Servant of the Holy Heart of Mary Sister Agnes (Mary) Cunningham, 101, died Jan. 22 in Clifton, Illinois.

Born in England, she was raised in Chicago and was a parishioner of Visitation and St. Gall parishes in her youth. She entered the Servants of the Holy Heart of Mary in 1940 and professed vows in 1943.

Sister Agnes ministered in education, teaching elementary school through post-graduate students. She was a professor of church history and patristics at the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary from 1967 to 1991, where she helped to educate and form a generation of lay men, priests and bishops. In addition, she served as a freelance writer, theological consultant and translator for her religious community. She was the first female president of the Catholic Theological Society of America.

On her 80th jubilee, she mused, “I wish that everybody knew that as we are passing through times of darkness, challenge and doubt … God still gives us strength and love to support others.”

Father Thomas E. Lamping, 70, died Dec. 31, 2024. He was a retired priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and former associate pastor of St. Bartholomew.

Born in Joliet, he attended Bertha-Hewitt High in Bertha, Minnesota, Crosier Seminary in Onamia, Minnesota; Indiana University in Fort Wayne, Indiana; and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1984.

Father Lamping served as associate pastor of St. Joseph, Summit; St. Philomena (now San José Luis Sánchez Del Río), St. Jerome; Queen of Angels (now part of Queen of Apostles); and St. Bartholomew.

Father Michael Gabriel, one of Father Lamping’s classmates, remembered Father Lamping as a great person who “loved life and was incredibly dedicated to the priesthood.”

Gabriel also recalled Father Lamping’s close relationship with his family, how “he was very dedicated to his parents and really loved those around him.”

Father James E. Flynn, 82, died Jan. 5. He was pastor emeritus of Holy Name of Mary Parish.

Born in Chicago, he attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1967.

Father Flynn was assistant pastor of St. Priscilla, Resurrection (now part of St. Martin de Porres) and Our Lady of the Mount Parish (now part of Our Lady, the Mystical Rose Parish) in Cicero. He served as associate pastor of St. Angela (now part of St. Simon Cyrene) and Holy Name of Mary (now part of Our Lady of Kibeho Parish), where he was named pastor emeritus after he retired in 2012.

He served in retirement at Ascension-St. Susanna in Harvey and St. Gerard Majella in Markham.

Father Thadeo Mgimba, archdiocesan priest and one of Father Flynn’s close friends, remembers Father Flynn as a remarkable person who “was very simple, humble and had a golden heart.”

“He was my spiritual father, my mentor and my friend,” Mgimba added.

Father Stephen F. Kanonik, 68, died Jan. 7. He was pastor of St. Benedict Parish on Irving Park Road.

Born in Chicago, Father Kanonik attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary, Niles College of Loyola University and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary before being ordained in 1982.

He served as associate pastor of St. Bruno and St. Louise de Marillac, La Grange Park. He then served as pastor of St. Ladislaus, St. Juliana and St. Benedict Parish. He also served as moderator of the curia and recently had been a member of the Priest Placement Board.

Father Thomas Refermat, associate pastor of St. Benedict, remembered Father Kanonik as “a man who loved the people, cared for the people and wanted to speak up for his parishioners.” “He loved them, and his parishioners loved him, especially the children,” Refermat said. “Working side by side with him, I always saw him as an older brother.”

Father James Kastigar, one of Father Kanonik’s classmates, remembers Father Kanonik as a “very kind, gentle man who really loved other people and he took time to listen to them. He’d always stop what he was doing to talk to people.”

Deacon Robert Boharic, 79, died Jan. 12. He was ordained in 1999 and served at St. Paul VI Parish, formerly at St. Mary, Riverside.

Born at Misericordia Maternity Home in Chicago and then adopted, he attended St. Sabina Parish and Leo High School.

A former U.S. Marine, Deacon Boharic was a prosecutor and a judge in Cook County. He told Chicago Catholic in 2012 that his journey to the diaconate began after his son, Bobby, died of a childhood cancer in 1982.

At that time, he and his wife, Kathleen, began to dig deeper into their faith and became more active in their parish.

Deacon Boharic is survived by his wife, his children Father Thomas Boharic, Marie Schwarzenberger, Margaret Boharic and John Boharic; and seven grandchildren.