Deacon Dennis M. Cristofaro, 77, of Colon, Michigan, died Nov. 21. He was ordained in 2014 and served at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Orland Hills.

Born in Chicago, Deacon Cristofaro graduated from Mendel Catholic High School in 1966 and married Barbara Cimbala the following year. They were married for 57 years before his wife died in 2024.

Deacon Cristofaro worked for the Chicago Transit Authority for more than 25 years, beginning as a mechanic and retiring as a maintenance manager. After his retirement, he and his wife moved to Michigan.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, he served as a deacon at St. Elizabeth Seton. During his time in Illinois, he also served as a trustee on the Orland Hills village board.

He continued his diaconate ministry in Michigan, and served in municipal government in Colon.

He is survived by his children Brian Cristofaro, Denise Keel, Rosemary Burklow and Jennifer Camacho; 12 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and his siblings Jo Chiappetta and Mario Cristofaro.

Deacon Daniel G. Carroll, 78, died Nov. 25. He was ordained in 1982 and served at St. Walter Parish, St. Benedict Parish and St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Orland Park.

Deacon Carroll was a graduate of Little Flower School, Leo High School and DePaul University Law School.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Mary Ellen; his children Maura and Daniel Carroll; three grandchildren; and his brothers Dennis, James and Gerard Carroll.

School Sister of Notre Dame Carol (Mary Joseph) Brunner, 78, died Nov. 18 at Ascension Resurrection Life Center.

Born in Chicago, she was a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame for 58 years.

She served as an elementary school teacher at St. James, Highwood, St. John de la Salle and St. Constance, as well as in Dixon and DeKalb, Illinois.

She also taught at Madonna High School and served as the director of vocations for the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

Sister Carol was a nurse at Ravenswood Hospital and St. Francis Nursing and Rehab in Evanston and a medical advocate for SSND sisters at Resurrection Life Center.

Father Francis L. Schouten, 96, died Nov. 7. He was a former member of the Society of the Divine Word and the former associate pastor of St. Eugene Parish.

Born in Chicago, Father Schouten attended St. Willibrord School; Divine Word Seminary in East Troy, Wisconsin; and Divine Word College in Epworth, Iowa, before continuing his studies in philosophy and theology in Techny, the  North American headquarters of the Divine Word Missionaries, where he was ordained in 1955.

For the first half of his priestly life, Schouten was a member of the Society of the Divine Word who ministered for years as a missionary in Ghana after being assigned there in 1956. He served as a parish priest, built schools and churches and taught at a secondary school outside Accra, the capital.

When his health declined, he returned to Chicago and assisted at Most Holy Redeemer Parish in Evergreen Park for several years.

“Father Schouten was well regarded by the people of Most Holy Redeemer,” said Father Michael G. Foley, vicar for priests. “He was a gentle soul.”

Schouten decided to become a diocesan priest and was incardinated in the Archdiocese of Chicago with the blessing of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin in 1990. He served as associate pastor at St. Eugene Parish until he retired in 1999.

After retirement, Schouten continued to assist at Most Holy Redeemer until 2020.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Marjorie (Stella Maris) Buttner, 96, died Nov. 7 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Boston, Sister Marjorie professed vows in 1953. She earned a master’s degree of education in guidance and counseling from Loyola University Chicago.

Sister Marjorie’s ministry was dedicated to teaching and archival work. She taught at Visitation High School and at schools in Wisconsin and Montana. She served as the congregation archivist at Sinsinawa Mound in Wisconsin for nearly 20 years.

She is survived by her sister, Carole Maloof.

Father Robert J. McGlinn, 95, died Oct. 18. He served in the Archdiocese of Chicago, in Latin America and in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

Born in Chicago, Padre Roberto, as he was known, attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1955.

He served as assistant pastor of St. Francis Xavier, La Grange, and Precious Blood. He then served at San Miguelito Panama Mission. After returning to the United States in 1968, he earned a graduate degree in bilingual education at the University of Wisconsin. After obtaining the degree, he was invited to the Diocese of Comayagua in Honduras to care for priestless Catholic parishes.

When the permanent diaconate was established in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Padre Roberto was appointed to direct the formation of Hispanic candidates. In the early 1970s, he assisted in the migrant ministry in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, while also returning frequently to help the Diocese of Comayagua.

In 1991, he became administrator of Cristo Rey Parish in Racine, Wisconsin, where he served for 16 years.

