Tom Croak's Golden Jubilee

DES Member Thomas Croak celebrated his Golden Jubilee as a Vincentian at a Mass on May 24, 2015. Congratulations, Tom.

From DePaul Newsline:

A PRIESTHOOD GOLDEN JUBILEE

Rachel Marciano

 JUNE 17, 2015

May 27, 1965. Lyndon B. Johnson occupied the Oval Office, The Beatles topped the music charts, Diff'rent Strokes actor Todd Bridges was born and 26-year-old Tom Croak was ordained at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Chicago. Now 50 years later, Rev. Thomas Croak, C.M., still dedicates his time to the church, the communities it serves and the university that shares its name.

Though much of his work has been exclusively in the field of education at the university level, Father Croak's first assignment out of the seminary was as dean of students at the then DePaul University Academy in Chicago. Following his two years at the high school, Father Croak was assigned to Cardinal Glennon College in St. Louis, where he again worked as dean of students. After earning a doctorate degree from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Father Croak returned to Chicago in 1977, where he joined the faculty in the History Department at DePaul University.

"Cornelius Sippel, chair of the History Department at the time, was very hesitant about bringing me on as a faculty member," Father Croak laughs, recalling his first quarter at the university. "I secured one class that fall term, as a trial run. But it went well and I got a full schedule after that."

Currently an emeritus associate professor of history and a volunteer attorney in the DePaul School of Law's Asylum and Immigration Clinic, Father Croak has held various positions, both faculty and administrative, at the university over the last 38 years. In 1980 he was named dean of students and associate vice president of student affairs, positions he held for 10 years. In 1992 he became chair of the History Department, and later associate vice president of advancement and development in 1998. Finally in 2006, Father Croak became founding director of the Croak Student Legal Services Office.

"A lot has changed over the years at DePaul; many people have retired and the student body has grown immensely, which is a good thing," Father Croak says. "But what has not changed is the institutional mission and the sense of Vincentian personal-ism that everyone carries. Although we've become a large school, we still have the feeling of a small one."

Now retired from both the history department and legal services office, Father Croak plans to spend more time volunteering at DePaul's Asylum and Immigration Clinic, at the Little Sisters of the Poor and with a number of parishes around the city, including, of course, St. Vincent de Paul Parish.

"I have been so lucky in my life, to have had these opportunities and to have worked with the people I have," Father Croak says. "My greatest hope is that DePaul remains a place where people who are looking to improve their lives have the chance to do that."

This May, Father Croak and three other priests celebrated their 50th anniversary of ordination at the St. Vincent de Paul Church. Rev. Prudencio Rodriguez, C.M., a former faculty member of DePaul's Modern Language Department, and Rev. Antonio Ruiz, C.M., both originally from Spain, were ordained in Chicago with Father Croak. Rev. Paul Golden, C.M., was ordained at St. Vincent de Paul church in Los Angeles. Father Golden also worked as an administrator at DePaul for several years and is now a Life Member of the university's Board of Trustees. Father Ruiz traveled to Chicago for Father Croak's golden jubilee mass on May 24.

Source: DePaul Newsline Online, June 17, 2015