BROTHER MATHEW ZEMEL, SVD
Divine Word Brother Mathew Zemel has lived through and contributed to the recent history of the Society of the Divine Word, the world’s sixth largest Catholic congregation for men and the largest to focus on missionary work.
A native of Rochester, N.Y., Brother Mat has held several administrative and finance positions in the Midwest and on the East Coast.
In the 1980s, Society of the Divine Word leaders chose Brother Mat to be an integral part of the process to change the organizational structure of the order in North America. In 1985, the order integrated two territorial units known as the Eastern and Northern provinces. Brother Mat became the liaison between the two provinces.
When the provinces merged and became the Chicago Province, Brother Mat moved to Techny. Again, leaders tapped his knowledge and skills and named him secretary of the committee to amalgamate the two provinces. This committee set up a joint administration, and Brother Mat was elected to the Chicago Province’s first Provincial Council.
In 1987, Brother Mat was asked to serve as a member of the Techny Land Committee. To date, he remains a member of the Techny Land Development Committee. He also is responsible for the management of St. Mary’s Cemetery and is liaison between the Society of the Divine Word and the company that manages the landfill to the north of Willow Road.
Additionally, his fellow Divine Word Missionaries elected him as a delegate to the General Chapter in 1988. As a delegate, he worked with others in Rome to produce three documents, or white papers, and to choose the superior general, the leader of the worldwide Society of the Divine Word.
Among his many roles, Brother Mat has served as house treasurer in Bordentown, N.J., and assistant treasurer of the Eastern Province in Washington, D.C. Since 1988, he has held the position of treasurer at the Techny Residence.
As a youth, Brother Mat graduated from Aquinas Institute in Rochester, N.Y., and later attended Milwaukee Vocational College. In addition to his career in administration and finance, he is knowledgeable in carpentry, electrical work, plumbing and winemaking, a trade that he learned while working at the vineyard once owned by the order.
Brother Mat has served as financial secretary for the Techny Council of the Knights of Columbus for ten years and as grand knight for two terms. Among the five men who have lived at Techny for more than 25 years, Brother Mat is the youngest. In addition to his official roles, he serves as the community’s unofficial resident historian.
Members of the media wishing to interview Brother Mat should contact Theresa Carson at 847-412-1606.