In 2007, Padre Roberto was appointed administrator of St. Hyacinth and St. Vincent de Paul parishes of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Then he was offered the opportunity to gather the Hispanic people scattered across western Waukesha County into a worship community which now has a home at St. Jerome Church in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.

In his 80s and 90s he remained active in priestly ministry in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, volunteering at the Racine Correctional Institution, at Catholic Charities Day Care and at New Perspective Senior Living Center while continuing his dedication and priestly ministry to the Hispanic people of Racine, Milwaukee and western Waukesha County at St. Jerome Parish.

Sister of St. Joseph Marybeth McDermott, 93, of La Grange Park, died Oct. 18.

Sister Marybeth had been in religious life for 74 years. After earning a bachelor’s degree from DePaul University, she spent more than 40 years ministering in schools run by the Sister of St. Joseph of La Grange.

For 15 years she was the program director of School on Wheels Literacy Bus, where she was a teacher and trainer of teachers for ESL, GED, and citizenship training. According to her community, Sister Marybeth was a fierce advocate for immigrants.

Springfield Dominican Sister M. Elise (Elizabeth Christine) Bocke, 108, died Oct. 24 at Sacred Heart Convent, Springfield.

Born in Quincy, Illinois, she joined the Dominican Sisters of Springfield in 1937 and made her first profession of vows in 1939.

She taught in the Illinois communities of Springfield, Chicago, Cary, Aurora and Chicago Heights.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. John Bosco (1964), before becoming a language arts curriculum consultant for the archdiocesan Office of Catholic Education. (1964-1973)St. Edward (1985-2010), where she was a reading specialist and taught English language learners. She taught English and reading at Marian Catholic High School, Chicago Heights (1973-1983), and concluded her teaching years at St. Edward (1985-2010), where she was a reading specialist and taught English language learners.

Jesuit Father James W. Schulz, 80, died Oct. 20 in Clarkston, Michigan.

Born in Cincinnati, he entered the Chicago Province of the Society of Jesus in 1964. He was ordained in 1977 and made his final vows in 1983.

Father Schultz earned bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and classical languages from Saint Louis University and a master’s degree in economics from Fordham University. He also earned master’s degrees in theology and pastoral studies from Loyola University Chicago.

He taught psychology, history and English at Colegio del José in Arequipa, Peru (1971-1972). After ordination, he moved to Chicago where he worked with immigrants and undocumented people at the Eighth Day Center for Justice (1978-1980) and was an associate pastor at Holy Family Church (1980-1981).

After serving in Jesuit ministries on the East Coast, Father Schultz returned to Chicago. He was associate pastor of St. Mary (1988-1990) and the pastor of St. Procopius Parish (1990-1992). He then served in Northwest Indiana before becoming associate pastor of St. Turibius (2010-2011) and pastor of Mary, Queen of Heaven, Cicero (2011-2014). He also spent seven years as a chaplain at John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital (2014-2021).

He is survived by his sister, Diane McCullough.

Paulist Father Bradford C. Schoeberle, 69, died Oct. 21 in Texas. He was a former pastor of Old St. Mary’s Parish.

Born in Wisconsin, he studied at St. Francis de Sales College Seminary and earned a bachelor’s degree in theology before earning master’s degrees in religious studies from Edgewood College and pastoral studies from Washington Theological Union.

He worked as a parish director of religious education before entering the Paulist novitiate in 1995. He made his first promises the following year and his final promises in 1999, before being ordained a priest in 2000.

He ministered in California and Michigan before serving as pastor of Old St. Mary’s from 2018 to 2024, when he was assigned to St. Paul the Apostle in Horseshoe Bay, Texas.

He is survived by his sisters Pam Hinz, Jeanne Butcher and Marisa Schoeberle; and his brother, Gary Schoeberle.

Born in Chicago, she Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Richelle (Marirose) Schmitz, 95 died Oct. 25 in Muskego, Wisconsin.

Sister Richelle professed vows with Sinsinawa Dominicans in 1951. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin, and a master’s degree in education from the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Her ministry was dedicated to teaching and educational administration. Sister Richelle taught in New York, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Illinois. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught and served as principal at St. Giles, Oak Park; and was principal at St. Mary of the Woods.

School Sister of St. Francis Ellen Mary Schwaiger, 94, died Sept. 25 at Sacred Heart in Milwaukee.

