Sister of the Living Word Kathleen Heer, 75, died June 15 at Resurrection Life Center, where she lived for the past four years after suffering a stroke.

Sister Kathleen entered the Sisters of Christian Charity in 1969 and was called again to be a founding member of the Sisters of the Living Word in 1975. A gifted artist and educator, she taught junior high at St. Raphael in the Englewood neighborhood, and served as principal for 16 years. She participated in consolidation of the nine Englewood schools and was elected vice-president of the Archdiocesan Principals Association. She was also principal at St. Catherine Laboure, Glenview.

She later earned a master’s degree in art therapy and ministered as an art therapist in Ohio, and she served in the leadership of her religious community for five years.

She is survived by siblings Thomas Heer, Mary Heer, Betty Freeze Heer, John Heer, Daniel Heer, Michael Heer and Joseph Heer.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Maria (Josefita) Candelaria, 89, died June 18 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

She was born in New Mexico and made her first profession as a Discalced Carmelite in 1957, receiving the name Maria Isabel. She transferred her vows to the Sinsinawa Dominicans in 1980.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in religious studies and Spanish from Rosary College (now Dominican University), River Forest; a master’s degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University Chicago; and a master’s degree in secondary education from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

She ministered as a teacher in New Mexico and Texas.

Daughter of Charity Sister Mary (Mary Margaret) Satala, 89, died June 23 in Evansville, Indiana.

Born in Chicago, she graduated from Good Counsel High School in 1953 and earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Joseph School of Nursing before entering the Daughters of Charity in 1960.

She served at hospitals in Louisiana, Missouri, Indiana and Alabama, as well as at St. Joseph Hospital and Health Centers (1984-1991). She also served in Poland.

In addition to her nursing degree, Sister Mary earned a master’s degree in spirituality and counseling and a doctorate in pastoral counseling and clinical counseling.

She also served as postulant directress for the Daughters of Charity in Evansville, and as a mental health counselor in Indianapolis.

Poor Handmaid of Jesus Christ Sister Patricia (Brendan) Peters, 85, died June 27 in Donaldson, Indiana.

Born in Breese, Illinois, Sister Patricia entered the Poor Handmaids of Jesus Christ in 1959 and professed her first vows in 1962.

She taught at elementary schools in Illinois and Indiana, including St. Henry.

After 10 years of teaching, Sister Patricia was appointed director of purchasing at the PHJC Ministry Center in Donaldson. She developed an interest in computer technology and took several computer courses at DeVry University in Chicago. She became the manager for computer services at PHJC Ministry Center. In 2016, Sister Patricia began using her computer skills to help develop a digitized system of tracking pictures and artifacts in the archives.

Sister Patricia retired to Catherine’s Cottage in Donaldson in 2023.

Sister Patricia is survived by her two sisters and five brothers.

Deacon Gregory Shumpert, 70, died June 4. He was ordained in 1999 and ministered at St. Agatha, St. Martin de Porres and St. Simon of Cyrene parishes.

Born in Chicago, he attended Holy Name Cathedral High School and Loyola University Chicago, as well as studying for the diaconate at the University of St. Mary of the Lake.

For more than three decades, Deacon Shumpert worked at Northwestern Memorial Hospital as a mental health counselor and advocate for those in need. He later served in several capacities at Malcolm X College.

In his years as a deacon, he assisted at the altar and offered pastoral care and community outreach. He was active in the Men’s Club, was a lector and choir member, supported Community Renewal Society initiatives and was a board member of the Adult Education Learning Center.

He is survived by his wife of 48 years, Carolyn; his children Ericka Nicole Shumpert-Toliver and Erik Gregory Shumpert; and two grandchildren.

Father Kenneth S. Laske, 93, died March 20. He was a retired archdiocesan priest and former associate pastor of St. Leonard, Berwyn.

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

He served as assistant pastor of St. Ferdinand; St. Gilbert, Grayslake; St. Joan of Arc, Evanston; and Divine Savior, Norridge. He served as associate pastor of St. Cornelius; St. William; St. Maria Goretti, Schiller Park; and St. Leonard. He retired in 2002.

The late Father William T. O’Mara, retired archdiocesan priest and classmate, had remembered Father Laske as a very quiet person and a devoted priest with a great sense of humor.

Father William T. O’Mara, 94, died May 27. He was a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and pastor emeritus of St. Elizabeth Seton, Orland Hills.

Born in Chicago, Father O’Mara attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary, and later earned a postgraduate degree from Loyola University Chicago.

He was assistant pastor of Infant Jesus of Prague, Flossmoor, and St. James, Sauk Village.

He was a faculty member at Quigley Preparatory Seminary and served as chaplain at Marian Catholic High School, Chicago Heights, celebrating school Masses, attending Kairos retreats with seniors and going to sports events, concerts and plays.

