Richard Bennett

Rector Emeritus

Fr. Bennett was born, XXL, 25 inches, 10 lbs., 6 oz, in Evanston, Illinois. Most of his education began in the public schools of Marinette, Wisconsin. In fact, his first college year was at the University of Wisconsin at Marinette, following WWII. He earned his B.A. at Carroll College, Waukesha, Wisconsin, began a teaching profession at a middle-school in Highwood, Illinois and after four years, went to Grayslake, Illinois to teach American History. He attended night school at Northwestern University to earn an M.A. It was at Grayslake he found the Episcopal Church through the efforts of a couple of good friends. When he first began college the desire to become a minister was set aside. Again, in Grayslake, the compulsion was still present and his family accepted the adventure to sell their house and move to Nashotah House, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree.

Ordained on December 18th 1965 at the age of thirty-nine his first mission was at Harvard, Illinois, where after nine years, a new church building and rectory were constructed.

From Harvard, he was called to St. Matthew’s Diocese of Springfield and ministered here for over thirteen years. During that time he served as the Deputy to General Convention in 1976; started the Evangelism & Renewal Department; he served as Dean of the Eastern and Northeastern Deaneries. He attended the Fifth Province E. & R. annual workshops, where with the Bishop of Eau Claire and he were the main presenters. For seven years he was the Chaplain to the Mclean Country Sheriff’s Department. Fr. Bennett has also been very active with the Cursillo events in Bloomington and the Diocese of Springfield.

He and his wife Alice were married on May 11th, 1946 and were blessed with two daughters and three sons. Fr. Bennett served as a sonar man, helms man and postmaster in the U.S. Navy, in WWII and experience combat at Okinawa and escorted landings in the Philippines. Until this year, his destroyer crew met for an annual reunion, but due to age and health, this was the last time.

From Bloomington he accepted the call to be Vicar of St. Alban’s, Olney, Illinois and after three years retired to Palmetto, Florida. While there, he accepted the call for help at the Church of the Annunciation, Holmes Beach. He ministered there for fourteen years during his “retirement”. He returned to Bloomington to be near his family and was well accepted at St. Matthew’s as Priest Associate where he was once rector.