Born in Milwaukee, Sister Mary Ellen was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1952; made her first profession of vows in 1954; and made her final vows in 1960.

Beginning in 1955, Sister Ellen Mary ministered in Illinois and Wisconsin. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was a musician at Alvernia High School (1955-1963) and St. Benedict High School (1963- 1979). In retirement, she ministered through her prayer and presence in Milwaukee from 2019 until her death.

Father John R. Price, 85, died Sept. 11. He was the former pastor of Mary, Queen of Heaven Parish, Cicero.

Born in Chicago, Father Price attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1966.

He served as assistant pastor of St. Celestine, Elmwood Park, and St. Peter, Skokie, before serving as associate pastor of St. Hubert, Hoffman Estates; St. Eulalia (now part of Sacred Heart and St. Eulalia Parish), Maywood; and St. Ann. He served for 12 years as pastor of Mary, Queen of Heaven, and as chaplain at Northeastern Illinois University for six years.

Father Leroy A. Wickowski, retired archdiocesan priest, remembers Father Price as a “good friend, strong in his beliefs and convictions.”

Father David B. Krolczyk, 78, died Sept. 16. He was the former pastor of St. James Parish, Sauk Village, now part of All Souls Parish.

Born in Chicago, Father Krolczyk attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1972.

He was assistant pastor of Our Lady of the Mount, Cicero, and associate pastor of Sacred Heart, Melrose Park; St. Mary of Czestochowa, Cicero; and St. Jude the Apostle, South Holland. He was pastor of St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr, Posen, from 1988 to 2002, and then served as pastor of St. James Parish until he retired in 2021.

After his retirement, he celebrated Masses at St. Joseph Church in Dyer, Indiana, and St. Liborius Parish in Steger.

“He was a very good priest,” said Father John W. Clemens, retired archdiocesan priest. Clemens remembered his classmate as “very faithful, dedicated and very loyal to his people.”

Deacon John “Jack” Smith, 83, of Mount Prospect, died Sept. 15. He was ordained in 1997 and served at St. Zachary Parish, Des Plaines.

Born in Chicago, Deacon Smith attended St. Viator School and St. Patrick High School. He worked in Jewel food stores for nearly 20 years before opening independent grocery stores in Chicago starting in 1975.

In addition to his parish ministry, he offered pastoral care and comfort to patients and residents at area hospitals and nursing homes.

Deacon Smith is survived by his wife of 59 years, Linda; their children Kelley Dettloff, Jeanine Stantesly, Kristine Wise and Thomas Smith; six grandchildren; and his brothers William Smith and Robert Smith.

Deacon Terrance Norton, 80, died Oct. 1. He was ordained Oct. 1 and served at St. Luke Parish in River Forest, now part of St. Luke and St. Bernardine Parish.

Deacon Norton grew up in Westchester and attended Fenwick High School, the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and DePaul University College of Law.

He married his wife, Renee, in 1970, and the couple adopted three daughters.

He worked as a federal prosecutor in the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime and Racketeering section. He later worked at the Better Government Association, taught and worked in the clinical law practice at IIT’s Chicago Kent College of Law and was the national pro bono partner at Sonnenschein Nath and Rosenthal, now Dentons, before returning to IIT Kent to help open and run the Center for Open Government.

In the 1980s, the Nortons joined other St. Luke parishioners to help found the Learning Center in Chicago’s North Lawndale neighborhood to teach literacy to adults whose educations have been cut short. The couple tutored, raised money, and served on the Board.

He is survived by his wife; daughters Bridget, Cara and Elizabeth; four grandchildren; and his brother, Mike.

Divine Word Father Joseph McDermott, 99, died Sept. 5 in Techny.

Born in Iowa, he aspired to be a Major League Baseball player as a boy. He entered the Society of the Divine Word in 1939 at 13, and professed vows in 1945.

He was ordained to the priesthood in 1952 and served as a missionary in the Archdiocese of Mount Hagen in Papua New Guinea from 1953 to 1976. He provided pastoral care in the Catholic mission in Ambullua, a highlands region of the world’s second largest island.

In 1976, Father McDermott returned to the United States to work as assistant business manager at Divine Word College in Epworth, Iowa. He assisted the business office for 20 years.

In 1977, he filled in for Divine Word Father William Hegarty at St. Anselm Parish in Chicago when Father Hegarty retired due to health reasons.

He moved to Techny in 2024.

Sister of St. Joseph Henrietta Hibbs, 99, died Sept. 17.

