St. Cajetan Parish

Rev Kenneth Budzikowski

Pastor
Phone: 773-474-7810
Email: Click Here to Email

Father Ken Budzikowski was born in Chicago in 1954, the son of the late Chester and Eleanor Budzikowski. He arrived a few years after his sister, Christine. He attended St. Roman School (23rd and Washtenaw) from 1st through 5th grade. His family moved to Garfield Ridge in 1964, where he finished his grade school at St. Camillus, graduating in 1968. He attended Quigley South Seminary, graduating in 1972, and Niles College Seminary of Loyola graduating in 1976, where he majored in Spanish. The following Fall he entered St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein and completed his studies upon ordination by John Cardinal Cody on May 14, 1980.

Father Ken has served in the following parishes, schools, and organizations: Deacon, Mary, Seat of Wisdom, 1979-80; 1st assignment as a priest, St. Veronica, 1980-86; Instructor of Spanish, Niles College Seminary, 1986-94; Associate Pastor at St. Paul of the Cross, 1994-99; Associate Pastor at St. Thecla, 1999-2001; Pastor at St. Thecla, 2001-10; Dean of Vicariate II-F, 2004-10; Vicar for Priest (while residing at St. Mary’s Evanston) 2010-15; Pastor at St. John Fisher, 2015 to present; recently named Pastor of St. Cajetan, July, 2022. He currently serves on the Archdiocesan Presbyteral Council (along with Fr. Marty), has been a member of the Archdiocesan College of Consultors since 2010, and currently serves as the President of the Priests’ Health and Retirement Board (PHR, formerly PRMAA).

A lifelong White Sox fan, Fr. Ken enjoys rooting for our other Chicago teams, except the Cubs. He has travelled a bit but enjoys road trips the most -jumping in his car and heading west. For relaxation, he enjoys listening to music and playing guitar. For a quick break, he visits his sister Christine and brother-in-law Ken in Green Bay. And no, they are not Packer fans!