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Obituaries

Pray For Them

Fr. Ralph Starus

PASTOR, VICAR, CHAPLAIN

Father Ralph E. Starus, 64, pastor of St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Parish in Posen, died Dec. 8 at St. James Hospital in Olympia Fields.

Born in Berwyn, Fr. Starus grew up in Melrose Park and attended Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish, where he celebrated his first Mass following ordination in 1969. Father Starus graduated from Quigley Preparatory Seminary, Niles College and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/ Mundelein Seminary.

He became assistant pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Glenview, 1969-1974. He was associate vicar for the archdiocesan Office for the Laity and Office for Parish Councils and also served as associate director of the archdiocesan Office for Lay Councils and Organizations, 1974-1977. Father Starus was named assistant pastor at St. Maurice Parish on the Southwest Side as well as director of the Council of Catholic Men/Union of Holy Name Societies, 1974-1983.

He then served as associate pastor at Holy Cross Parish in Deerfield, 1983-1984.

Father Starus worked outside the archdiocese as a dorm director and chaplain at Benedictine University in Lisle, 1984-1989. During that time, he initiated a project that involved taking student groups to Bolivia to assist its people.

He was also associate pastor for Mary Queen of Heaven Parish in Cicero, 1989-1984; before becoming pastor of St. Malachy Parish on Chicago’s West Side, 1994-2000. Later he served as associate pastor and administrator at St. Christopher Parish in Midlothian.

At the time of his death, Father Starus was pastor of St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr, where he had been serving since 2002.

Fr. Thomas P. Munster

LIFELONG BLUE DEMON FAN

Vincentian Father Thomas P. Munster, 85, died Dec. 7, following a career of nearly 60 years.

Raised in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, he attended St. Vincent de Paul Grammar School and St. Vincent’s College, a high school seminary. Ordained a Vincentian in 1948, he earned a master’s degree in English from De- Paul University in 1953.

Shortly after ordination he taught English, Latin and religion at DePaul Academy. He served as dean of men at the school, 1952- 1957 and was principal from 1957-1965. He served as DePaul University’s director of admission for 14 years and was named superior of the Vincentian residence in 1981. As vice chancellor in advancement in 1990, Father Munster worked closely with the athletic department.

He helped revitalize the neighborhood of his youth by helping found the Lincoln Park Conservation Association and the Sheffield Neighborhood Association.

For many years, Father Munster assisted at St. Tarcissus Church on the Northwest Side.

Sr. Raymond Hunter

TEACHER

Sister Raymond (Margaret Veronica) Hunter, 100, died Dec. 1 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind. A native of Scotland, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1924 and ministered as a teacher for 53 years in Indiana, Illinois, Maryland and Washington, D.C.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Columbkille, 1926-1928; St. Angela, 1928; Maternity BVM, 1930-1931, 1953- 1959; and St. Sylvester, 1940- 1953.

Retiring in 1983, she lived in Greenwood, Ind., until returning to the motherhouse in 1992.

Fr. Adrian van Kaam

AUTHOR, EDUCATOR

Congregation of the Holy Spirit Father Adrian van Kaam, 87, died Nov. 17.

Born in The Hague, Holland, he was ordained in Gemert, Netherlands in 1946. In 1954, he came to the U.S. and was appointed to the psychology department faculty of Duquesne University.

In 1963, he founded the Graduate Institute of Formative Spirituality. He was author and co-author of many books in the fields of spiritual formation, religious education and psychology as a human science. In 1979 he co-founded the Epiphany Association with Susan Muto.

Father van Kaam is survived by his sisters, Bep van Gemert and Lia Schillenkens van Kaam.

Sr. Rita Kaminsky

TEACHER, LIBRARIAN

School Sister of St. Francis Rita (Erwin) Kaminsky died Nov. 16, in Campbellsport, Wis. Born in Milwaukee, she was a member of the community since 1942.

Sister Rita ministered as a teacher and librarian in Wisconsin and Illinois. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Rita taught at St. James School in Arlington Heights, 1955-1964; St. Peter School, Skokie, 1964-1967; taught and worked as librarian at St. Benedict Grade School, 1967-1974; and was a librarian at St. Athanasius School, Evanston, 1974- 1986. In retirement, Sister Rita served at Our Lady of Victory School, 1986-1991.

Sr. Adelaide Babicz

CULINARY ARTIST

Dominican Sister Adelaide (Aquilina) Babicz, died Nov. 8, at Sinsinawa, Wis.

Born in North Chicago, Sister Adelaide spent 52 years ministering in culinary arts before retiring in 1982. She had served in Maryland; New York; Washington, D.C.; Wisconsin; Iowa and Illinois.

In the archdiocese, she lived at Trinity Convent, River Forest (1982-1991).

She is survived by a sister, Margaret Babicz.

Sr. Agnes Cecilia Carroll

TEACHER, PASTORAL ASSISTANT

Sister of Notre Dame de Namur Agnes Cecilia Carroll, 90, died Nov. 2. Born in East Chicago, Ind., she was a religious for 72 years.

Sister Agnes Cecilia’s first ministry in 1938 was as a fourth grade teacher at St. Robert Bellarmine School, Chicago. It was the beginning of a teaching career that spanned more than 43 years.

Sister also taught at St. Victor School in Calumet City. For more than 20 years, she taught and served as a pastoral assistant at several schools in Arizona.