News

Introducing Our New Director of Communications

Dear Parishioners,

Last week I shared with you that we have hired a new Communications Director, and I am very happy to inform you Sean Reilly will fill this new and important role within our parish and school communities.

During this unprecedented time, it has become extremely important to find new ways to evangelize and provide you with spiritual nourishment that you need to grow in holiness and your relationship with Christ. Due to the need to social distance, our parish website, social media, and different digital means and online platforms have become indispensable to ensure that you remain connected to Our Lady of the Wayside parish and that we remain connected to each other as a community of faith.

As our new Communications Director, Sean Reilly will work together with Our Lady of the Wayside’s School Principal and Marketing Director and me to facilitate communication and promote evangelization using the most up-to-date means. I will now let Sean introduce himself in his own words, so that each of you can get to know him better.

Greetings Our Lady of the Wayside Friends.  With gratitude and great enthusiasm, I have accepted the role of Director of Communications at our parish.

My wife, Patty, our three children, Kaitlin, Patrick, and Lizzy, and I have been Wayside parishioners for 23 years, dating back to the days when Father Vince Costello was pastor. Through the years – collectively – we have participated in numerous parish and school teams, ministries, and volunteer activities. Patty and I currently serve as a CFM leader couple (and we invite all to join!). We love this parish and the many wonderful friends we have been blessed with in our time here. We look forward to making more!

I graduated from Loyola University of Chicago (many years ago) with a BA in Communications and have spent my entire career in the magazine publishing industry – serving in communications, marketing, sales, and leadership roles.  

A decade or so ago, I shared – over breakfast with Deacon Don Grossnickle – how unbalanced my life felt. My time then was consumed with business and family, leaving little time to serve God or deepen my faith.  “DD” reassured me that what I was doing was important, and that a time would come for “rebalancing” things later. Two years ago, I met with Ed Murnane, a long-time parishioner and (then) Communication Chair at OLW. We had a frank discussion about the need to broaden parish communications to include emerging digital and social media tools. Little did I suspect, as Ed leaned in during our discussion, that I was being recruited to join his volunteer team. Flash forward to today, where I now step into this exciting new role. God’s plan in God’s time.

I am deeply grateful to Deacon Don, Ed Murnane, my family’s OLW support network, and to Father Arthur for their vision, encouragement, support, spiritual leadership, and trust. I give praise to our Heavenly Father for His infinite blessings on my family and on our extended OLW family, and I look forward to helping spread the good news and share the joy.

Peace,
Sean Reilly 

I am very excited that Sean has joined our parish team, and look forward to working with him.

We are still in the process of interviewing candidates for the position of Operations Director. I would like to ask that you please pray that you keep this intention in your prayers. Thank you for your spiritual support!

Yours in Christ,
Fr. Arthur Marat