Chicago (January 24, 2003) His Holiness, Pope John Paul II, today named three priests as new auxiliary bishops for the Archdiocese of Chicago.
At a news conference today, Francis Cardinal George, O. M. I., Archbishop of Chicago, announced the appointment of Fr. Francis J. Kane, pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Wilmette; Fr. Thomas J. Paprocki, pastor of St. Constance Parish of Chicago´s norhwest side; and Fr. Gustavo Garcia-Siller, M. Sp. S., provincial head of the United States Province of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit, as new bishop-designates.
When the three priests are ordained as bishops, they will enter the college of those who are successors of the apostles. At their ordination, which is scheduled for March 19, they will receive the office of teaching, governing and sanctifying as a bishop. Each one will exercise his ministry in union with the Pope and his fellow bishops throughout the world.
All three Bishop-Designates will hold the title of auxiliary bishop, meaning they will assist Cardinal George in the pastoral administration of the Archdiocese of Chicago. Concurrent with their appointments, the Holy Father has accepted the resignations of Bishop Raymond E. Goedert, Bishop John F. Gorman and Bishop Thad J. Jakubowski as Auxiliary Bishops.
The resignation is required by the Catholic Church once a bishop reaches the age of 75. While they will be leaving their present full-time assignments, all three will continue in other capacities with the Archdiocese.

Fr. Francis Kane

Ordained a priest in 1969, Fr. Kane, 60, was raised in Chicago´s South Shore neighborhood and attended Our Lady of Peace Catholic School before entering Quigley Preparatory Seminary High School. After graduation, he attended Niles College and then St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mundelein, earning a degree in theology.
After ordination, Fr. Kane was assigned as associate pastor at St. John Fisher on Chicago´s far southwest side. He later served at St. Nicholas of Tolentine Parish on Chicago´s southwest side and was Associate Director for the Archdiocese´s Center for Pastoral Ministry.
In 1979, Fr. Kane was named the first Director for the Office for the Ministry of Peace and Justice for the Archdiocese, one of several administrative posts he would hold. He also served as Archdiocesan Director of the Campaign for Human Development, Archdiocesan Director of Catholic Relief Services and Director of Community Services for the Archdiocese. During this period, he was assigned to Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Chicago´s Lakeview community.
Fr. Kane was appointed pastor of St. Joseph Parish in Wilmette in 1993 and during his tenure he spearheaded the reopening of the parish school that had been closed for ten years. He has also served as Dean of the parishes located in Skokie, Evanston, Winnetka, Northfield and Wilmette.

Fr. Thomas Paprocki

Ordained a priest in 1978, Fr. Paprocki, 50, was raised on Chicago´s southwest side and attended St. Casimir School before attending Quigley South Preparatory Seminary High School, graduating in 1970. He then attended Niles College of Loyola University where he received a bachelor´s degree in political science in 1974. Afterward, he attended St. Mary of the Lake Seminary, Mundelein, where he earned three degrees.
After ordination, Fr. Paprocki studied at DePaul University College of Law and was admitted to the Illinois Bar in 1981, the same year he received his law degree. While at DePaul, he served as associate pastor of St. Michael Parish in Chicago´s South Chicago community. He would subsequently be appointed administrator of St. Joseph Parish in the same community and was the co-founder of the South Chicago Legal Clinic that provides legal services to the poor. He still serves in a volunteer capacity as President of that organization.
In 1985, Fr. Paprocki was appointed Vice Chancellor for the Archdiocese, a position he held until 1987 when he went to the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome to do post-graduate study in Canon Law. He returned to his position in 1991 and was named Chancellor in 1992, a post he held until July 2000.
After leaving his position as Chancellor, Fr. Paprocki studied Polish at the Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland. In January 2001, he was appointed pastor of St. Constance, a parish that serves a large Polish-American population.

Fr. Gustavo Garcia

Ordained in 1984 in Guadalajara, Mexico, Fr. Garcia, 46, was raised in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, where he attended grade school and high school. In 1973, he joined the Mexican Community of the Missionaries of the Holy Spirit in Mexico City. By the time, he was ordained, he had earned a degree in human development at the ITESO, a Jesuit University in Guadalajara, Mexico, and master´s degrees in philosophy, theology and psychology.
After graduation, Fr. Garcia worked for 13 years in formation for his religious order. He spent four years teaching in a high school and at the Institute for Philosophy in Guadalajara, six years as a rector for the order´s House of Studies-College in California and three years as a rector for the order´s House of Studies at Mount Angel, Oregon.
Fr. Garcia also served nine years in parish ministry. He spent four years in the Fresno, California, Diocese; two years in the Orange, California, Diocese; and three years in the Archdiocese of Portland.
Since 1999, Fr. Garcia has been head of the religious community, first serving as Major Superior and then as United States Provincial Superior when the United States Province was formed earlier this year.