Rev. Alex Lorang: Parochial Vicar

Dear St. Raphael Family,

My name is Fr. Alex Lorang, and I’m looking forward to serving here at St. Raphael! This will be my second assignment in my third year of priesthood. I was at St. Thomas the Apostle for the past two years, so Naperville is a familiar home to me! Some of you may recall my visit to St. Raphael’s in the Fall of 2022 as a deacon. I recounted my vocation story in the homily at the time, but for those who need a refresher or who weren’t there, keep reading!

I was born the third of five children in a loving family. I’m blessed to have grown up with two older sisters, a younger sister, and a little brother born in 2013. I was raised in Homer Glen, IL in a homeschooled family where I had the freedom to discern God’s will for my life.

My journey to priesthood began when I made my Confirmation. It was a powerful encounter with the love of God, and I was convinced of the reality of the Faith. That summer, I met a seminarian for the first time at SS. Peter and Paul in Naperville. In the short conversation I had with him, he asked whether I had ever considered the Priesthood. At the time I didn’t think the Priesthood was even an option for me, but this seminarian encouraged me to discern. I took his advice and discerned
throughout high school.

I applied to college seminary at the University of St. Thomas where I spent four years getting a bachelor’s in philosophy. It was the best of both worlds because I got to live at St. John Vianney seminary while attending a regular four-year college (this is the same college seminary that Fr. Chris attended, though we didn’t overlap in school; however, Fr. Steven Borello was one of my professors).

After graduation, I went to Mundelein Seminary for four years where I studied Theology. During my time at Mundelein, I spent two years assigned to St. Mary’s parish in Mokena as my teaching parish (where I lived with the then Brother John Abulag). And then two years assigned to St. John the Baptist (where I lived with Fr. Chris and Cal). I was still a full-time student at Mundelein, but I would visit these parishes on the weekends and breaks. I spent one whole semester as an intern at St. Mary’s, and I spent a summer as a deacon at St. John the Baptist.

Like Fr. Chris, I enjoy several hobbies, though mine might be more eclectic…I’m a musician (guitar, banjo, piano, ukulele and voice), a unicycler, and a rock climber (only indoor rocks at this point).

This isn’t my full story, but I look forward to sharing more as I get to know you! Please keep me in your prayers and know of my prayers for all of you!

God Bless

Fr. Alex