Father O’Mara served as pastor at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish until 2003, when he was named pastor emeritus.

Archdiocesan priest Father Roger
Caplis remembered his classmate as very outgoing and a good athlete. “He also shared a great sense of ministry, even after retirement,” Caplis said.

Providence Sister Mary Jeanine (Mary Catherine) Schubert, 84, died May 14 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Chicago, she went to St. Mel School and Providence High School. She entered the Sisters of Providence in 1961 and professed final vows in 1970.

Of her 64 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered in elementary schools in Indiana and Illinois for 16 years. In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Agnes (1967-1971), St. Francis Borgia (1971-1978) and Maternity BVM (1978-1982).

In 1983, she took a position at the American Medical Association in Chicago as a survey operations assistant and later as an employee contractor.

Retiring from this position in 2007, she gave much time to sewing and quilting for charities.

Sister Mary Jeanine is survived by a brother, Andrew J. Schubert Jr.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Mary Ann Mueninghoff, 79, died May 16 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, she professed vows with the Sinsinawa Dominican sisters in 1968. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English education from Rosary College (now Dominican University), River Forest; a certificate of theology from St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wisconsin; and a master’s degree in pastoral studies from Loyola University Chicago.

Sister Mary Ann’s ministry was dedicated to teaching, religious education and higher education. She taught in Minnesota and was a religious education director in Montana as well as at Epiphany Parish and St. Luke Parish, River Forest.

She then worked for the Sinsinawa Dominican congregation as director of the Apostolic Volunteers program; was director of residence halls and a counselor and rector at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana; and was promoter of mission integration at Dominican University.

She is survived by a sister, Janet Collins, and brothers David, Eric and Robert Mueninghoff.

Father Gerald E. Rogala, 85, died May 7. He was a retired archdiocesan priest and pastor emeritus of the former St. Thecla Parish, now part of St. Elizabeth of the Trinity Parish.

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

He also earned a master’s degree in New Testament studies from the University of Chicago.

Father Rogala was assistant pastor of St. John Brebeuf, Niles, and St. John Berchmans, now part of Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish. He also taught at Niles College of Loyola University.

He was associate pastor of St. Mary, Buffalo Grove, and pastor of St. Josaphat; Our Lady of the Brook, now part of St. Norbert and Our Lady of the Brook Parish, Northbrook; St. Stephen Protomartyr, now part of Mary, Mother of Martyrs, Des Plaines; and the former St. Thecla. He retired in 2010.

“He enjoyed teaching,” said Father Thomas J. Vitro, a classmate of Father Rogala. “He was a contemporary Catholic priest, very proud of the parishes he served in. He identified with those communities and met all expectations of a priest ordained 60 years ago.”

Vitro added that Father Rogala liked skiing and playing the guitar.

Father Richard J. Kozak, 84, died April 15. He was a retired archdiocesan priest and former pastor at St. Joseph Parish in Homewood, now St. John Neumann Parish.

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

He was assistant pastor of St. Felicitas Parish and associate pastor of St. Simeon, Bellwood; St. Maria Goretti, Schiller Park; and Sacred Heart, Melrose Park. He was pastor of the former St. Joseph, Homewood, for nearly 17 years before retiring in 2015.

In a 2012 interview with the archdiocesan newspaper, Kozak mentioned that he lost sight in one eye a month before being ordained. He said, “I’m convinced it deepened my spiritual vision of the Lord even though I lost physical vision. It happened on St. Joseph’s Day, March 19, 1967. I look back on my life and say, ‘Well Lord, I guess you had a plan for me.’”

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Joan (Ternan) McCann, 85, died April 9 in Racine, Wisconsin.

Born in Chicago, she professed vows with the Sinsinawa Dominicans in 1961. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, a master’s in the teaching of mathematics and a master’s in education management and supervision.

Sister Joan’s ministry was dedicated to education, administration and consultancy. She taught at schools in Washington, D.C.; Freeport, Illinois; Madison, Wisconsin; and Baltimore Maryland; as well as at St. Mary School, Evanston, and Sts. Faith, Hope and Charity School, Winnetka.

She was an assistant superintendent in the Office of Education of the Archdiocese of Atlanta before joining with Adrian Dominican Sister Mary-beth Beres to found Leadership Systems, a nonprofit consulting ministry serving religious congregations, social service organizations and schools.

Following that ministry, Sr. Joan served the Sinsinawa Dominican congregation as vicaress provincial of the Southern Province before becoming vicar for consecrated life for the Archdiocese of Atlanta.

Sister Joan retired in 2010 and volunteered in the Oak Lawn area until 2024, when she moved to Stair Crest, a senior living community in Muskego, Wisconsin.

