Catholic New World: Newspaper for the Archdiocese of Chicago

Obituaries

Pray For Them

  • Sr. Dolores Zoghby

    NURSE AT ST. VINCENT’S

    Daughter of Charity Sister Dolores (Rosalie Mary) Zoghby, 94, died April 12 in Evansville, Ind. Sister Dolores entered the Daughters of Charity in Birmingham, Ala. in 1933. She studied nursing at St. Joseph Hospital in Chicago and received her R.N. in 1938. In 1949, she received her bachelor’s in education from DePaul University. She served at hospitals in Texas, California, Illinois and Alabama. In Chicago, Sister Dolores served at Vincent’s Infant and Maternity Home from 1955-72. She also served as school nurse at Marillac High School in Northfield from 1972-76.

  • Sr. Joyce Marie Rankin

    EDUCATOR

    Resurrectionist Sister Joyce Marie (Bernadette Marie) Rankin, 65, died April 9. Born in Chicago, Sister Joyce Marie entered the Sisters of the Resurrection in 1956. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Casimir (1963-65), St. Wenceslaus (1965-66), Queen of the Rosary (1967-70), Resurrection High School (1970-2007) and National-Louis University (1994 and 2002-07).

    She was also a volunteer for the Chicago area Regional Organ Donation Bank of Illinois, for which she was featured in the Catholic New World’s Interview in November 2000. She received a kidney transplant in December 1991 and again in June 2004 after the first one was rejected.

  • Fr. John Rolek

    SERVED ON TRIBUNAL

    Father John A. Rolek, 70, died April 21 of complications following a heart attack at MacNeal Hospital in Berwyn. Bishop Thomas Paprocki was the main celebrant at an April 25 funeral Mass at St. Bernardine Church in Forest Park.

    A native of Chicago, he attended St. Michael the Archangel Elementary School, Quigley (North) Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He was ordained in 1961. He served as assistant pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary (1961-66), St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr in Posen (1966-69) and St. John of God, now closed (1969-80).

    Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, Father Rolek served on the Metropolitan Tribunal as a member, curator, judge and the Cardinal’s delegate for privilege cases.

    He served as associate pastor at St. Mary of Czestochowa in Cicero (1980-84) and Immaculate Conception (1984-90). After his retirement, he served as senior priest at Our Lady of Charity in Cicero (1990-98), St. Leonard in Berwyn (1998-2005) and St. Bernardine in Forest Park from 2005 to his recent hospitalization.

  • Sr. Sheila Cannon

    EDUCATOR BVM

    Sister Sheila Cannon, 95, died April 14 in Dubuque, Iowa. Born in Chicago, Sister Sheila attended St. Mary High School and entered the BVM congregation in 1932. She professed final vows in 1940. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught high school at The Immaculata (1936-50), St. Mary High School (1950-52 and 1954-64) and Hardey Prep for Boys (1981-83).

  • Fr. Thomas Seitz

    PASTOR EMERITUS

    Father Thomas R. Seitz, 81, died April 22 at Holy Family Villa, Palos Park. Bishop Raymond Goedert was the main celebrant at an April 26 funeral Mass at St. Thomas the Apostle Church. Seitz was the pastor emeritus of Sacred Heart Parish. He had been a resident at the Bishop Lyne Residence.

    A Chicago native, Father Seitz attended St. Sabina Elementary School, Quigley (North) Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/ Mundelein Seminary. He was ordained in 1952. His first assignment was as assistant pastor of St. Cyprian Parish in River Grove, where he served until 1963.

    Father Seitz served as assistant pastor at Sacred Heart from 1963- 70, and then as pastor from 1970- 83. He also served as associate pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle from 1984-95.

  • Fr. Thomas Conley

    PASTOR EMERITUS

    Father Thomas P. Conley, 85, died April 22 at Holy Family Villa in Palos Park due to complications from a lung infection. Father Conley was the pastor emeritus of St. Pius X Parish in Stickney. A funeral Mass for Father Conley was celebrated April 26 at St. Zachary Church in Des Plaines.

    A native of Chicago, Father Conley attended Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School, St. Hilary School, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He was ordained in 1947.

    Father Conley served as assistant pastor of Sacred Heart in Winnetka (1947-62 and 1963-65), Maternity Blessed Virgin Mary (1962-63), St. Bonaventure (1965- 67), St. Peter Canisius (1967-72), and St. Edmund in Oak Park (1972-79). He was then named pastor of St. Pius X, where he served until his retirement in 1991.

    Fr. Conley was named pastor emeritus of St. Pius X, and resided as a senior priest at St. Zachary Parish until 2002.

  • Fr. Donald Nastold

    FORMER PRINCIPAL AT IGNATIUS

    Jesuit Father Donald O. Nastold, 79, died April 12. He entered the Jesuit novitiate in 1945. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Loyola University Chicago. Father Nastold was ordained in 1958.

    Following ordination, Father Nastold taught religion and English at St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago for four years. From 1964-68, he was principal of St. Ignatius. In 1968, he was assigned to teach at St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati.

    In 1978, he returned to Chicago to serve for one year as a minister at the Jesuit School of Theology, which is now closed. He also served in Chicago as the provincial’s assistant for pastoral ministry and secondary education from 1991-96.

  • Sr. Charlene C. Schafer

    EDUCATOR

    Holy Spirit Missionary Sister Charlene Caroline Schafer, 83, died April 12 in Evanston Hospital. She entered the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters in Techny, Ill, in 1943. She served as an educator in Mississippi, Arkansas, Pennsylvania and Michigan. She also served in communications and as a receptionist.