Fr. Casimir Szatkowski
Headed three parishes

A funeral Mass for Father Casimir M. Szatkowski was offered Aug. 29 at St. John Berchmans Church by Cardinal George. Father Szatkowski died of cancer on Aug. 25 at St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital. He was 78.

Father Szatkowski had served as pastor of three parishes in the archdiocese. His first pastorate was St. John Berchmans, which he headed from 1970 to 1984. He then was pastor of St. Isidore in Blue Island for four years. In 1988 he was named pastor of St. Joseph Parish on South Hermitage Avenue and served in that capacity until 1993.

Although then past the official retirement age, Father Szatkowski went on to serve as administrator of several parishes, including St. Joseph, St. Helen, St. Florian and Five Holy Martyrs.

His earlier assignments as associate pastor were at Holy Rosary in North Chicago, 1950-58; Five Holy Martyrs, 1958-63; Good Shepherd, 1963; St. Victor in Calumet City, 1963-67; and St. Fidelis, 1967-70.

Father Szatkowski served on the formation committee for the Priests Senate and was later elected to the senate. He also served on the advisory committee for the Bishop Alfred Abramowicz Preparatory Seminary.

Born in Stevens Point, Wis., he was a graduate of St. Helen School and the archdiocesan seminaries. He also studied Spanish at the Catholic University of Puerto Rico. He was ordained May 3, 1950, and celebrated his golden jubilee in the priesthood in May 2000 at St. Florian Church.

Surviving are two sisters, Sister M. Francelle, CSSF, and Margaret Lewandowski; three brothers, Joseph, Edward and Marshall; and many nieces and nephews and grandnieces and nephews.

Father John J. Windle

Served at St. Luke

A funeral Mass for Father John Windle was offered Aug. 22 at St. Luke Church, River Forest, where he formerly served as associate pastor. Cardinal George was celebrant of the Mass.

Father Windle, 84, died Aug. 17 at St. Benedict Home in Niles.

Father Windle served at St. Luke from 1976 until he retired in 1987. Since then he had lived in LaGrange until a few months ago.

Ordained in 1943, his other assignments were at St. Joseph and St. Anne, St. Malachy, Blessed Sacrament, St. Joseph in Waukegan, St. Agnes, SS. Peter and Paul and Mater Christi in North Riverside.

Born in Chicago, he was a graduate of Resurrection School and the archdiocesan seminaries.

Sr. Stephenette Kolanowski

Taught at all levels

Felician Sister Mary Stephenette (Virginia) Kolanowski, 86, died Aug. 1 at Our Lady of the Angels Convent.

Born in Chicago, she was a member of the Felician Sisters for 68 years. In Chicago, she taught at St. Mary Magdalen and St. James schools and at St. Joseph High School. She later was a college instructor and academic dean at Felician/Montay College, as well as an instructor at Loyola University. She was on the Felicians’ provincial council, serving as director of education.

Sr. M. Ernestine Radecki

Teacher, caregiver, baker

Franciscan Sister M. Ernestine Radecki, 92, died Aug. 3. A native of Cleveland, she joined the Franciscan Sisters of Chicago, Lemont, in 1928. Her teaching assignments included St. Florian School and St. Pancratius School.

She also served the elderly at St. Joseph Home in Chicago, and also cooked and baked at Five Holy Martyrs Convent and at the motherhouse in Lemont. Although she officially retired in 1976, she continued to help with the baking at holiday time, presiding at “pierogi parties” when sister volunteers gathered to prepare the labor-intensive Polish fare.

Sr. Caroline Pawlikowski

Retired teacher

Felician Sister Mary Caroline (Cyprian) Pawlikowski, 90, died Aug. 6 at Swedish Covenant Hospital, Chicago.

Born in Chicago, she joined the Felician Sisters Congregation in 1927 and began a teaching ministry that lasted until 1979. Her assignments in the Archdiocese of Chicago were at Holy Innocents, St. James, St. Hedwig Industrial School and St. Mary Magdalen schools. She also taught at St. Joseph and Good Counsel high schools and Felician/Montay College. From 1982 to 1985, she assisted with house maintenance at the cardinal’s residence.

Sr. Mary Cele McCormick

Taught in Chicago, Evanston

Sister of Providence Mary Cele (Mary Cecilia) McCormick, 86, died Aug. 7 at St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind. A native Chicagoan, she joined the Sisters of Providence in 1934 and taught in their schools in the Midwest and California. Her assignments included St. Mel and St. Angela schools in Chicago and Marywood High School in Evanston.

Sr. Margaret Jean Karier

Teacher, nurse

Sister of Providence Margaret Jean (Elsie) Karier, 81, died Aug. 8 at St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind. The Chicago-born nun joined the Sisters of Providence since 1937.

She taught at schools in Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts and the District of Columbia. In Chicago, she was assigned to Immaculate Conception and Maternity BVM.

