WOODSTOCK—Father Louis Tosto retired effective Dec. 1, 2018.

 

His was a later-in-life vocation, entering seminary studies at age 44 and ordained at age 49. 

 

The schools he attended include Forest View High School in Arlington Heights, college at Cardinal Stritch in Milwaukee, Wis., and Sacred Heart School of Theology in Hales Corners, Wis.

 

Prior to his call to the priesthood, he was in sales and management with Edward Hines Lumber Company in the Chicago area for more than 15 years. 

 

He was a resident of Elk Grove Village for 32 years, serving there as a volunteer fireman for 15 years. He also was on the village Community Services and Mental Health Board, and chaired the Village Youth Services Committee. He was active with the Jaycees as president and life member and was an Illinois State Jaycees Ambassador. 

 

Father Tosto was one of the original Alexian Brothers co-members at Alexian Brothers Medical Center, serving as a eucharistic minister there and leading Liturgies of the Word at the hospital chapel for employees when no priest was available. It was during those years that he discerned his vocation to the priesthood.

 

Additionally, Father Tosto founded Women in Need Growing Stronger (WINGS), which is a transitional living program for women and children working to end the cycle of domestic violence. It now has two shelters, each with more than 40 beds, serving southwest Chicago and the city’s northwestern suburbs.

 

Father Tosto was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Thomas G. Doran on May 17, 1997.

 

He served as parochial vicar at St. Thomas More Parish in Elgin from June 1997 to June 1998. He became parochial vicar at St. Catherine of Siena, Dundee, and St. Mary, Gilberts from June 1998 to November 1999, then became administrator there until June 2000, serving also during those years as spiritual advisor at St. Edward Central Catholic High School in Elgin.

 

He was pastor at Immaculate Conception Parish in Fulton and St. Patrick in Albany from June 2000 to May 2002, and pastor at Christ the King Parish from May 2002 until August 2005.

 

From July 2005 until July 2006 Father Tosto served as parochial vicar at St. Edward Parish in Rockford and as chaplain at Cor Mariae Center there. He then served as parochial vicar at St. Andrew Parish in Rock Falls for just over four years until August 2010 when he became the administrator at St. Mary Parish in Polo until July 2014.

 

Father Tosto then served as parochial vicar at St. Thomas More in Elgin from July 2015 to October 2016; at St. Paul the Apostle in Sandwich, temporarily from October 2016 to June 2017; and at St. Mary, Woodstock and St. Patrick, Hartland from June 2017 to Nov. 30, 2018.