She had been in religious life for 82 years.

Sister Henrietta earned a bachelor’s degree from DePaul University and a master’s degree from Loyola University Chicago, and she ministered in many schools operated by the Sisters of St. Joseph, including St. Margaret Mary, Mount Carmel, St. Anthony, Alexine Learning Center and St. John Fisher.

She also volunteered at homeless shelters, organized food and clothing drives, and visited the sick and homebound, and she volunteered to work with several parishes in Mississippi. Her parish work included regular visits to the Parchman Prison, where she helped plan retreat experiences for the women who were incarcerated.

Holy Spirit Missionary Sister Maria Elisabeth Klodt, 100, died Sept. 18.

Born in Germany, she began her formation in religious life in West Germany in1948, professing first vows in 1950 and final vows in 1956.

She received a mission appointment to the United States and arrived in Techny, Illinois, in 1952. After completing English studies and some classes at DePaul University, she moved to Washington, D.C., where, in 1962, she earned a bachelor’s degree in pharmacology at George Washington University. She worked as a hospital pharmacist at St. Therese Hospital in Waukegan, for the next 20 years, and worked for many years at the Medical Park Pharmacy in the St. Therese Professional Building.

Sister Maria Elisabeth earned a certificate from the Institute of Pastoral Studies at Loyola University, which prepared her for service in pastoral ministry and as local leader for her religious sisters in Melrose Park and Waukegan, and as directress of Maria Hall in the Convent of the Holy Spirit in Northfield.

School Sister of St. Francis Joan Schumacher, 91, died Aug. 28 in Milwaukee.

Born in Wisconsin, Sister Joan was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1952, made her first profession of vows in 1954 and made her final vows in 1960.

Beginning in 1954, Sister Joan ministered in the Archdioceses of Chicago, Milwaukee and Omaha. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Joan taught at Our Lady of Victory (1955-1960); St. Anne, Barrington (1961-1965); Our Lady of Charity, Cicero (1965-1967); and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Glenview (1968-2014).

In retirement, Sister Joan ministered through her prayer and presence at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish (2014-2024) and at Sacred Heart in Milwaukee from 2024 until her death.

Divine Word Father Joseph Bisson, 89, died Aug. 30.

Father Bisson, who returned to the United States in 2017, was the last American Divine Word Missionary to leave Papua New Guinea and was the longest serving Catholic missionary in the Archdiocese of Mount Hagen. Decades earlier, the Society of the Divine Word foresaw the benefits of forming priests and brothers who were born and raised on the island and eventually passed leadership roles to them.

“Joe was a man with a true commitment as a religious, as a priest and as a missionary. He certainly was a man with a clear calling,” said retired Divine Word Father Thomas Krosnicki.

Born in Boston, Father Bisson began his studies with the Society of the Divine Word in 1949 and professed vows in 1955.

Ordained in 1963, Father Bisson lived 70 years in religious vows and devoted 53 years to the Catholic Church in Papua New Guinea. He held a master’s degree in education from Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and he was proficient in seven languages: English, Latin, Greek, German, French, Pidgin and a Papua New Guinean tribal language.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Colleen (Lillian) Nolan, 79, died Sept. 3 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, she professed vows with the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa in 1966.

Her ministry was dedicated to education. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Barnabas and St. Basil. She also taught in Rockford and in Maryland, Oklahoma and Florida.

She served as codirector and director of the Apostolic Volunteers program for the Sinsinawa Dominican Congregation; as mission educator for the Missionary Society of St. Columban in Forest Park; and as director of religious education at St. Luke Parish, River Forest.

She is survived by her brother, Thomas Nolan, and sisters Elizabeth Charrat, Mary Cippera, and her twin, Kathleen Shrauger.

Peter P. Paurazas, died Aug. 18 at the age of 96. He was pastor emeritus of the former St. Rene Goupil Parish, now part of Two Holy Martyrs Parish.

Born on in Chicago, he attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary.

Father Paurazas served as assistant pastor of St. Joseph Parish (South Saginaw Street), Immaculate Conception Parish (44th Street) and St. Adrian Parish (Washtenaw Avenue). He became pastor of St. Adrian Parish in 1980 and became pastor of St. Rene Goupil Parish in 1992. He served as pastor of that parish until he retired in 2000.

