Wesley Vinton Hromatko Honored for Five Decades of Ministry

Ordained in 1973 at the Oaklandon Universalist Church, Dr. Hromatko built his foundation through degrees from the University of Minnesota and the Meadville Theological School. His early career saw him serving in varied roles, ranging from a student minister in Chicago to a chaplain for the Lawrence-Oaklandon Volunteer Fire Department. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, he held ministerial positions in Indiana and Massachusetts, while simultaneously chairing religious education boards and advocating for causes like the Indiana Justice Project and the Religious Coalition for Abortion Rights.

Beyond the pulpit, Hromatko pursued a diverse path that included literary scholarship and civic engagement. He coedited "Appeal of the Irreligious" in 1980 and later contributed biographical entries to the New Encyclopedia of Unbelief. A defining professional highlight remains his coordination of tours for the Chicago Children's Choir, an initiative he credits with demonstrating the power of community through music. Since 1990, he has balanced his regional speaking engagements with the management of his family’s century-old farm in Minnesota, which he has owned and operated since 2011. Now marking a half-century since his ordination, he continues to emphasize the virtues of sincerity and humility for the next generation of clergy.