Fr. Jim Presta was ordained in 1986 for the Archdiocese of Chicago, received a BS in Psychology and Theology from Loyola University; and a M.Div. and STL from the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. In 2005, he earned a doctoral degree, STD, at the International Marian Research Institute, Dayton, Ohio, which is affiliated with the Pontifical University Marianum in Rome. In 2016 Fr. Presta was awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree, Honoris Causa, from his alma mater, Mundelein Seminary for his twenty years of service in seminary work.
From 1986 to 1993, Fr. Presta served as associate pastor at St. Christopher Parish in Midlothian. From 1993-1996, he served as associate pastor at Queen of Martyrs Parish in Evergreen. In 1996, Cardinal Bernardin appointed Fr. Presta as Rector/President of St. Joseph College Seminary in Chicago where he served for fourteen years. In 2010, Cardinal George appointed Fr. Presta as the Vice Rector for Administration at Mundelein Seminary, serving as Director of Admissions and Assistant Professor in the Department of Dogmatic Theology. In 2016, Cardinal Cupich appointed Fr. Presta as the sixth pastor of St. Emily Parish in Mt. Prospect.
Fr. Presta continues to teach a one day course in Mariology to the students enrolled in the Institutes of Lay Ministry and Diaconal Studies at the University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois. He is an adjunct faculty member of Mundelein Seminary and a supervisor in the Tolton Teaching Parish Program for seminarians assigned to St. Emily Parish. He enjoys traveling, watching movies and is fluent in Italian and Spanish.