Mr. Terry Shelley
Director

Location:
Marian Catholic High School
700 Ashland Ave.
Chicago Heights, IL 60411
(708) 756-9752
tshelley@yamchicago.org

Terry Shelley was born and raised on Chicago Heights, IL and attended St. Kieran and Marian Catholic High School. He earned an Associates Degree from Prairie State College before attending and earning a Bachelor of Business Degree from Western Illinois University.

Terry returned home from college and entered the business world, working in sales for a manufacturing company of industrial instruments. During this time, he was invited to participate in a small faith community at St. Rocco (Chicago Heights) Parish. He learned “it only takes a spark to get a fire burning”. This positive experience led Terry to seek and find the next home on his journey of faith; regional young adult ministry under the guidance of Sr. Peggy Brennan and Sr. Julie Flynn. 10 local parishes provided funding for an outreach to young adults (20’s and 30’s, married and single). He learned to “go where there is life” as the key to success in Young Adult Ministry.

The regional young adult experience led Terry to discover the Archdiocesan Office of Young Adult Ministry led by Fr. John Cusick and Dr. Kate DeVries. In cooperation with the office, he ran a volleyball tournament for 11 years, participated in and hosted the young adult speaker series, Theology-On-Tap, at his home and in surrounding parishes. He helped to plan and execute the FOCUS Conference, a one day conference for young adults featuring a keynote speaker, workshops, mass, dinner and a party.

Upon completion of his young adult years, Terry was grateful for all the wonderful and life-giving groups and events he participated in. Terry hoped for an institutional outreach of the Catholic Church to our young adult people. This desire to give back was made real through the “Ruah” project. When asked, his answer was an enthusiastic “yes.”

The vision of the Isaac Hecker Center is to reach out and invite young adults to greater participation in the Church through gracious hospitality. We hope to teach the faith and traditions of the Church. We will ask young adults to take ownership and invite others to join them in ministering to this educated, creative, and spiritually hungry generation.

List of Parishes

Terry is working with these parishes:

St. Agnes, Chicago Heights

St. Anne, Hazel Crest

St. Ann, Lansing

St. Andrew the Apostle, Calumet City

Ascension-St. Susana, Harvey

St. Emeric, Country Hills

St. Gerard Majella, Markham

Holy Ghost, South Holland

St. Irenaeus, Park Forest

Infant Jesus of Prague, Flossmoor

St. James, Sauk Village

St. John, Glenwood

St. John the Baptist, Harvey

St. Joseph, Homewood

St. Jude the Apostle, South Holland

St. Kieran, Chicago Heights

St. Lawrence O'Toole, Matteson

St. Mary - Riverdale/Chicago

Our Lady of Knock, Calumet City

St. Paul, Chicago Heights

Queen of Apostles - Riverdale

Tolentine Center, Olympia Fields

Seton Academy, South Holland

St. Victor, Calumet City