A Welcoming Community of Faith Rooted in the Catholic Tradition.
Consecrated July 7, 1997
Remembering
Father Richard R. Kramer
Before I begin this reflection, I must point out that I enjoyed kidding Rich for years about his physical and vocal resemblance to David Letterman. Rich drove a car with the Illinois License Plate “FATHER” and always drove so fast that he had to have deer warning whistles attached to the two front ends of his fenders to make sure they would remain safe.
To know Richard Kramer was like popping open one’s first bottle of Champaign. You experience his infectious effervescence, his faith, sincere interest in those around him and his honest sense of humor.
On November 28th, 1940 it pleased God that Richard Kramer was born into the Kingdom of God on Earth and on May 1st, 2026 it pleased God to welcome Richard home into the Kingdom of God in Heaven after 85 years of life, 60 years of which he enthusiastically witnessed his gift of Priesthood to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford.
I first met Rich 49 years ago in DeKalb, Illinois. I was a student at NIU and Rich was assisting between the Church of St. Mary’s and the Newman Center.
While my academic goal was to complete a BA in Social Studies Education, I had seriously begun my personal discernment about priesthood and DeKalb had become my neutral ground for this process.
By mid 1987, Rich and I had become good friends and I finally confided to Rich that I was seriously considering becoming a priest. His classical response was “My Goodness.” From that point on, Rich became my companion in this journey. After an exhausting process of learning about religious orders and their charisms, Rich finally suggested that I pursue diocesan priesthood and I did.
It must be pointed out that at the time I entering formation, the ethical and psycho-sexual dysfunctionalities within many of the RC formation programs were coming to full boil and Rich feared that I might be singled out for easy abuse.
His predictions became true.
Throughout my period of formational hell, Rich never withdrew from my life and continued to encourage me to trust in God.
By 1994, I had finally decided to emancipate myself from the sexual and psychological abuse of formation and I followed the lesson of Matthew 10:14 (NIV): "If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town" and I left formation and the Catholic Church of Rome to resume my career in education.
After my emancipation I feared that I would loose Rich’s friendship. I was wrong. Rich’s friendship remained a presence in my life.
When in 1995 I was extended an invitation by Bishop Martin to consider pursuing my vocation with the jurisdiction I am now with – the second person I call for counsel was Rich Kramer. After dealing with the initial surprise Rich and I began a serious conversation about Bishop Martin’s invitation and considered it from many directions. When I had made my decision to continue my vocation within a catholic jurisdiction outside of Rome, Rich supported my choice by saying “Rome slammed their door on you and now God has brought you to a door that is open and welcoming. Trust God’s decision to bring you to this door.”
Rich was also helpful in encouraging my parents to endorse my decision, despite their painful experiences witnessing my journey in formation.
It has been 30 years since I was ordained priest and as I look back I realized just how many of Rich’s personal and pastoral qualities have become staples of my own ministry and because of this, I would like to think that I am a better man and priest because of him.
In 1998 I began my journey with coronary heart disease. Three days after my quintuple by pass surgery, Rich burst into my room with a green plant, an obscene get well card and a healing smile. His first question was “Do you get a warranty certificate with this surgery?”
During my recovery from surgery, Rich would phone two or three times a week to check in on me and also sent several gift cards from the local grocery stores to make sure I was eating properly.
Once I had recovered and was back on my feet, I resumed my quarterly visits to Harmon and enjoyed a fine meal and ample drinks with Rich while engaging in a discussion about ministry.
Rich was very proud of me when in 2001, I celebrated a Mass Against the Death Penalty in front of the Federal Building protesting the execution of the Oklahoma Bomber, Timothy Mc Veigh. Our Mass and Protest was covered fully by local and national media. Later in the day, Rich called and congratulated the witnessing of our faith. He also offered one suggestion for future media adventures: “Get a haircut.”
In 2018 I began to experience a more serious phase of my cardio condition. That summer Rich stopped by in Chicago on his way home from a Board Meeting from the Pontifical College Josephinum in Ohio. By this time my weight from bloat had me tipping the scale at 280 lbs. I had no insurance at that moment and Rich offer to help underwrite medical costs. As it turned out I wound up in the local hospital where the social workers, at Rich’s behest, enrolled me in the Illinois Medicaid program.
In November of 2024 I called Rich to invite myself to Harmon so we could jointly our birthday and that was when shared with his cancer diagnoses. I did go to Harmon and we enjoyed ourselves and Rich, with brutal honesty shared the details of the start of a journey he would ultimately loose on May 1st of this year.
No matter the difficulties his cancer caused him, Rich NEVER lost neither his faith nor his devotion to the gift of his priesthood of 60 years or to his family and friends. During these last two shared years, Rich and I compared medical war stories, held each other up when we felt down and hopeless and what could we do to support others dealing with serious illness. Typical Rich – always a priest on duty.
I sincerely believe that Rich’s journey to the end of his life within the Kingdom of God on Earth is and will be an example of life and death guided and blessed by faith.
Rich gifted me with many examples for a blessed and happy priesthood. As my illness continues to bring me closer to the end of my journey in the Kingdom of God on Earth, I hope that I will not lose my faith or devotion to the gift of my priesthood and espicopal ministry. When my time comes, I hope to experience death like Rich. Secure in faith, proud of the totality of his priestly work and grateful for his family and friends.
I am a better person and priest because of you. Please keep an eye on me until I catch up with you in the Heavenly Kingdom of God.
Please let me close using one of Rich’s longtime blessings:
May Jesus, His Mother Mary and Saint Joseph bless you richly. Amen.
Requiem aeternam tibi tribuat et animae omnium defunctorum requiescant in pace. Amen.
The Most Reverend James Alan Wilkowski
Evangelical Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of the Northwest
Chicago, Illinois
May 9th 2026
“A Welcoming Community of Faith Rooted in the Catholic Tradition”
