My name is Fr. Terry Weik. My surname is German (though ¾ of my heritage is Irish) and only 4 letters long – but it contains a double vowel combination that trips up a lot of folks. So I will prefer to go by Fr. Terry, as it’s just a lot easier to pronounce. I come here as a parish vicar with the status of senior priest – the ‘senior’ part meaning that I don’t get around as quickly as I once did. I'm very happy to be welcomed into the St. Jude parish family, where my focus will be on your pastoral care needs and things sacramental and spiritual.
I grew up not too far from here, in Bristol Borough, Lower Bucks County, attending St. Mark the Evangelist parochial school, Bishop Egan High School, and after a year at Bucks Community College, I entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary. I was ordained a priest in 1980 and then spent 8 years ministering in parishes in Chester and Drexel Hill before discerning a calling to religious life. I entered the Society of Mary (Marianists) in 1988 and for the next 25 years as a religious order monk I was engaged in a variety of ministries all over the eastern half of the U.S.: high school teaching / chaplaincy and graduate studies in Hollywood and Miami Gardens, Florida; novitiate formation and high school teaching in Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio; graduate studies in Toronto, Ontario, Canada; parish and retreat house youth and young adult ministry and later serving as a parish pastor in Sparks and Eldersburg, Maryland, respectively; directing university campus ministry and teaching as adjunct professor of theology and later completing the coursework for doctoral studies in San Antonio, Texas; and also briefly serving in family retreat center ministry in Cape May Point, New Jersey.
About 10 years ago I returned to the service of the Philly Archdiocese, serving as parish vicar at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parish next door to us in Doylestown; then as pastor at Visitation BVM, Trooper; and then at Maternity, BVM parish in Bustleton.
The greatest and lasting gift that religious community life gave me was requiring of me to learn how to cook, which was daunting for a while until it became an enjoyable hobby. I’ve also been blest to do some wonderful travelling: to the Holy Land, and beautiful European countries: Italy, Ireland, France, and Spain. I have a wonderful companion pet, Pasha, my 7-year-old chocolate point Siamese cat. He keeps me laughing and has been great company during these several years of the worldwide pandemic. I also like to go walking in nature, especially in a wilderness area with running water and wildlife around.
Thank you so very much for the warm welcome into the family. I have heard many wonderful things about what a great parish this is and I’m grateful to become part of the family.