Early life and education

Andrew Wypych was born in Kazimierza Wielka, Poland on December 5, 1954, to Henryka Luty and Julian Wypych. He had one brother who died in infancy.^[1] Wypych first attended the primary school in Dobieszowice then the secondary school, Liceum Ogólnokształcące, in Działoszyce. Wypych then entered the major seminary of the Archdiocese of Kraków.

In 1973, Wypych started his studies at the Papal Academy of Theology in Kraków, receiving a Bachelor of Philosophy degree in 1975 and a Master of Theology degree in 1979, On May 6, 1978, Wypych was ordained a deacon by then Cardinal Karol Wojtyła.^[2][3]

Ordination and ministry

On April 29, 1979, Wypych was ordained to the priesthood by Cardinal Franciszek Macharski for the Archdiocese of Kraków. After his ordination, he served as an associate pastor in Kozy, Poland. In 1981, Wypych was transferred to a parish in Jawiszowice, Poland.^[3]

In April 1983, Wypych moved to Illinois to be closer to his mother, who had emigrated there in 1974.^[4] In 2011, he revealed in an interview that he had been unable to call his mother for years due to restrictions from the Polish Government of that era.^[5]

After arriving in the United States, the Archdiocese of Chicago assigned Wypych to Five Holy Martyrs Parish in Chicago. At the end of 1983, he was transferred to St. Giles Parish in Oak Park, Illinois. In 1985, Wypych became associate pastor of St. Ladislaus Parish in Chicago. Starting in July 1986, he went to St. Pancratius Parish in Chicago.^[3]

Having decided to stay in Chicago because of the need for priests, Wypych requested incardination, or transfer, to the Archdiocese of Chicago, which was granted in 1989. In 1996, he began serving also as pastor of Five Holy Martyrs Parish, an assignment that lasted until 1999. Wypych remained at St. Pancratius for 16 years as associate pastor, parochial administrator and pastor. In 2002, Wypych was appointed pastor of St. Francis Borgia Parish in Chicago. During this same time period, he also served as dean of Deanery IV-D and as a member of the archdiocesan college of consultors.^[3]

Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago

On June 13, 2011, Pope Benedict XVI named Wypych as an auxiliary bishop of Chicago and titular bishop of Naraggara.^[6] He received his episcopal consecration on August 10, 2011, from Cardinal Francis George, with Bishop Józek Guzdek from the Archdiocese of Białystok in Poland and Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller as co-consecrators. As an auxiliary bishop, Wypych served as episcopal vicar for Vicariate V.^[7][2]

Pope Francis accepted Wypych's resignation as auxiliary bishop on September 19, 2023.^[8] Wypych had resigned at age 68, seven years before the mandatory retirement age, for health reasons.^[9]