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New World - Newspaper for the Archdiocese of Chicago
Archdiocese of Chicago Directory
Periódico official en Español de la Arquidiócesis de Chicago
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PrintFr. John L. Wodniak
PASTOR EMERITUS
Father John L. Wodniak, pastor emeritus of St. James Parish 5730 W. Fullerton Ave., died April 22 at Lexington Nursing Home in Bloomingdale. Father Wodniak was 93.
A Chicago native, he attended St. Constance School on the city’s Northwest Side and graduated from Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He was ordained by Cardinal Stritch in 1943.
He served as assistant pastor at Our Lady of Solace (1943-1944); St. Ann, Leavitt Street (1944- 1953); St. Florian (1953-1954); St. Mary Magdalene (1954-1963); Five Holy Martyrs (1963-1968) and St. James, Fullerton Avenue (1968-1969).
Father Wodniak was named pastor of St. James in 1969 and remained there until he retired in 1989.
Throughout much of his parish ministry, Father Wodniak also served on the Metropolitan Tribunal, first as an advocate, then as defender of the bond and finally as a judge. In all, he served the tribunal for 24 years, from 1952 to 1976.
Miguel Arias
EDITOR, LITURGIST
Miguel Arias, 40, editorial director at Liturgy Training Publications and a former editor of Chicago Catolico, died April 19 at home surrounded by his family.
Arias, who battled stomach cancer, was a nationally known liturgist, speaker and advocate for the development of culturally sensitive and appropriate materials for the wide variety of people in the church in the United States.
Before rejoining LTP in October 2011, Arias was the consultant for Hispanic Ministry at Loyola Press and previously an acquisitions editor at Liturgy Training Publications (1996-2003). He served as editor of Chicago Catolico, the Spanishlanguage newspaper of the Archdiocese of Chicago, from 1994- 1997.
Arias was the writer and editor of numerous texts. Recent publications include “Oración dominical para Católicos 2013” (LTP), “Manual para proclamadores de la palabra 2011” (LTP) and “Santos Americanos” (Loyola Press).
Arias is survived by his wife Alma, daughter Betsaida, his father, and many brothers and sisters.
Deacon Michael Murray
CLASS OF 1974
Deacon Michael J. Murray, 91, died March 25. He was ordained to the permanent diaconate in 1974 and served at Our Lady of the Brook Parish in Northbrook.
Murray was a longtime resident of Northbrook.
He is survived by his wife, Lorene, and children Lorene Murray Shanahan, Michael, Mary, Michelle Murray Vogel, Thomas and Patricia.
Sr. Bernice Salm
TEACHER
School Sister of St. Francis Bernice (Benignus) Salm, 86, who taught for nearly a half century in Wisconsin and Illinois, died March 25 in Campbellsport, Wis.
A Wisconsin native, she was received into the School Sisters of St. Francis in 1942 and made her final vows in 1950.
Sister Bernice ministered in the Archdiocese of Chicago at St. Martin (1943-1945); St. Joseph, Wilmette (1948-1949) and St. Peter, Skokie (1952-1963).
Sister Bernice is survived by sisters Jeanette and Sister Mary Patrick Salm and brother Lester.
Sr. M. Therese Yokiel
TEACHER
Resurrection Sister M. Therese Yokiel, 85, died March 29 at Queen of the Resurrection Convent.
A native of Minnesota, she was received into the Congregation of the Sisters of the Resurrection in 1944.
She taught elementary grades at St. Casimir (1951- 1953, 1960- 1962) and St. Thecla (1953-1955) as well as in schools in New York, North Dakota and Florida. From 1962-1983, Sister M. Therese taught social studies and religion at Resurrection High School.
For 11 years she served as local superior for the sisters at Queen of the Resurrection House of Prayer.
She is survived by two sisters, Resurrection Sister Lydia Mary and Angela Yokiel; and one brother, James.
Sr. Edith Rietz
MISSIONARY
Maryknoll Sister Edith Marion (Marion Cordis) Rietz, 91, died April 1.
A Chicago native, Sister Edith graduated from Trinity High School, River Forest, in 1939. She entered Maryknoll from Our Lady Help of Christians Parish in 1942 and made final vows in 1948.
Sister Edith worked in South China in 1948, and was under house arrest there from 1949-1951, when she was released and went to Hong Kong to work with Chinese refugees. In 1953, she was sent to Taiwan, where she worked until 1972.
Returning to the U.S. Sister Edith worked in St. Louis and Ossining, N.Y., until 1976, when she returned to Taiwan to work in higher education, as a chaplain and in an adoption agency until 1993, when she returned to Ossining.
