DIOCESE—Five priests will retire at the beginning of June. They are:                   
 

Msgr. Eric Barr

Msgr. Eric Barr, S.T.L., retires effective June 1.

Born in Prairie du Chen, Wis. to the late Phillip Barr and Rachel Marie (Hampton) Barr, he attended Holy Name Seminary and Edgewood College in Madison, St. John’s Seminary in Collegeville, Minn., and Catholic University in Washington, D.C. He later earned his S.T.L. at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein.

He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Arthur J. O’Neill on June 9, 1984. He was given the title of Prelate of Honor (Monsignor) on Nov. 26, 2000.

His assignments began in Freeport, as parochial vicar at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish and chaplain and teacher at Aquin Central Catholic High School (1984-1987); acting superintendent for Freeport Catholic Schools (1985-1987) and Aquin’s acting principal (1986-1987).

He spent a year as assistant principal and religion department chairman at St. Edward Central Catholic High School (1987-1988), Msgr. Barr served for a few months as assistant vocation director, then became parochial vicar at Christ the Teacher Parish in DeKalb (1988-1990). After just over a year of graduate studies, he served for about four months as administrator of St. John the Baptist Parish in Johnsburg, then in that position for about three months at St. Mary Parish, McHenry. He then became pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Aurora (1991-1997) and then at

St. Rita Parish, Rockford (1997-2000).

He was administrator (2000-2001) and then pastor (2001-2014) at St. Mary Parish in Durand and St. Patrick Parish in Irish Grove. He served also during that time as Vicar for Clergy and Religious (2000-2011), as vicar general (2011-2012), as misconduct officer of the Diocesan Review Board (2011-2015), as associate publisher of The Observer (2011-2015), a second term as vicar general (2012-2015), and served also as chancellor (2012-2015).

Additionally, he has served on the Priests Health Committee, Diocesan Liturgical Music Committee, College of Consultors, Diocesan Planning Commission, Liturgical Commission, the Board for Bishop Lane Retreat Center, the Catholics Come Home Committee, on the Diocesan Finance Council, as chair of the Board of Directors at Siena on Brendenwood, and as a censor librorum.

Msgr. Robert Sweeney

Msgr. Robert Sweeney, JCB, retires effective June 1.

Born in Evergreen Park to the late James Sweeney and Laurette (Tuohy) Sweeney, he attended Mendel Catholic High School in Chicago, John Carroll University in Cleveland, Loyola University in Chicago and Northern Illinois University in DeKalb. He studied philosophy and theology at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minn., and later Canon Law at Catholic University in Washington, D.C.

He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Arthur J. O’Neill on May 18, 1969. He was given the papal honor, Chaplain to His Holiness, with the title of monsignor on Nov. 22, 2007.

He began priestly service as parochial vicar at St. Bridget Parish, Loves Park (1969-1972), then at the Cathedral of St. Peter (1972-1979), serving also as part-time faculty at Boylan Central Catholic High School (1969-1975).

He served as notary at the diocesan Tribunal (1972-1985), as secretary at the Tribunal (1975-1985) and Defender of the Bond there (1976-1985). A year of post-graduate study at Catholic University was followed with assignments as chaplain at Maria Linden (now Cor Mariae) in Rockford (1980-1982) and vice-officialis at the Tribunal (1982-1985)

He was administrator at St. Mary Parish in Maple Park (1982-1985), and began service as Defender of the Bond and Judge of the Interdiocesan Tribunal in 1983, and was Defender of the Bond and Advocate of the Diocesan Tribunal (1987-present). He served as pastor of St. Rita of Cascia Parish in Aurora (1985-1987), then at St. Wendelin, Shannon, and SS. John and Catherine in Mt. Carroll (1987-1991).
He also has been diocesan director for the Propagation of the Faith since 2012 and Defender of the Bond for Matrimonial Cases for the Tribunal since 2016. He served as director of Catholic Cemeteries (1987-1988), and became pastor of St. Mary, Pecatonica (1991), serving there to the present.
Receptions will be held at St. Mary Parish in Pecatonica after 5:30 p.m. Mass on May 27 and after 9 and 11:15 Masses on May 28.

