Obituaries

Fr. Angelo Biancalana

Missionary

Father Angelo Biancalana, 85, died June 11.

He had been living in LaGrange and was a priest for 59 years.

He is survived by his brother Sergio and his sister Rina Banducci.

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Br. Patrick Hogan

Linguist

Brother Patrick Hogan, 80, who created a specialized English-language program for Vietnamese refugees, died June 5 in Techny. 

Born in 1936 in Philadelphia, he professed first vows in 1957 and final vows in 1963.

He was assigned to Asia and worked in the Finance Office of Nanzan University in Japan, then worked to rebuild Fu Jen University in Taiwan, where he later served as treasurer. He also taught English to Chinese students before teaching linguistics and Asian studies at Divine Word College in Iowa.

In 1975 shortly after the fall of Saigon, he developed the school’s English-as-a-Second-Language program, focusing on methods for helping Vietnamese immigrants who knew little or no English to learn the language. His efforts led to an increase in vocations and eventually resulted in 75 ordinations and several brothers professing perpetual vows.

In 1983, Brother Pat returned to Fu Jen University. After retiring from Fu Jen University, he was director of Divine Word International Conference and Retreat Center at Techny. He transferred to Bordentown, New Jersey, in 2004, where he served as rector, and moved to Techny in 2015 in order to receive advanced medical care.

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Fr. Lawrence Choate

Administrator

Servite Father Lawrence Choate, 70, died May 26 from an aggressive cancer. He was a Servite priest for 38 years.

Father Choate was administrator of St. Francis of Assisi Parish.

He served on the Servite provincial council and ministered in a number of other Chicago parishes, including St. Peter Canisius and St. Roman.

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Sr. Irene Bopp

Educator, administrator

School Sister of Notre Dame Irene (John Mary) Bopp, 93, died May 14, at Resurrection Hospital.

Born in Chicago, Sister Irene was baptized at St. Alphonsus and attended elementary school there. She entered the SSND convent in Milwaukee as a candidate in 1933, professed first vows in 1943 and final vows in 1949.

Over the next many years, Sister Irene served as teacher and administrator at several Wisconsin and Illinois schools. She also served as principal at St. Alphonsus for seven years, serving on parish committees and as secretary of the archdiocesan principals’ association and a member of the principal interview team.

From 1979 to 1993, Sister Irene served as an education consultant in the archdiocese, working particularly with school boards, especially when schools were merging or being consolidated.

In 1993, at the invitation of the provincial, Sister Irene began the development office for the Chicago Province, a position she enjoyed and continued for 10 years. In 2003, she moved to Resurrection Life Center in Chicago, where her lifelong cheerfulness was appreciated by staff and patients.

Sister Irene is survived by her sister Margaret Davidson.

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Deacon Miguel Garcia

Class of 1995

Deacon Miguel Garcia, 78, died July 4. He was ordained in 1995 and served at St. Stanislaus Kostka Parish.

He is survived by his wife, Raquel, and his children Miguel, Gabriel, Araceli Huerta, Maria Isabel Avila, Noemi and Diana Perez; and 19 grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

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Deacon Thaddeus Lisowski

Class of 1974

Deacon Thaddeus “Ted” Lisowski, 89, died June 21 in Park Ridge.

He was ordained in 1974 and served at St. Francis of Assisi and St. Constance parishes. He taught at Weber High School for 43 years.

He is survived by his wife, Casey; and children Thaddeus Junior, Alicia, Stephen and Paul (Moira); grandchildren Eliot, Abigail, Jane, Alexander, Eleanor, Claire, Anne and Edward; and siblings Eugene, John, Edward and Berniece.

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