Cardinal James A. Hickey, 84, retired archbishop of Washington who made Catholic education and service to the poor two of his top priorities during his years in the nation’s capital, died Oct. 24 after a long illness.

In a telegram to Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick of Washington, Pope John Paul II recalled Cardinal Hickey’s “unfailing commitment to the spread of the Gospel, the teaching of the faith and the formation of future priests.”

A statement by President George W. Bush called the late prelate “an inspirational leader who brought comfort to the sick and hope to those in need. ... He was a caring and compassionate man” who for 20 years led the archdiocese “with great dignity and conviction,” Bush said.

The archbishop, who was made a cardinal in 1988, oversaw the establishment of 16 new parishes or missions; food and shelter programs for the homeless; homes for the frail elderly and residences for active seniors; and numerous educational, medical and legal services for immigrants and the working poor.

A Michigan native, James Aloysius Hickey was born Oct. 11, 1920, in Midland. He was ordained a priest of the Diocese of Saginaw, Mich., on June 15, 1946, and served there as a pastor, vocations director and seminary rector.

He became an auxiliary bishop of Saginaw in 1967. From 1969 to 1974 he was rector of the North American College, the U.S. seminary in Rome. In 1974 he was named bishop of Cleveland.

Cardinal Hickey held doctorates in canon law from the Lateran University and in theology from the Angelicum, both in Rome. He received honorary degrees from nine U.S. colleges and universities.

Cardinal Hickey served on the Pontifical Council for the Family and on four congregations: sainthood causes, clergy, Catholic education, institutes of consecrated life and societies of apostolic life.

He was a member of numerous committees of the U.S. bishops’ conference and chaired five of them.

: priestly formation in 1968-69; pastoral research and practices, 1974-77; doctrine, 1979-81; human values, 1984-87; and North American College, 1989-91 and 1994-97.

His death leaves the College of Cardinals with 187 members, of whom 122 are under 80 and therefore eligible to vote in a conclave.

Fr. Joseph Grembla

Former pastor

Father Joseph P. Grembla, 72, former pastor of two parishes on Chicago’s Southwest Side, died Oct. 28 at St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital following complications from a stroke. He was recovering from heart bypass surgery.

He grew up in Holy Innocents Parish, graduated from Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein. Ordained in 1957, Father Grembla spoke three languages and his ministry included service at tri-lingual parishes.

He began and ended his ministry at St. Bruno Parish, near Midway Airport. It was his first assignment in 1957. He was the associate pastor there for seven years. He was made pastor in 1991, serving two terms before his retirement in 2002.

He served as pastor of St. Pancratius Parish from 1985 to 1991 before going to St. Bruno. Father Grembla was an associate pastor at St. Mary of Perpetual Help (1964-1969), St. Helen (1969-1974), and pastor of St. Fidelis (1974-1985).

Father Grembla earned a master’s degree in arts in religion from the University of St. Mary of the Lake and a master’s degree in education from Loyola University. He served on the Clergy Personnel Board, and on the renamed Priests’ Placement Board of the Archdiocese, and as a dean in Vicariate V, in the southwestern part of the city and southwestern suburbs. While stationed at St. Mary of Perpetual Help Parish, he taught at the parish high school.

Though retired since 2002, Father Grembla was active at St. Francis Borgia and St. Priscilla parishes, where the pastors were his former assistants. He was particularly active in the Polish community and was a member of the Polish Roman Catholic Union and the Polish National Alliance. Father Grembla was also a member of the Knights of Columbus Archbishop Weber Council.

He is survived by three sisters, Theresa Szuba, Bernardine Karr and Othilia Weglarz, nieces, nephews and 13 grand nieces and grand nephews.

Elsie M. Broucek

Ambassadors of Mary past pres.

Elsie M. Broucek of Oak Park died Oct. 26, one day before her 94th birthday. She served as the founding president of the Ambassadors of Mary from 1946-92.

“The Ambassadors of Mary was a total commitment on her part,” said Pat Hacket, president. “It was everything to her. I don’t know anyone else as dedicated as Elsie. She gave her whole life to the devotion of the Blessed Mother.”

Broucek is survived by three brothers, George, Charles, and Milton, and many nieces and nephews.

Julia Lane, Ph.D., R.N.

Nursing school dean

Julia Lane, Ph.D., R.N., retired dean of the Niehoff School of Nursing at Loyola University Chicago, died Oct. 15.

Dr. Lane was dean of the university’s nursing school from 1971-1991. In 1989, she received the school’s Mariette LeBlanc Award. In 2000, she was honored at the School of Nursing’s third annual research colloquium and recognized for her role in making research a priority.

Dr. Lane served the Archdiocese of Chicago in numerous capacities including on the board of directors of Catholic Charities and several Catholic universities.

Sr. Agnes Patrice Waldron

educator

Dominican Sister Agnes Patrice Waldron (Eleanore Agnes Waldron), 92, died Oct. 10 at the Dominican Life Center, Adrian, Mich. She was in the 73rd year of her religious profession.

A Chicago native, she spent 43 years ministering in education in St. Charles, Wilmette, Chicago and Rockford in Illinois as well as in Michigan, Florida and Iowa. She served at Regina High School, Wilmette, for 22 years. In 1988 Sister volunteered her services at Regina Convent in Wilmette. She came to the Dominican Life Center in Adrian in 1992.

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