Father Donald Ahles

Father Donald Ahles will retire on June 1.

Born in Rockford to Donald M. and Amelia (DalCollo) Ahles, he attended Holy Cross High School in Lacrosse, Wis., and Loras College in Dubuque. He studied also at St. Mary Seminary and John Hopkins University in Baltimore. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Arthur J. O’Neill on May 30, 1971.

He began service as parochial vicar at St. Anne Parish, Dixon (1971-1976) with service in campus ministry at Sauk Valley College in Dixon (1974-1976). He then was parochial vicar at St. Mary Parish in Woodstock (1976-1979), then at Christ the Teacher Parish in DeKalb (1979-1982). He became pastor of Christ the Teacher Parish (1982-1988) and was diocesan director of campus ministry (1980-1988). He was pastor of SS. Peter and Paul Parish in Cary (1988-2003), taking a few months leave followed by service as administrator of St. Joseph Parish in Freeport (2003-2004).

He served as pastor of St. Mary Parish in Sterling (2004-2012) and as administrator of St. Mary Parish in Tampico (2004-2006).

Father Ahles has served as a diocesan consultor (2005-2014) and as parish priest consultor (2009-present). He began service as pastor of St. Catherine of Genoa Parish in Genoa in 2012, serving there to the present. He also was vicar forane of the DeKalb Deanery from 2012 on, and administrator of St. Paul Parish in Sandwich from 2016 to the present.

A reception for Father Ahles will be held at St. Catherine of Genoa Parish in Genoa on June 4 from 10:30 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Father Robert Camacho

Father J. Robert Camacho retires effective June 1.

Born in Elgin to Joaquin and Rita (Pompa) Camacho, he attended St. Edward Central Catholic High School, and college at St. Mary’s in Baltimore and Northern Illinois University in DeKalb (post-graduate). His studies for the priesthood were at Mount St. Mary Seminary in Emmitsburg, Md., and Sacred Heart Seminary in Hales Corner, Wis. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Arthur J. O’Neill on June 23, 1979.

He has served as parochial vicar at St. Therese Parish, Aurora (1979-1983), at SS. Peter and Paul, Cary (1983-1985), at St. Mary Parish in Sterling (1985-1987), then was coordinator of the Spanish-Speaking Apostolate in McHenry County (1987-1990).

He served as parochial vicar at St. Monica Parish, Carpentersville (1990-1999) and at St. Nicholas Parish in Aurora (1999-2000). He then served as administrator (2000-2003) and then pastor (2003-2009) of Sacred Heart Parish in Aurora.

After serving in Hispanic Ministry in the Freeport Deanery (2009-2016), he has served as parochial vicar at St. Joseph Parish in Elgin since January, 2016.

Father Camacho will be honord at a reception breakfast after the 8:30 a.m. Mass on May 28 in the gumnasium at St. Joseph Churchin Elgin.

Father Stanislaw Kos

Father Stanislaw Kos retired on June 1.

Born in Jurkowice, Poland, to Jozef and Marianna (Nowak) Kos, he attended high school in Lyceum, Poland, and college at the Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the University in Poznan in Poland. He did priesthood studies at the Major Seminary of Oblate Missionaries in Obra, Poland (1967-1970) and at SS. Cyril and Methodius Seminary in Orchard Lake, Mich., where he earned an M.Div. in 1991. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Thomas G. Doran on Nov. 30, 1996.

His priestly service has included as parochial vicar at St. Edward Parish, Rockford (1996-1999) and at St. Mary Parish, Elgin (1999-2001).

He served as administrator at St. Patrick Parish, Amboy (2001-2003), and at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Hanover (2003-2004). He was parochial vicar at St. Mary Parish in Elizabeth (2004-2007) before beginning his current service as parochial vicar at Holy Trinity Parish in Scales Mound (2004-present) and at St. Mary and St. Michael parishes in Galena (2007-present).

A reception for Father Kos will be on June 18 after the 10 a.m. Mass at St. Mary Church, Galena, downstairs in Bally Hall.