Father Marcel J. Pasciak, pastor emeritus of St. Patricia Parish, remembered his friend of 30 years as a kind priest, very well loved at the parishes he served and an avid traveler. “His parishes were all on the South Side; he was a big White Sox and Bears fan,” said Pasciak.

Providence Sister Joyce (Robert Ellen) Brophy, 96, died Aug. 27 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana

Born in Joliet, Sister Joyce entered the Sisters of Providence in 1947 and professed final vows in 1955.

She taught and was a principal in schools in Illinois, Indiana and California. Interspersed within her years of teaching, she held a number of administrative positions in the congregation.  She held positions in the formation program for new members (1965-1969), served as provincial of the Motherhouse Province (1984-199) and worked in the St. Mary-of-the-Woods College Development Office (1980-1982)

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Sylvester (1950-1954), Our Lady of Mercy (1955) and St. Agnes (1969) and was principal of St. Genevieve (1969-1971).

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Duchesne (Mary) Maxwell, 94, died Aug. 2 in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, she professed vows in 1953. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English and a master’s degree in library science from Rosary College, now Dominican University, in River Forest.

Sister Duchesne’s ministry was dedicated to teaching and pastoral care. She taught at St. Thomas More School, and later served as assistant administrator at Queen of Peace High School, Burbank. She also taught, was a librarian and was an administrator at schools in Wisconsin, Iowa and other dioceses in Illinois.

She served on the leadership council of the Sinsinawa Dominican congregation, then was a chaplain at hospitals in Nebraska and director of pastoral care at a senior home in Minnesota.

She is survived by her sister, Loretta Maxwell.

Sister of the Living Word Jeannine Randolph, 85, died Aug. 8.

Born in Chicago, she entered the Sisters of Christian Charity in 1957 and professed final vows in 1966. In 1975, she transferred to the Sisters of the Living Word, who were forming a new community.

During her first years of ministry, she taught in Riverdale, Morton Grove and Chicago, as well as in Iowa and Minnesota. She later ministered as pastoral minister in Louisiana and Illinois.

She served as director of novices for the Sisters of the Living Word and ministered as a massage therapist for her last 18 years of ministry.

In retirement, she lived at Resurrection Village Life Center, Addolorata Villa, Amazing Grace and finally at Resurrection Life Center.

Deacon Joseph P. Casey, 77, died July 30. He was ordained in 2013 and served at St. Patrick Church, now part of St. Brigid Parish, in Wadsworth.

In addition to his parish ministry, the Lindenhurst resident served as a hospice chaplain for more than 10 years.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Donna, sons Sean and Tim Casey and four grandchildren.

Benedictine Sister Sr. Mary (Mary Gerald) Melady, 79, died April 17 at St. Joseph Court, the infirmary of St. Scholastica Monastery.

Born in Evanston, she St. Ignatius School and St. Scholastica High School before entering the Benedictine community in 1963.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in French from Mundelein College and a master’s degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University Chicago, as well as credentials for teaching English as a Second Language from Northeastern University.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. George, Queen of All Saints, St. Joseph (Orleans Street) and St. Scholastica Academy.

She then studied at and worked at the Institute for Spiritual Leadership in Hyde Park, eventually becoming its co-director and earning a doctorate in ministry from the Graduate Theological Foundation.

She began directing her community’s initial formation program in 1999 and returned to to teaching ESL, first part-time at Oakton Community College, and then full-time at Taft High School. She maintained that ministry after retiring from teaching. She also volunteered in various capacities at Holy Spirit Life Learning Center.

She was appointed subprioress in 2015 and continued in that role until the summer of 2023.

She is survived by her brother, Patrick.

Adrian Dominican Sister Shirley Ann (Blanche Marie) Cushing, 97, died July 18 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Detroit, she was in the 78th year of her religious life. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English from Siena Heights College, Adrian; a master’s degree in English from DePaul University; and a master’s degree in religious education degree and a law degree from the University of Detroit (now University of Detroit Mercy).

Sister Shirley ministered in education, as a community leader, in religious education and as an attorney in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio; and Tokyo, Japan.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Nicholas of Tolentine (1947-1951) and St. Edmund, Oak Park (1951-1957).

Providence Sister Brigid Ann (Margaret Rose) Bonner, 85, died July 23, in Indiana.

Born in Whiting, Indiana, Sister Brigid Ann entered the the Sisters of Providence in 1958 and professed final vows in 1965.

Of her 67 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered in education and social work in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Mark School.