For the past 23 years, she was a practical nurse, serving at St. Mary-of-the-Woods.

Surviving are thee sisters, Sister Jean, SP, Sr. Dorothy, SP, and Rosemary Hyland.

Sr. Clotilde Rack

Oldest in community

Sister of Christian Charity Clotilde (Mary) Rack died Aug. 10 at Sacred Heart Convent, Wilmette. She was 101, the oldest sister in the Chicago Province.

Born in the Hyde Park area in 1899, she joined the congregation in 1917 and taught in six states. In Chicago, she taught at Josephinum High School and served as an aide at St. Gregory High School. She also helped in the convent at St. Mary, Riverdale.

From 1982 to 1993, she did tutoring and light housework at the motherhouse until fully retiring.

Deacon Albert V. Konar

Served at St. Isaac Jogues

A funeral Mass for Deacon Albert V. Konar was offered Aug. 16 at St. Isaac Jogues Church, Niles. Deacon Konar, 89, died Aug. 11 in Park Ridge.

A U.S. Army veteran of World War II, he worked for the U.S. Postal Service for 40 years. After retiring, he was ordained a permanent deacon with the class of 1984 and ministered at St. Isaac Jogues until 1989. He then moved to the Fort Worth Diocese where he served residents at St. Francis Village in Crowley, Texas.

Surviving are his wife, Elizabeth; five daughters, Mary Corrigan, Barbara Griswold, Rita Minx, Mary Devoney and Diane Mussar; three sons, Shawn, Edward and Thomas; 20 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

Sr. Gratia Gross

Teacher, principal

School Sister of St. Francis Gratia Gross, 96, died Aug. 11 in Milwaukee. Born in Chicago, she joined the community in 1925 and served as an educator in Wisconsin and Illinois.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she both taught and was principal at St. Cyprian in River Grove, and at St. Dionysius and Our Lady of Charity in Cicero.

Surviving are a sister, Sister Marie, SSSF; and three brothers, Arthur, Robert and Charles.

Sr. M. Lolita Hacker

Taught in Chicago, Summit

School Sister of St. Francis M. Lolita Hacker, 82, died Aug. 12 in Milwaukee. A teacher for more than 50 years, she taught in Chicago at St. Clara and in Summit at St. Joseph.

Sr. Jane Frances Holland

Music teacher, organist

Servite Sister Mary Jane Frances Holland, 82, died Aug. 13 at Holy Family Hospital, Des Plaines. She had been retired at Addolorata Villa in Wheeling after many years of teaching piano and organ. She also served as an organist at several parishes, including St. Domitilla, Hillside.

Fr. Roger C. Drolet

Oldest Viatorian, missionary

Viatorian Father Roger C. Drolet died on Aug. 16, his 77th anniversary in the community, in Taipei, Republic of China. Father Drolet, 98, was the oldest American Viatorian and had spent 63 years of his ministry in the Far East.

Born in Kankakee, Ill., he joined the Viatorians in 1924 and was ordained in 1933. After teaching in China from 1933 until the Japanese invasion in 1941, he returned to the United States to serve as master of novices for the Chicago Province.

Immediately after the war, he began preparations to return to the Far East. In 1948 he was assigned to Kyoto, Japan, and in 1956 was named superior of the new mission in then Formosa. He served as teacher and master of novices in Taichung for 45 years.

Fr. Robert F. Gardella

Former prior here

Augustinian Father Robert F. Gardella, 61, died Aug. 17 in his native Detroit. After entering the Augustinian novitiate in 1958, he continued his studies for the priesthood at Tolentine College in Olympia Fields and was ordained in 1966.

He was assigned to St. John Stone Friary in Chicago from 1983 to 1985, serving as prior and as a member of the formation team. He also served on various province commissions.

He also served as a hospital chaplain in St. Louis and Detroit. He was director of pastoral care at Providence Hospital, Detroit, from 1988 until the time of his death.

Sr. Marian Thomas Kinney

High school teacher

Sister of Providence Marian Thomas Kinney, 80, died Aug. 18 at St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind. A teacher and principal for many years, she taught at Providence High School in the 1940s.

Deacon Bill Griffeth

Served at Niles parish

A funeral Mass for Deacon M. William Griffeth was offered Aug. 24 at Our Lady of Ransom Church in Niles, where he formerly served. Deacon Williams, 70, died Aug. 20 in Janesville, Wis.

He was ordained to the diaconate in 1989 and served at Our Lady of Ransom until 1995 when he moved to Wisconsin. He continued to minister in the Diocese of Madison until illness forced his retirement.

Surviving are his wife, Carol; three daughters, Kathryn Donahue, barbara O’Brien and Audrey Johnson; a son, Bill Jr.; 13 grandchildren; and two brothers, Melvin and Bennie.