Father Dominic J. Grassi, 79, died Aug. 25.  He was pastor emeritus of St. Josaphat Parish, a professor and an author.

Born in Chicago, Father Grassi attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary, Niles College of Loyola University and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1973.

He was assistant pastor of St. John De La Salle Parish and Immaculate Conception Parish (Aberdeen Street). He was on the faculty of Quigley Preparatory Seminary for about 13 years, teaching religion, speech and media studies. He was a member of the Pastors’ Review Board and served as pastor at St. Josaphat Parish for 18 years. Afterward, he served at St. Gertrude Parish (Granville Avenue) for 11 years. According to the biography on his website called “Bumping Into God,” he was also an associate chaplain of the Arthur J. Audy Detention Center for Youth. Grassi was named pastor emeritus of St. Josaphat Parish in 2022.

A 2007 profile captured in the archdiocesan newspaper shared his love for storytelling. Years later, after retiring from parish ministry, he published “Death in Chicago: Winter,” his first mystery novel set in Chicago.

Grassi was the author of several books including “Bumping Into God: 35 Stories Of Finding God In Unexpected Places,” “Still Called by Name” and “Living the Mass,” as well as numerous articles for many publications.

Father Gerard T. Broccolo, 87, died Aug. 10. He was a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago; former pastor of Ascension, Oak Park; and the founder of the archdiocesan Office for Divine Worship.

Born in Chicago, he attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before pursuing theological studies at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, followed by graduate studies in liturgy at the Pontifical Institute of Liturgy of St. Anselm, also in Rome.

He was ordained in Rome in 1964.

He was assistant pastor of St. James, Highwood; St. John Brebeuf, Niles; and St. Martha, Morton Grove. He also started and led the Office of Divine Worship for almost 20 years and was on the faculty of the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary from 1968 to 1972.

He was associate pastor of St. Sebastian Parish and St. James, Arlington Heights, and was pastor of Ascension, Oak Park.

In 1991, Father Broccolo moved to Pittsburgh to work with the Sisters of Mercy to make their healthcare system. In 1997, he moved to the headquarters of Catholic Health Initiatives in Denver. He was a resource for ministry formation for the Office of Personnel Services and served as a consultant on liturgy. He retired in 2006.

Father Broccolo was Father William J. Stenzel’s spiritual director for more than 20 years. “He taught me and most of the diocese’s priests how to implement the reforms of the Second Vatican Council,” Stenzel said. “He was in Rome during the years of the council studying theology and brought his doctorate in theology home to Chicago, teaching the rest of us how to do it and what it meant.”

Stenzel added that he “did not know one guy who ever had him in class who can’t quote verbatim things we learned from him.”

Father Broccolo wrote “Spiritual Renewal of the American Priesthood” (1972), as well as numerous articles for Chicago Liturgy Training Publication and other periodicals.

Providence Sister Joseph Ellen (Rosemary Ellen) Keitzer, 92, died Aug. 23 in Providence Health Care in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Hammond, Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1951 and professed final vows in 1959. She earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College and a master’s degree from Ball State University, both in music.

During her 75 years of religious life, she ministered as a music teacher for 23 years in New Hampshire, Illinois, Indiana and California. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. David (1958-1961) and St. Angela (1976-1987).

In 1987, she moved into parish work, serving as a pastoral associate (1987-2005) and director of religious education (1987-2001) at St. Angela Parish in Chicago for 18 years.  She retired in 2005 but stayed in the area for 17 more years as a volunteer, supporting the parishioners as parishes in the area closed and merged.

She moved to the motherhouse in 2023, continuing her ministry of prayer for the people of the former St. Angela Parish.

Felician Sister Mary Lauren (Frances) Lapinski, 78, died Aug. 24 in Our Lady of the Angels Convent.

Born in Chicago, she attended St. Bartholomew School and Good Counsel High School.  She entered the Felician Sisters in 1965 and professed her final vows in 1973. She ministered in elementary schools in Illinois and served as a teacher and counselor at Good Counsel High School. Later she was responsible for vocational, financial and archival ministries for the Felician Sisters.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at St. Bruno (1968-1970); St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr (1970-1973); St. Hubert, Hoffman Estates (1973-1975); and Good Counsel High School (1975-1983, 1987-1990).

Holy Family of Nazareth Sister Patricia Ann (Ambrose) of the Holy Cross Koschalke, 93, died Sept. 3 at Nazarethville in Des Plaines.

Born in Chicago, she entered the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth in 1952, professed first vows in 1954 and perpetual vows in 1960.

Sister Patricia Ann began her ministry as a teacher, but she spent most of her life dedicated to Catholic health care. In 1967, she joined the staff of St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital as head of its accounting department. In 1977, she went on to serve as administrator of Nazarethville, then as administrator of Holy Family Medical Center. In 1987, she was named president and CEO of Holy Family Health Care System, Inc., a role she held for more than a decade.

