From all school Masses to graduations, Fr. Joe Malczyk C.R. and Fr. Christopher Robinson C.M. play a significant part in DePaul Prep’s ministry and also make a huge difference to those around them. But what many might not know are the steps and experiences that have led them to their current work with DePaul Prep.

Growing up on the northwest side of Chicago, Fr. Joe started his faith life at St. Hyacinth Parish in the Avondale neighborhood (now St. Hyacinth Basilica). There, he was taught by the Holy Family of Nazareth Sisters who he says were responsible for him becoming a priest. Even after he graduated, he was still involved with his parish and Fr. Joe also said that “there were Resurrectionist priests staffing that parish so that’s how I became in touch with the Resurrectionists.” This religious group sponsored Gordon Tech, which has now become DePaul Prep. 

Fr. Joe said that a major reason why he became a priest was because, “I grew up in a strongly Catholic family. We always went to church.” He also said that the influence of his grandmother in his life encouraged him to become a priest. 

As for his involvement in DePaul Prep, Fr. Joe has been the school chaplain for many years. Before DePaul Prep was founded, he was School Chaplain, Director of Student Activities, and Moderator of the Prom & Graduation at Gordon Tech from 1969-1979. He also served at Weber High School as School Chaplain, Director of Student Activities, Moderator of Prom and Student Council, Recruitment Director from 1980-1989 and later returned to Gordon Tech. 

Outside of DePaul Prep, Fr. Joe also has been a priest serving at St Matthew’s Parish for the past 14 years. Overall, Fr. Joe says that “what keeps me here is working with students. Out of my 54 years as a priest, 53 of them have been working with high school students and I really enjoy the energy they have.” 

Overall, Fr. Joe believes that there are two important quotes that relate to his vocation as a priest. One of them is from Bishop John Henry Newman. Newman says that  “God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another”. The other is from Mother Theresa and she says “It is not how much we do, but how much love we put into doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love is put in the giving.” 

Growing up outside Houston Texas, Fr. Christopher Robinson had a very different situation before becoming a priest. Fr. Chris said “My father was an atheist, and my mother was a devout Catholic…Because my mom was so devout Roman Catholic, we had a deep understanding of faith and because my dad was an atheist, we had a very critical thinking mind of faith”. 

Aside from his family religion, Fr. Chris went on to college and studied journalism and got a masters in Radio/Television production in 1986 from Loyola University Chicago, but he said that “I always wanted my life to be a little different”. This called him to find out his friends were involved at his childhood church. There he saw a Vincentian priest and “one thing led to the next” leading him to the seminary and 9 years later, becoming a priest. But what really confirmed his commitment to the priesthood was in 1984 during his novitiate year when he rallied at a protest in support of the children of a woman who was murdered. With the help of Sister Martha Milner RSM, she organized through the Saint Thomas housing Projects and led the participants to sing “The Lord Hears the Cry of the Poor”. This led Fr. Chris to his final vows as a Vincentian priest.

Fr. Chris’s priesthood started in Houston, then he went to the St. Louis Vincentian seminary, and spent a year in New Orleans which was when he participated in the protest. After that, he completed his theology studies in Denver, Colorado at St. Thomas Seminary. Then he was ordained a Roman Catholic priest in Perryville, Missouri in 1989 In 1994, Fr. Chris ended up in Chicago to work in campus ministry at DePaul University and to try out teaching as well. In the end,Fr. Chris enjoyed it so much that DePaul University requested him to get an additional theology degree so he went to Belgium for 5 years to study systematic theology and postmodern philosophy, receiving two degrees from the Katholieke Universiteit in Leuven. Once he was done in 2001, he has been at DePaul University ever since. 

Then in 2017, Fr. Chris joined the board of directors at DePaul Prep representing the Vincentians and is a part of it today. He helps with liturgies, retreats and whenever the DePaul Prep Mission and Ministry department needs him. Fr. Chris Robinson is a priest of the Congregation of the Mission (The Vincentians) named after St. Vincent DePaul. Outside of DePaul Prep, Fr. Chris is also a professor of religious studies at DePaul University. He teaches classes on religion and pop culture, courses on extremism, and on fundamentalism. On top of this, he is a liaison between DePaul University, DePaul Prep and the Vincentian fathers and brothers.

Overall, Fr. Chris believes “I am so happy here. This makes me really fulfilled, stretches me as a person and keeps me learning new things. I also find God in this work. The challenges of the big questions, the standing with people when they are struggling. To be able to see the resilience of the next generation and be a part of that is very life-giving.”

In the end, both Fr. Joe and Fr. Chris had very different experiences growing up but were still led to educate and teach others. They have made such an impact on their communities and they will continue, day after day.