Fr. Jerome Kim bids farewell to Saint Ambrose parishioners

Intermountain Catholic

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Father Jerome Kim celebrates his last Mass at Saint Ambrose Parish with Father Andrzej Skrzypiec (right), pastor, and Father Adrian Komar (left), a priest from Poland who is staying at the parish while learning English. IC photo/Christine Young

SALT LAKE CITY — Father Jerome Kim, associate pastor of Saint Ambrose Parish in Salt Lake City, was given a standing ovation as he bid farewell to the parishioners following the July 20 Mass.

Fr. Kim concelebrated the Masses July 20-21 with Father Andrzej Skrzypiec, pastor, and Father Adrian Komar, who is visiting the Diocese of Salt Lake City from Poland and learning English.

Fr. Kim has been called to return to his order, The Most Holy Trinity at Mirinae, in South Korea. He won’t have a particular assignment when he returns, but is being called to "pray with my religious brothers and priests," he said.

Fr. Kim had mixed emotions about leaving Utah, he said.

"I am excited to return to Korea to see my religious brothers and priests, but on the other hand, I will miss Utah and the people here," said Fr. Kim, adding that he hopes to see all of them again one day.

Fr. Kim arrived in the Diocese of Salt Lake City in April 2009. He had a hospital ministry and filled in for Fr. Skrzypiec while he was on vacation.

"He faithfully served the parishioners here at St. Ambrose, heard confessions and diligently served patients in the hospital ministry; he was always willing to go when there was a call," said Fr. Skrzypiec following the Mass. "His dedicated service to the hospital made it the only chapel nobody complained about during his tenure, and for that we are indebted to him and very grateful."

Many parishioners and hospital workers praised Fr. Kim for his kindness as a priest and his service to the hospital ministry during a reception held in his honor.

"Fr. Kim is the nicest, most humble, holy man; he is full of the Lord," said Barbara Struhs, St. Ambrose parishioner and Primary Children’s Hospital Cardiology Department administrative assistant. "He has shared some great stories with us at Primary Children’s during Mass."

Monica Frederick, St. Ambrose parishioner and University Medical Center physical therapist, said, "It was so comforting to see him going around the hospital and into rooms because he was always so kind and so patient. I think the patients who saw him were comforted by his presence. He did it for such a long time; seriously, very unassuming and quiet about the way he went around. He was always there, always on-call; it was a very good fit for him."

Melanie Elizondo, St. Ambrose office administrator, was impressed by Fr. Kim’s willingness to immediately return to the hospital to answer a call even though he had just returned home from the hospital. "He would go at all hours of the day or night without hesitation or complaint," she said.

Vicki Bourg, St. Ambrose finance manager, added that he "always had a smile, and he is so sincere."

Rosalie Mirabelli, St. Ambrose parishioner, was grateful that Fr. Kim was able to visit her in the hospital despite a horrible November snow storm, because nobody else was able to, she said. "It was a great experience because he was so spiritual and it made my day. He brought me Communion and then he came every other day after that."

Pam Avery, St. Ambrose Religious Education director, is "going to miss Fr. Kim dearly," she said. "He has the most humble spirit and is the epitome of what a priest should be; he cares for the sick; he cares for the healthy; he cares for all of us. He is just a delight."

Marlene Skillings agreed that Fr. Kim "is always there for everyone," she said. "We wish him lots of luck."