School Sister of St. Francis Larina Williams, 87, died Aug. 17 at West Allis Memorial Hospital in Wisconsin.

Born in Chicago, Sister Larina was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1956, made her first profession of vows in 1958 and her final vows in 1964. 

Beginning in 1958, Sister Larina ministered in the Archdiocese of Chicago for more than half a century. She taught at Holy Angels School in her home parish (1958-1960, 1964-1972 and 1985-2000) and was assistant principal there (2000-2006). She also taught at St. Martin (1960-1962) and St. Clara (1962-1964), taught and was assistant principal at St. Kilian (1972-1984) and taught at Ascension/St. Susanna School in Harvey (1984-1985).

In her retirement, Sister Larina resided in a local convent in Homer Glen (2007-2013) and in Milwaukee.

Sister Larina is survived by her brothers Herbert and Michael and sisters Latoski McCarty and Monica Waters.

Viatorian Father Richard J. Pighini, 79, died Aug. 21 at Addolorata Villa in Wheeling.

A Viatorian for 43 years, Father Richard made his first vows in 1980 and was ordained a priest in 1985.

He attended Maine East High School in Park Ridge before earning a bachelor’s degree in communication design from University of Illinois and a Master of Divinity from Catholic Theological Union. He served in the Peace Corps in Hawaii (1967-1969), taught at Illinois high schools before being ordained and ministered in parishes in Kankakee and Bourbonnais after ordination.

He moved to the retirement community at the Viatorian Province Center in Arlington Heights in 2022. He was always known for his care for the liturgy, as well as the beauty of the gardens and landscapes of the parish grounds.

Father Richard is survived by his sisters, Carlotta Polenzani and Claudette Schmied of Naperville.

Father Michael G. Scherschel, 59, died Aug. 10. He was pastor of the recently united Sts. Matthew and Hubert Parish in Hoffman Estates.

Born in Chicago, Father Scherschel attended Cary-Grove Community High School in Cary; the University of Dayton in Dayton, Ohio; and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary.

Father Scherschel was ordained to the priesthood at the age of 43 in 2007. After ordination, Father Scherschel was associate pastor of St. William Parish (2007-2011). He then served as the associate vocation director for Vicariate IV of the Archdiocese of Chicago. He also served on the formation faculty at St. Joseph College Seminary (2011-2017).

Father Scherschel became pastor of St. Hubert Parish in 2017 and most recently led the formation of Sts. Matthew and Hubert Parish, unifying the two community parishes as one.

Father Robert Rizzo met Father Scherschel when he succeeded him as pastor at St. Hubert Parish. “I was totally delighted when he was named pastor because he is truly a kind, gentle and super authentic person,” Rizzo said. “He truly lived his faith day in and day out.”

Deacon Thomas M. Paluch, 77, died Aug. 17. He was ordained in 1997 and served at St. John Brebeuf Parish, Niles, in the Archdiocese of Chicago and Holy Family Parish, Shorewood, in the Diocese of Joliet.

His wife, Julianne Paluch, predeceased him.

He is survived by his children, Maggie Malinowski and Becky Paluch, and three grandchildren, as well as eight siblings.

Adrian Dominican Sister Joan (Margaret Patrick) Murphy, 97, died July 28 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Michigan, she was in the 77th year of her religious life.

Sister Joan ministered in elementary and secondary education, pastoral ministry and religious education and volunteered in health care in Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Georgia, Colorado, California, Alabama and Kentucky, and volunteered in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Nicholas of Tolentine (1946-1950); St. Rita of Cascia (1950-1951); Santa Maria Del Popolo, Mundelein (1959-1962); Infant Jesus of Prague, Flossmoor (1962-1963); and St. Philip Neri (1963-1964).

Adrian Dominican Sister Mary Kathryn (Helen Maureen) Cliatt, 88, died July 30, in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Miami, she was in the 66th year of her religious life.

Sister Mary Kathryn ministered in elementary and secondary education, pastoral ministry, social work and retreat ministry in Illinois, Florida and Georgia, and ministered as a mentor and spiritual advisor to orphans in Kenya.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at Queen of Angels School.

She is survived by a sister, Martha Lim.

Adrian Dominican Sister Marilyn (Marilyn Loretto) Uline, 86, died July 31 in Adrian, Michigan.

Born in Ohio, she was in the 67th year of her religious life.

Sister Marilyn ministered in elementary and secondary education, campus ministry, pastoral ministry, adult education, advocacy, clerical work and business.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she was a social justice advocate at the Eighth Day Center (1975-1980); worked with the Divine Word Theologate as a secretary and in research (1981-1983); taught at St. Mary of Perpetual Help High School (1983-1984) and was a registered representative of First Investors Corp. (1985-1999).

Sister Marilyn is survived by sisters Lois Nugent, Margaret Boyce, Joanne Schutz and Carol Uline and a brother, Franciscan Father Cyprian Uline.

Msgr. Robert F. Trisco, 93, died July 29. He was a professor emeritus of church history at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

Born in Chicago, Msgr. Trisco attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary, the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary and the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he earned a licentiate of sacred theology degree in 1955 and a doctoral degree in ecclesiastical history in 1962.

He was ordained a priest in Rome in 1954.

After ordination, Trisco began his service at the  Catholic University of America in 1959. He was a professor of church history and served as the Kelly-Quinn Distinguished Professor of Church History from 1999 until 2000, when he was granted emeritus status.

 In recognition of his many contributions to the church and in academia, Trisco was named an honorary prelate with the title of monsignor in 1992 and a protonotary apostolic supernumerary in 2005. He was named a decorated knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem in 1993 and promoted to the rank of knight commander in 1998. He was awarded an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Belmont Abbey College in 1992 and was given the Centennial Award by the American Catholic Historical Association in 2019.

Deacon Gerald A. Fox, 94, of La Grange Park, died Aug. 1. Deacon Fox was ordained in 1993 and served at St. Barbara, Brookfield, and Divine Providence, Westchester.

Deacon Fox was general manager of a Buick dealership before being ordained a deacon.

He is survived by his wife, Mary; his children Patricia Fitch, Kathryn Fox and Fred Fox; and one granddaughter.

Deacon James Janicek, 79, died Aug. 9. He was ordained in 2005 and served at St. Michael Parish in Orland Park.

Deacon Janicek started his career repairing typewriters for IBM before moving into management, said St. Michael pastor Father Frank Kurucz. As a deacon, he enjoyed preaching and celebrating baptisms, and he was involved in parish life ministries, making all the pierogis and sauerkraut when the parish hosted a Polish night.

“He thought everyone was family,” Kurucz said.

He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Sharon; his children, Jeffrey Janicek, Cheryl Doyle and Kimberly Janicek; and three grandchildren.