From the StarCourier: Father Jerry is Ambassadors’ 2013 Citizen of the Year, Pastor of Holy Trinity Church

Kewanee — The Rev. Jerry Rafalko is the 2013 Citizen of the Year. Rev. Rafalko was selected by the Kewanee Chamber of Commerce’s Ambassadors Club. He will be honored at a community dinner reception which will be scheduled in the next few weeks.

Rev. Jaroslaw “Jerry” Rafalko was born and educated in Poland. He was ordained into the priesthood in 1980 in Poland, and came to the United States in 1989 to join his mother and sister, who lived in Chicago.

In March 1990 he was assigned by the bishop of the Western District of the Polish National Catholic Church as pastor of Holy Trinity Parish in Kewanee.

The parish has been part of the Kewanee community for 85 years, meeting the needs first of Polish immigrants and later of many local residents.

Moving to the United States opened new opportunities and presented new challenges for Father Jerry. He studied English and computer science at Black Hawk East College.

As a priest, his pastoral ministry includes spiritual and psychological counseling. Since 1999 he has been chaplain and bereavement coordinator first for Kewanee Hospital Hospice and now for OSF Hospice in Kewanee, offering spiritual comfort to those who are dying and grief support to their family members.

Father Jerry does a monthly radio show offering information on hospice and conducts weekly support group meetings at Kewanee Hospital and at Courtyard Estates in Galva.

Father Jerry’s community honors have included recognition by the Kewanee Kiwanis Club, the DAR and Kewanee Care, where he was named volunteer of the year in 2004. He also has received the Ambassadors Club Meritorious Service Award and the Elks Distinguished Citizenship Award for outstanding and meritorious service to humanity.

Father Jerry’s wife Leslie is a registered nurse in the emergency room and critical care unit at Kewanee Hospital.