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Obituaries

Pray For Them

Sr. Mary Burns

PRINCIPAL AT ST. AILBE

Dominican Sister Mary Burns, 91, died March 14 in Adrian, Mich.

She spent 39 years ministering in education in Illinois, Michigan and Florida. She was principal at St. Ailbe in Chicago from 1960 to 1966.

Sister is survived by two sisters, Joan Lane of Lowell, Mich., and Mercy Sister Michaeleen Burns of St. Clair Shores, Mich.

Sr. Maxine Kruger

EDUCATOR

Sister Maxine Kruger, 96, died March 30 in Campbellsport, Wis.

Sister Maxine ministered in Illinois, Nebraska and Wisconsin. In the archdiocese, she served as a teacher at St. Clara School (1927-1931, 1933-1942); and St. Joseph School in Wilmette, 1947-1958.

She is survived by a sister, Bernadette Baggett, and a brother, Arby.

Sr. Mary Justilla Padgorski

PIONEER PRINCIPAL

Felician Sister Mary Justilla Podgorski, 90, died March 31 in Chicago.

She spent 30 of 53 years in education as principal in Illinois and Wisconsin schools. She was the pioneer principal at St. Hubert Parish School in Hoffman Estates where she worked for 12 years. She later served as a tutor at Providence High School in New Lenox, Ill., and was the attendance clerk at Good Counsel High School for 14 years. She also undertook the Mercy Home for Boys and Girls Phone Ministry based at the Felician Sisters’ provincialate.

In the archdiocese, Sister Justilla was principal at St. John of God, St. Mary Magdalen, St. Wenceslaus, St. Turibius, St. Hubert, Sacred Heart and Good Counsel High School.

Br. Brutus Clay

SECRETARY, SACRISTAN

Jesuit Brother Brutus J. Clay, 90, died April 2 in Grand Blanc, Mich.

Born in Atlanta and raised in Kentucky and Maryland, Brother Brutus entered the Jesuits at age 32, much later in life than most men of his era.

A graduate of Holy Cross College in Worcester, Mass., he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps and later worked for his family’s horse business.

Then he felt a different call and opted to join the Jesuits. His journey took him from the farmlands of Kentucky to the hills of Rome and plains of Africa. As a “Brother Secretary,” he served in the halls of power in the Jesuit Curia in Rome and the Chicago Province Curia. But what he loved most was serving as a sacristan, preparing the altar for Mass and tending to the church or chapel.

Sr. Monica Cahill

CHICAGO NATIVE, EDUCATOR

BVM Sister Monica (Monita) Cahill, 94, died April 7, at Marian Hall, Dubuque, Iowa.

A Chicago native, she ministered for 27 years here, teaching at Presentation (1935 and 1966- 68), Annunciation (1962-63), Holy Family (1969-70) and St. Agatha (1970-78). She was youth minister at St. Thomas Aquinas Parish, 1978-82, and executive director of TAPROOTS (Teen-age Parents Realizing Ongoing Orientation toward Success), 1982- 2002. She was also an educator in California, Arizona, Nebraska, Louisiana and Iowa.

Sr. Cecil Sullivan

EDUCATOR, PRINCIPAL

Dominican Sister Cecil Sullivan, 95, died April 11 at Mercy Medical Center, Dubuque, Iowa.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at SS. Faith, Hope and Charity, Winnetka, 1940-1947. She served as principal at St. Barnabas, 1956-1962; and assistant principal at St. Thomas the Apostle, 1977- 1990, where she also ministered for the parish Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults program, 1990- 1992.

Sister Cecil taught in the literacy program and tutored at the Westside Employment Education Center, Chicago, 1992-2002. She lived at Divine Providence Convent, Des Plaines, 2002-2007, when she moved to the Motherhouse in Sinsinawa, Wis.

Her nephew, Father Robert Heinz of the Archdiocese of Chicago, presided at the funeral.

Sr. Catherine Ellen Joy

CHICAGO NATIVE, TEACHER

Sister of Providence Catherine Ellen Joy, 90, died on April 14 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.

A Chicago native, she ministered in education for 49 years in Illinois and Indiana and retired in 1986.

In Illinois, she ministered at St. Andrew (1956-1962), St. Genevieve (1962-1963, 1979- 1986) and St. Angela, (1965- 1966); St. Athanasius, Evanston (1963-1965, 1966-1971); and Immaculate Conception, Norwood Park (1971-1979).

She is survived by a sister, Catherine Kotnaur.

Br. Charles Todel

VOCATIONAL EDUCATOR

Salesian Brother Charles Todel, 85, died April 20 in St. Petersburg, Fla.

A Salesian of Don Bosco for more than 64 years, he spent the last four of his active years at St. John Bosco Parish in Chicago, where he implemented a job training program called World of Opportunity, which he had previously developed in Birmingham, Ala.

Brother Charles also served as treasurer of the Salesian works in Tampa, Fla.; Columbus, Ohio; and Birmingham, Ala., between 1975 and 2001.

The National Association of Religious Brothers in 1997 presented Brother Charles their Call to Brotherhood Award in recognition of how he, “by sharing his ministry, enables all to express their ministries. He is one who calls forth from the people of God their particular gifts, to be used in the mission of Jesus Christ.”

Sr. M. St. Julian Flaherty

TEACHER

BVM Sister M. St. Julian Flaherty, 101, died April 21 at Marian Hall, Dubuque, Iowa.

Sister St. Julian taught at Carmel High School, Mundelein, from 1965-68 and St. Cornelius School in Chicago from 1927-29. She was also an educator in San Francisco, Petaluma and Santa Barbara, Calif.; Lincoln, Neb.; and Des Moines, Iowa.

She is survived by a sister, Rosalie Kelly.

Sr. Mary Jo Martinek

TEACHER, ACCOUNTANT

Dominican Sister Mary Jo (Anthony Cecile) Martinek, 86, died April 22 at the Dominican Life Center in Adrian.

She was born in Chicago and spent 28 years ministering in education, serving at St. James, Maywood (1947-50); St. Kilian (1960- 67) and St. Denis (1968-70), Chicago; and Queen of Apostles, Riverdale (1967-68), as well as in other Illinois communities, in Michigan and Arizona. She was an accountant at Harris Trust & Savings in Chicago, from 1971 to 1981.