Her commitment to the mission of Catholic health care continued for decades: as executive vice president of fund development at Resurrection Health Care, as chairperson of the Sponsorship Board, and as a member of the Presence Health Ministries Board and corporate member of Presence Health. She later served on the Public Juridic Person Board through 2018.

She loved the community and served in leadership for a number of years, sharing her gifts as provincial councilor and later provincial superior, and attending several general chapters of the congregation.

In her later years, Sister Patricia Ann assisted in the dining room ministry at the provincialate in Des Plaines and CSFN Creations, before turning to a quiet ministry of prayer and presence at Nazarethville Place in 2025.

Father Maurice J. Kissane, 88, died Aug. 13. He was a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and pastor emeritus of Queen of Apostles Parish, Riverdale.

Born in Oak Park, Father Kissane attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1964.

He was assistant pastor of St. Malachy and Our Lady of Solace. Later, he was associate pastor of St. Giles, Oak Park,  and St. Cletus, La Grange. Father Kissane served as pastor of St. Barbara, Brookfield; St. Frances of Rome, Cicero; St. Louis de Monfort, Oak Lawn; and Queen of Apostles, where he served from 2006 until his retirement in 2008.

Father John M. Ryan remembered starting his first year at Quigley Preparatory Seminary with Kissane.

“He was always a very prayerful person,” Ryan said. “Even in high school, he prayed and said the rosary almost every day in the chapel. He always had a great sense of humor. Later on, when he became a priest, he was totally dedicated to his people. He just loved being a priest.”

Resurrectionist Father Edward Jaskula, 97, died Aug. 13 at Nazarethville Nursing Home in Des Plaines.

Born and raised in Ontario, Canada, he dedicated 71 years to his vocation as a priest.

Throughout his priesthood, he taught math and French at Gordon Tech High School, leaving a lasting impact on students and colleagues alike.

He is survived by his brother, Henry.

Conventual Franciscan Brother Martin (James) Schmitz, 96, died Aug. 24.

Born in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, he was raised in Robbinsdale, Wisconsin.

He left school after 11th grade to enter the Conventual Franciscans with his twin brother, Philip, in 1948 and to be a part of the founding of Marytown, originally in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He was invested a year later, professed first vows in 1951 and professed solemn vows in 1954.

In the early years of Marytown, one of the main functions was the production of the Immaculata magazine, and Brother Martin worked on the printing presses for years.

After Marytown moved to Libertyville and the community’s needs changed, he worked as cook, as treasurer and as the community’s vicar, according to Conventual Franciscan Brother Augustine Kelly, the Marytown community’s guardian.

Brother Martin ministered for a few years in Peoria, Illinois, but spent the rest of his active ministry at Marytown. When he retired, he moved to St. Joseph’s Home in Palatine, where he led the Divine Mercy chaplet every day.

Sister of Christian Charity Caroline (Lucilda) Schafer, 93, died Aug. 1 at the Convent of the Holy Spirit in Northfield.

Born in Michigan, she entered the Sisters of Christian Charity in 1945 and made first vows in 1949 and perpetual vows in 1955.

She taught elementary school at St. Gregory, Holy Trinity and St. Martha, Morton Grove, as well as in Iowa, Minnesota, Louisiana and Missouri, where she was also a principal.

In 1980, she returned to the motherhouse in Wilmette to serve as novice directress and teach American history at Mallinckrodt College. Eight years later, she served as principal of Holy Ghost, South Holland.

In 1993, she returned to Wilmette as provincial councilor, and in 1994, she was a general councilor in Rome. In 1995, she returned to Wilmette as provincial councilor and superior at the motherhouse.

She then served as administrator of Sacred Heart Convent in Wilmette from 1998 to 2019, when she retired from active ministry.

Redemptorist Father Peter Schavitz, 75, died Aug. 5 in Missouri. He devoted more than three decades of ministry to the preaching apostolate, and he was in such demand that his parish missions were often scheduled years in advance. Over his career in ministry, he preached 419 weeklong parish missions.

Born in Evanston, he attended St. Mary School in Des Plaines before entering the Redemptorist formation program at St. Joseph’s Preparatory College in Wisconsin.

He made temporary vows in 1970 and perpetual vows in 1974 before being ordained to the priesthood in 1976.

He was on the faculty at St. Joseph Preparatory college while earning a master’s degree in communication from the University of Wisconsin, and he served as his community’s vocation director and became involved in the Marriage Encounter movement.

After three years as a pastor in St. Louis, Father Pete served as director of Villa Redeemer Retreat House in Glenview for two years.

Father Pete found his niche in 1992, when he joined the Mission Team as an itinerant preacher based in Chicago. From 1992 to 2000, he lived at St. Alphonsus Parish, followed by five years at St. Michael Parish, while he traveled throughout North America giving missions and retreats.

After leaving Chicago, he served as president of the development office of the Denver Province before returning to the Mission Team at Liguori Mission House in Missouri.