Father Jarecki (in 2001)
This posting was originally published 11/11/2010. Father Jarecki went to his eternal reward on Monday, October 22, 2012. We thought it would be nice to review this tribute to Father’s very full, apostolic life.
Father Michael Jarecki, a retired priest of the diocese of Ogdensburg, NY, who said Mass for us for more than thirty years, said his last public Mass on October 31, 2010 — the Feast of Christ the King. On the following Sunday, November 7, we held a “Father Jarecki Appreciation Day”. Each classroom made a presentation, and then individuals from the community shared stories and anecdotes and expressed their gratitude for all that Father has done for us.
IHM High School 2010-2011
Our high school, knowing that Father’s favorite poem was Joyce Kilmer’s Trees, wrote their own poem in appreciation. To read that poem and see pictures from Father’s last public Mass, please keep reading.
PRIESTS
by the IHM High School Class 2010-2011
To Father Michael Jarecki
upon his retirement at the age of ninety-three
I think that I shall never see
A priest as child-like as he.
He baptized, married, and confessed
For sixty-six years without a rest.
As promised to our father* then,
[*Father Leonard Feeney]
For thirty years our priest he’s been.
Those twenty-seven thousand Masses
Were said to God for our trespasses.
For thirty years he gave us hope
And kept us praying for the Pope.
Remembered long by many persons
Will be his short and Marian sermons.
His love for Mary, as a devoted son,
He shared until his job was done.
In spite of sundry aches and pains,
His perseverance made great gains.
He fed us daily with Our Lord;
He taught us Math has its reward.
Through all our laughter and our tears,
He’s been our father for many years.
Poems are made by fools, at least,
But only God can make a priest.
Comments 9
Fr. Jarecki is a living saint! Not only that, he can fix absolutely everything!
Not only that, he can teach Einstein’s theory of relativity from memory as though he were teaching you to count to 10!
But most of all he is a saint! God bless you Father and pray for us!
Posted 11 Nov 2010 at 10:56 pm ¶Thank you for posting this tribute. Fr. Jarecki came to our home (!) and enrolled my son and daughter in the brown scapular in 1999. I will always be grateful to him.
Posted 12 Nov 2010 at 8:57 am ¶Yes this priest is everything JESUS asked for in a priest, orthodox, friendship and loyalty, may he live many more grace filled years.
Posted 14 Jan 2011 at 12:29 am ¶Lovely poem! I only saw Fr. Jarecki the half dozen times I visited the Center for Sunday Mass, but I too have been much taken with his tact and intelligence. His homilies were marked with such clear logic and progress!
Posted 28 Jan 2011 at 10:27 pm ¶I, too, am Michael Jarecki and so can’t help but feel a bit connected to this extraordinary priest by the same name. What a blessing to have such a wonderful priest serving the Church. Although I never met Fr. Michael Jarecki (I live in Omaha, NE and am married with 6 children), he sounds like he was/is a gift to many serving faithfully and sacrificially. God’s blessings on you Father and please pray for our children and their vocations – perhaps part of your priestly legacy will be that with the assistance of your prayers and intercession, there will be another Fr. Jarecki : )
Posted 13 Feb 2011 at 4:17 pm ¶I am Father Mike’s Niece, Mary Jarecki from California. It was wonderful to read this and the lovely comments here. He is amazing.
Posted 11 May 2011 at 12:14 pm ¶I served as alter boy to many masses on the makeshift alter set up on our color television in the living room of our house growing up. Fr Mike, as he’s known in our house, has always been kind, compassionate, intelligent and loving. We love you Father Mike. Stosh Jarecki (nephew)
Posted 11 May 2011 at 2:36 pm ¶Fr Mike is my mothers brother. I also was altar boy for him with a makeshift alter (much like Stosh.). My mother was a daily communicant. Probably still is. She left us in 2000. She always invited him to say Mass in the parish and, of course, the Latin Mass in our living room.
Posted 11 May 2011 at 9:52 pm ¶I always felt he was a very mystical and spiritual priest.
I am sure he has done enough and is ready to leave happily. He is loved by many.
I am also the nephew Pat. Son of father mike’s sister Betty. I served as an alter boy for Father Mike for over thirty years, when he stayed in at mom’s house. We often drove to different homes in Ventura County mostly Latin masses. I remember fixing cars with is brother David, amry’s dad. I remember him fixing clocks and other stuff in the famous David Jarecki garage. The world series. We must have said the rosary over a thousand times. People in Ventura ask how he is doing and we appreciate the updates. He also said the Latin Mass at the Old Mission San BuenaVentura. He liked to walk around the neighborhood saying the rosary.
Posted 14 May 2011 at 9:31 pm ¶Post a Comment