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.