Issue of September 1, 2002

Fr. Donald Cahill

St. George Pastor

Father Donald Cahill, pastor of St. George Church in Tinley Park, died Aug. 16 at age 60. During his 14 years as pastor, Cahill saw the addition of a multi-purpose parish life center and the establishment of a perpetual adoration chapel.

A native of Chicago’s North Side, Fr. Cahill was ordained in 1967 and assigned to St. John Fisher Parish, where he served as assistant pastor for seven years. He was assistant pastor and then administrator at Our Lady Gate of Heaven Parish on the city’s Southeast Side from 1973-75.

Fr. Cahill was then named pastor of St. Ailbe Parish, becoming the youngest pastor in the archdiocese at age 34. He remained at St. Ailbe until 1984, when he was assigned to St. Christopher Parish in Midlothian. In 1988, he became pastor of St. George in Tinley Park, where he served until his death.

Sr. Charlette Yancik

Teacher for 57 years

School Sister of St. Francis Charlette Yancik, 93, died Aug. 21. She lived her religious ministry in education, teaching in Wisconsin and Illinois for 57 years. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Ss. Cyril and Methodius from 1930-43.

Fr. Thomas Lavin

Served in 7 states

Divine Word Missionary Father Thomas Lavin died Aug. 13 at age 89. A native of Chicago, he entered the Society of the Divine Word at Techny in 1928. Following ordination in 1941, he was assigned to the society’s minor seminary in Massachusetts. He also served as the seminary’s rector from 1952-55. He then served in Pennsylvania, New York, Washington D.C., Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Sr. Laura Habiger

Taught in three states

School Sister of St. Francis Laura Adolphus Habiger died Aug. 16 at age 87. She taught in Illinois, Nebraska and Wisconsin and later did administrative work. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. William, St. Maurice and St. Matthias, all in Chicago.

Sr. Helen Michelle Dulkie

Teacher

Sister of St. Casimir Helen Michelle Dulkie died Aug. 16 at age 92. Born in Lowell, Mass., she was a member of the Sisters of St. Casimir for 69 years. As a teacher she taught in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Nebraska, Michigan and Illinois. She taught at Nativity B.V.M., Our Lady of Vilna, and Holy Cross in Chicago, and at St. Norbert School in Northbrook.

She also served at Holy Cross Hospital for 13 years.

Sr. Jeanne Mary Dietz

Teacher

Sister of Providence Jeanne Mary Dietz passed away Aug. 16 at age 84. She taught in schools staffed by the Sisters of Providence in Indiana, California and Illinois. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Mel and St. Mel-Holy Ghost.

Sr. Genevieve Andrzejek

Taught for 35 years

School Sister of St. Francis Genevieve Andrzejek died Aug. 6 at age 76. She ministered in education, teaching for 35 years in Illinois and Wisconsin. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Benedict Grade School, Chicago; St. Mary, Buffalo Grove; St. Cyprian, River Grove; St. William, Chicago; St. Bernardine, Forest Park; and St. John of the Cross, Western Springs.

Fr. Charles Erb

Served in Ghana

Divine Word Missionary Father Charles Erb died Aug. 14 at age 96. Father Erb served as a Divine Word Missionary for 74 years. He worked at Divine Word Seminaries in the U.S. as teacher, dean of students and publisher. He served as chaplain with the U.S. Army Rainbow Division when it liberated Dachau, and as chaplain to the VFW in New Jersey.

Fr. Erb served in Ghana in western Africa from 1947-53. He was director of the Catholic Press Bureau in the capital Accra, and co-organizer of the first National Eucharistic Congress in Kumasi.

He managed two national mission exhibitions for the Catholic Mission Secretariat in Washington D.C., then moved to the Society’s international headquarters in Rome to manage its news service.

Fr. Erb was reassigned to Ghana in 1960 as superior and Vicar Delegate. He also produced film documentaries on the Divine Word missions and was awarded the “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice” medal by Pope John Paul II for his work.

Fr. Thomas Cumiskey

Served in WWII

Dominican Father Thomas Cumiskey died Aug. 22. he was 84. He served in the Army during World War II as a captain working in military intelligence. He took part in the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

Fr. Cumis-key entered the Dominican order in 1949 as a member of the Province of St. Albert the Great in Chicago, and was ordained in 1955. His first assignment in 1957 was to Fenwick High School, where he taught and served as principal until 1969. He joined the faculty at the University of Dallas, Irving, Tex. He also was president for the Catholic Principals Association in Illinois. Fr. Cumiskey was prior of the community of St. Albert the Great Priory in Irving, Tex.

Sr. Mary Arcadia Chmiel

Educator

Franciscan Sister Mary Arcadia Chmiel died Aug. 12. She was 91.

She taught in four states. In the archdiocese, she taught at St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr and St. Florian schools. Later she served as sacristan at St. Pancratius Church, Chicago and at the Franciscan Motherhouse, Lemont.

Sr. M. Colombiere Piotrowski

Nurse

Franciscan Sister Mary Colombiere Piotrowski died Aug. 10 at age 88. Piotrowski began her ministry in healthcare by serving as dietary staff at the Franciscan Motherhouse, Lemont, at Five Holy Martyrs Convent, Chicago and at hospitals in South Dakota and Nebraska. She became supervisor of nursing at St. Joseph Home, Chicago.

Sr. Barbara Welch

High school teacher

Sister of Providence Barbara Welch died Aug. 9 at age 61 from hepatitis C, which she contracted from blood transfusions after surgery in 1977. She taught at Mother Theodore Guerin High School in River Grove for 32 years. Her extensive travels and reading prepared her for the world literature class she taught.