She is survived by three sisters: Marjorie Kayser, Alice McCann, and Nancy Tegtmeyer.  

School Sister of Notre Dame Catherine (David Maureen) Sarther, 83, died April 10 at Ascension Resurrection Life Center.

A member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame for 63 years, she taught high school at Academy of Our Lady and taught in elementary schools in Chicago and Milwaukee. She also assisted international students at Catholic Theological Union in Hyde Park, was a researcher for Chicago Public Schools, and served her community as a provincial councilor in Chicago and a general councilor in Rome.

She is survived by her siblings: David Sarther, James Sarther, Margaret Fox and William Sarther.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Jeanne Drea, 82, died April 28 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Wisconsin, she professed vows with the Sinsinawa Dominicans in 1972.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in upper elementary education, a certificate in theology and, later, a master’s in pastoral studies from Loyola University Chicago.

She taught at schools in Illinois and Wisconsin, and ministered in parishes in Wisconsin and Florida. She also worked for Catholic Charities and in various outreach programs in Florida.

She is survived by her brother, Harry Drea.

Sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth Catherine Marie (Barbara Ann) Kawa, 82, died Oct. 27, 2025, in Park Ridge.

She attended Holy Innocents Parish, Our Lady of Good Counsel School and Holy Family Parish before entering religious life as a postulant in 1964.

She ministered in Texas as well as at St. Camillus School and at Nazarethville in Des Plaines.

Sister of the Holy Family Nazareth Phyllis (Emnilda) Siedlecka, 93, died Jan. 23.

She attended St. Adalbert Parish and St. Ann High School before entering religious life in 1952.

She taught primary school in Illinois, Indiana and Texas and served as a local superior. She also ministered at the provincialate and at Nazarethville in Des Plaines.

Sister of the Holy Family of Nazareth Bernadine (M. Norbertine) Wachowiak, 91, died Feb. 22.

She attended St. Hedwig parish and school and Holy Family Academy before entering  religious life in 1951.

She ministered as a teacher, principal and director of religious education with assignments at St. Hyacinth; St. Blase, Argo; St. Michael; St. Emily, Mount Prospect; Immaculate Heart of Mary; St. Josaphat; St. Hedwig; St. Andrew; St. Ladislaus and the community’s provincialate at Nazarethville in Des Plaines.

She is survived by a brother, Kenneth, and a sister, Rita.

School Sister of St. Francis Rita Mae Rabitoy, 92, died at Sacred Heart Convent in Milwaukee on March 26.

Born in Michigan, Sister Rita Mae was received into the community in 1950, made her first profession of vows in 1952 and made her final vows in 1958.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, Sister Rita Mae ministered at St. Benedict High School (1954-1956); Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Glenview (1956-1957); St. Mary, Buffalo Grove (1963-1967); St. William (1967-1971, 1972-1985); Our Lady of Ransom, Niles (1985-2005); and St. Cyprian, River Grove (1971-1972 and 2005-2006), where she also volunteered in retirement from 2006-2018.

Providence Sister Mary Lois (Ollie Marie) Hennel, 98, died April 3 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Indiana, she entered the Sisters of Providence in 1946 and professed final vows in 1954.

In her 79 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered as a teacher in schools in Indiana, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. In 1970, she left teaching for administrative work, serving the St. Gabriel Province in Indianapolis and the Archdiocese of San Francisco. She also served in the business office at the motherhouse.

After retiring in 2002, she continued to serve as a volunteer in the business office and in the Providence Food Pantry.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she ministered at Our Lady of Sorrows (1949-1953) and as secretary at Mother Theodore Guerin High School, River Grove (1990-1994).

Sister Mary Lois is survived by a brother, Joseph Hennel, and a sister, Maggie Hennel.

Dominican Sister Marie Anna (Rose de Lima) Stelmach, 80, died April 8 in Racine, Wisconsin.

Born in Baltimore, she made profession as a Sinsinawa Dominican in 1965.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in math and theology from Rosary College (now Dominican University), River Forest. She also earned a master’s degree in divinity from Immaculate Conception Seminary in New Jersey; a master’s degree in theology from Seton Hall University in New Jersey; and certification as a registered nurse from Bon Secours Memorial School of Nursing in Virginia.

Her ministry focused on teaching, pastoral care, missionary work and health care. She taught in California, Wisconsin and New York as well as at Visitation School in Chicago. She served as a missionary in the Diocese of Santa Cruz, Bolivia, and in the Archdiocese of Port of Spain, Trinidad; and as a director of religious education in Rockford, Illinois; Washington, D.C.; and Louisiana.

She worked in hospital chaplaincy and prison ministry before serving as a registered nurse in Virginia and for the Sinsinawa Dominican congregation.

She is survived by two sisters, Helen Wyczalek and Jean Huether.