Geneva priest Rev. Jonathan Bakkelund dies in hospice care

The Rev. Jonathan Bakkelund, 39, of St. Peter Catholic Church in Geneva, died early Thursday morning while in hospice care, a church official announced.

Bakkelund had been pastor at St. Peter’s since 2016.

“Our beloved Fr. Bakkelund passed away early this morning,” St. Peter’s Parochial Vicar Rev. John McFadden stated in a message to parishioners. “.... May he rest in God’s peace.”

The Rev. Jared Twenty, pastor at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Batavia Township, sent a message to parishioners there Tuesday announcing Bakkelund’s health issues related to alcoholism and asking for their prayers.

“Just yesterday (Monday), it was announced to St. Peter’s Parish and School that, after all medical solutions having been exhausted, Father Bakkelund has now gone on hospice care,” Twenty’s message stated.

“Father Bakkelund is a close friend of mine. I want to assure you that he is at peace, taking this time to prayerfully prepare to meet the Lord,” Twenty wrote. “I would ask that in your kindness you please pray for him, his family, his brother priests of the Diocese of Rockford, and the whole St. Peter’s community during this difficult time.”

According to the biography on the St. Peter School website, Bakkelund was ordained a priest in 2011, and his first assignment was at Saint Mary Catholic Church in Huntley.

Bakkelund also served at St. Thomas the Apostle and at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, both in Crystal Lake, and as a student priest studying Liturgy at Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein.

Bakkelund served as the Diocesan Master of Ceremonies for Bishop John Malloy of the Rockford Diocese, and Director of the Office of Divine Worship.

“The whole Geneva faith community is joined in prayer praying for Fr. Bakkelund to our Heavenly Father whom Fr. Bakkelund loved and served so well,” McFadden had written in an email Wednesday morning.