The man they described is humble, deeply charitable, wise, kind and gentle. Their John Feit has a mind that is nimble with history, scripture and philosophy.
Their friend is nothing like his alter ego, the lead suspect in the brutal slaying of Irene Garza.
Jeff Newton
The Catholic church may be satisfied, but in the criminal justice system, a murder remains unsolved.
Irene Garza went to Sacred Heart Church before she was killed.
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"It's black and white," Jenkins says. "We knew nothing about these past issues. We've only seen the white."
Feit began volunteering for the Society soon after joining the parish of St. Theresa near his home in the early 1980s. In the mid-'80s, Jenkins says, Feit was asked to join the Society's staff to liaise with volunteers.
"He was perfect for the job," Jenkins says. "He spoke with such passion and clarity about the mission of the Society."
Jenkins and Feit worked countless hours together, including during a trip into Mexico to do the charity's work. There, he says, Feit was the interpreter: "He speaks fluent Spanish."
Zabilski, director of the Society since 1997, says Feit's personal charity "knew no bounds." Several years ago, Zabilski says, one of Feit's co-workers was facing financial difficulties trying to support a family.
"So John comes to me and asks that I reduce his salary and give the other person the money," Zabilski says. "He's the only person in my 25 years of doing this who has ever done that. His only request was that I don't tell anyone where the money came from."
Feit also was instrumental in raising $55,000 to purchase and renovate a house for a poor couple trying to raise their 12 grandchildren. It was the first time the Society "got into the extreme makeover business," Zabilski says.
Feit retired from his Society job in 2003.
Jenkins and Zabilski were asked to read through the evidence and allegations from the 1960 cases.
"This is simply not the John Feit we know," Zabilski says. "To us, it's like two completely different people."
A visitor comes to John Feit's door asking for information about the JustFaith program he's involved with at St. Theresa's church.
Feit opens the door to the guest with a broad smile. He says he would be pleased to tell the visitor more.
Feit's hair is no longer black, the glasses no longer horn-rimmed. His thick shoulders are somewhat hunched, but he is vibrant and expressive. He still has that south Chicago accent tinged with the Irish brogue.
On the wall of his small condo is a picture of his two daughters and his son.
His wife, Mary, is at the store. On the wall is a knitted plaque: "Dull Women Have Immaculate Homes."
Feit shows the visitor something he wrote about JustFaith to the pastor at St. Theresa:
"My experience," Feit wrote, "has been that Stephen A. Covey's observation -- 'The enemy of the best is the good' -- applies in a peculiarly perplexing way in Catholic parishes. Too often a 'Put on your blinders, hunker down and do your own thing' mentality divides rather than unites the community."
Feit discusses the Catholic Church's early history in Rome and its original concepts about charity to the poor.
Near the end of the conversation, he observes, "You know, we all [would] like to write the story of our life. And we all like happy endings."
In Texas, investigators and the Garza family are fighting to have a special prosecutor brought in to review the murder case. They hope state and federal officials will work around the local DA and get all the information in the case to a grand jury for a change.
For Garza's family and many others in south Texas, the happiest ending they could hope for would be seeing Feit sitting in court facing charges in the murder of their beloved Irene.
On a return visit, Feit implores the visitor to judge him by his last 45 years of service to his church and community. Remember, he told that Texas Ranger two years ago that the Father John Feit who lived in south Texas in 1960 no longer exists.
"Perhaps we're all operating with different ideas of justice," says Noemi Ponce-Sigler. "All I know, though, is [about] the pain this has caused so many people.
"All I know is that Irene was murdered, and that nobody has seen justice."
