Father August (Gus) Belauskas, 83, died July 17. He was a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago.

Born in Chicago, Father Belauskas attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary, Niles College of Loyola University and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1968. He also received a master’s degree in philosophy from Loyola University Chicago after ordination.

He served as associate pastor of Sts. Faith, Hope, and Charity Parish, Winnetka, and St. Alphonsus Parish, Prospect Heights. He then joined the faculty of Niles College (1974), where he taught philosophy and was on the formation staff. He went to USML/Mundelein Seminary in 1986 to start the pre-theology program for candidates who were entering seminary for the first time. While on the faculty, he also served in various roles: vice-rector, formation adviser, spiritual director, adviser to seminarians in the residence halls where he lived and other duties. During his time at Mundelein Seminary, he also served as a weekend assistant priest for 40 years at St. Gilbert Parish, Grayslake. Father Belauskas retired in 2017 as the philosophy department chairman; he continued to teach and work in formation and spiritual direction part-time.

Father John Kartje, rector/president of USML/Mundelein Seminary, wrote about Father Belauskas in his Scripture column.

“Insofar as a priest is meant to be a ‘pontifex,’ a bridge to help lead others to Christ, Fr. Gus beautifully embraced that vocation,” Kartje wrote in part. “With a famously calm, steady demeanor, he could put the most anxious student or parishioner at ease with a self-effacing smile and a gentle word of encouragement.”

He is survived by his sister, Sylvia Phillips.