waiting list for St. Norbert’s, so he went to public school and later Glenbrook North High School. “I was involved with the church choir with my parents from fifth grade. My parents stayed in the choir at St. Edward’s, our old parish. They moved around a bit. We went to Our Lady of the Brook and then Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Glenview, where I later said my first Mass.”
Sound of music: “There was the High Mass in those early days in the upstairs church. It was fantastic with the big pipe organ. I loved the music.” He took voice lessons through high school and while at Oakton Community College.
Avocation: “I cantored a lot of weddings and funerals as a lay person. While at Niles Seminary my last two years I cantored at St. Mary of the Woods. They paid a stipend which helped me in the seminary.”
Mentors: “My mom was an only child so I spent a lot of time with her parents over the years. Every summer my grandfather would take me fishing up in Eagle River, Wis.”
Green thumb: “They had a big garden in their backyard. We planted everything: corn, green beans, lettuce, tomatoes. I still keep a little flower garden with some tomatoes, herbs and stuff.”
Now a ministry: “We started ‘Gardening for God’ at St. Edna. I love pulling in the parking lot and seeing families and individuals tending their plot of land.”
“Want fries with that?”: At 16 he started as a crew person at McDonald’s. Later, while doing a minor in management and supervision at community college, he became general manager of the Wheeling McDonald’s, overseeing other managers, “about two miles from where I am now pastor.” Those 10 years also earned him a diploma from McDonald’s “Hamburger University.”
Golden Arches experience: “First of all, it’s a service industry, so you learn to serve. You learn people skills. You were taught business standards. I have to laugh, I notice every light bulb that’s out, or when things aren’t clean. I notice the grounds of our facility. You’re trained in not being wasteful, in all kinds of details. I tune into things I wouldn’t have if I had not run a business. It becomes a reflex.”
Joined the Apollo Chorus: “I had time while an associate pastor at St. Raymond’s. It is a very serious chorus; musically very challenging. The thrill was I got to do four seasons of Handel’s ‘Messiah.’”
Challenge of priesthood: “It’s a different environment than when I started. Sunday worship is the highlight of my week. I love celebrating the sacraments ... weddings, funerals, baptisms ...”
Prayer life and the Breviary today: “We’ve committed ourselves to a life of prayer. The Breviary is a prayer that unites us as a priesthood. We, as a house, try to do the morning office. There’s a priest prayer group that meets once a month. We pray the evening office together. There are different ways I pray.”
