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.