Father John W. "Jack" Dewes

All services will be livestreamed. Access will be through the parish website, https://stannelivestream.com/

John William Dewes was born in Chicago on a blustery January day in 1939. Named after his father, John quickly became “Jack”. He attended St. Thomas Aquinas School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and St. Mary of the Lake Seminary. He was ordained in 1965. His parish assignments brought him to the north and northwest suburbs:  Our Lady of Hope, Rosemont (1965-1972), where he had additional responsibilities serving at O’Hare International Airport; St. Raymond de Penafort, Mount Prospect (1972-1979); Immaculate Conception, Highland Park (1979-1985); and St. Hubert, Hoffman Estates (1985-1989). With all these assignments, Fr. Jack brought with him an ardent belief that people needed to be welcomed, and in all his assignments he formed long-lasting friendships.

At age 50, Fr. Jack was named pastor at St. Anne in Barrington (1989-2009). With this new role came the challenge of expanding facilities to accommodate the growing Catholic community in Barrington. But before moving headlong into construction, Fr. Jack felt the need to get to know and truly understand the community, expand its outreach beyond Barrington, and integrate its many ministries. Only with this underway would he undertake a building campaign. His roadmap for that campaign was a seven generations model. The Community of St. Anne had to look back and garner the wisdom of the three past generations and look forward, envisioning the needs of three future generations before the present generation could begin planning. And begin it did in 1995 with the approval of Joseph Cardinal Bernardin, the purchase of a street from the Village of Barrington, the decision to leave the existing Church in place, the planning of a large Gathering Space that would serve as a hub, the connecting and refurbishing of our parish school, and finally to the construction of a new and beautiful antiphonal-styled worship space that would be home to all.

Guiding the construction of the St. Anne Campus was a vision—certainly of beautiful and lasting buildings—but more importantly a vision that that the church was first and foremost its people. That vision was encapsulated in the campaign’s theme, “This people is the house of God.” The church was dedicated in 2000.

While we all are the beneficiaries of Fr. Jack’s vision of Church, perhaps what we will remember most is his uncanny ability to connect with every person he encountered with a smile, a hug, and, so often, a story. His stories helped people relate their current places in life—their personal challenges, families, work, friends, and neighbors—to the Gospel and ultimately to the abiding love of God. Letters and notes to Fr. Jack from parishioners who wrote him in the last months reveal that his message was strongly rooted. Your mission, Fr. Jack, was accomplished!

Fr. Jack was preceded in death by his father, John William and mother, Mary (Sweeney) Dewes and by his brother, Robert. He is survived by his sister, Jean Allendorfer, by nieces, Mary Jo Ward, Linda Ward-Demma, and Kathy Fetsch, by great nieces, Rebecca and Isabella, and by long and special friends, Julie, Jean, and Jane Nolan.

A welcoming procession will be held Sunday, November 21, from 3:30 PM until 8 PM with a Vespers service to be held at 6:30 PM at St. Anne Catholic Community, 120 Ela St. (Corner of Franklin and Ela Sts.), Barrington, Illinois 60010. Lying in state will be Monday, November 22, at 8:30 AM until the time of Mass at 10 AM with Cardinal Blasé Cupich, presiding. A memorial luncheon to follow at 11:30 AM at the St. Anne Parish Center. Interment will be held Tuesday, November 23, at 10 AM at Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Saint Anne Youth & Young Adult Ministry, 120 Ela St. (Corner of Franklin and Ela Sts.), Barrington, Illinois 60010. Please make checks payable to Saint Anne Catholic Church.