Benedictine priest built massive art collection

Even if they never met face-to-face, anyone who steps on Benedictine University's Lisle campus will know about the Rev. Michael Komechak through his passion for art.

As a former professor, department chairman and art curator at Benedictine, Komechak spent decades accumulating a vast collection of more than 3,700 pieces.

On Sunday, Komechak lost a nearly yearlong battle with pancreatic cancer and died at age 77.

"He had a tremendous impact on the university both as a monk and as a friend to many people," university spokesman Phil Brozynski said Monday. "Every office, classroom, hallway, every inch of the university is adorned with art Father Michael brought here. You can't look anywhere without thinking about him."

Born in Gary, Ind., as Edward Komechak, he came to Lisle as a high school freshman in 1946. He graduated from St. Procopius Academy, which is now Benet Academy, in 1950. Four years later, he graduated from St. Procopius College (now Benedictine University) and then entered the monastery.

He was ordained a Catholic priest and took the name Michael in 1959. Last May, he celebrated the 50th anniversary of his vocation with roughly 500 people.

During his decades with Benet, he served as a high school English and journalism teacher, English department head and yearbook and newspaper adviser.

He also helped oversee the planning and construction of the St. Procopius Abbey church and monastery in Lisle in 1965, working with architect Edward Dart. As part of the publicity for the abbey, he founded and became editor of the St. Procopius Abbey News Quarterly for almost 40 years.

Over the following decade, he would serve at what is now Benedictine as a residence hall counselor, English department teacher, chairman of the fine arts department and continue building the university's art collection.

Even after he left the classroom, Komechak remained Benedictine's art curator until just before his death. In discussing a 2006 photo exhibit he brought to Benedictine to display images of Jerusalem, Komechak said art and education are complimentary.

"Art cultivates the imagination and basically celebrates an idea and a new way of thinking," he said.

A wake and reception will be at 7 p.m. Friday at St. Procopius Abbey Church, 5601 College Road, Lisle. A funeral Mass and burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the abbey cemetery.