Thursday, 16 August 2012 13:52

Fr. Eck served Diocese of Wichita for 62 years
Father Reinhard C. Eck, 87, died Sunday, Aug. 12.
Funeral services for Father Eck were held at Saint Joseph Church in Andale. A rosary was prayed at 6:30 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 15. A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 16. Burial was at Saint Joseph Parish, Ost.
Father Eck was born on Oct. 20, 1924, in Cheney. He studied for the priesthood at St. Meinrad Seminary in Indiana, and was ordained on June 8, 1950, at his home parish of Saint Joseph, Ost.
Fr. Eck actively served the Diocese of Wichita as a priest for 62 years.
He served as pastor in the following parishes: St. Rose, Wellington; (founding pastor of) Saint Cecilia, Haysville; St. Jude, Wichita; and St. Joseph, Andale, where he served for about 36 years before retiring from parish ministry at the end of June 2012.
Fr. Eck was residing at the Catholic Care Center in Wichita at the time of his death.
Father Dan Spexarth, pastor of St. Catherine of Siena Parish, Wichita, remembers Fr. Eck as being extremely kind to priests. “The 70 of us who were there on Thursday (for the rosary), even on the first day of school, can attest. We admired him deeply and will miss him greatly.”
Monsignor Robert Hemberger, vicar general of the Diocese of Wichita, said Fr. Eck had a keen sense of compassion for the weak and sinners, and for those who suffered discrimination. “I think that is one reason so many people felt comfortable seeking him out as a confessor,” he said.
Fr. John Lanzrath, chancellor for the diocese, said Fr. Reinhard loved the church, the priesthood and the people of God he was called to shepherd.
“His first seminary was his family, which is true of all priests,” he said. “What a blessing to have such a family where three sons became priests. Our diocese is graced with the many years of faithful service of Fr. Vincent, Fr. Reinhard and Fr. Ivan.”

Thursday, 16 August 2012 13:47

BROWN
David E., 71, St. Cecilia, Haysville, July 25.
JOHNSON
Mary Ellen, 86, Mother of God, Oswego, July 26.
MADISON
Claudine, 75, St. James, Augusta, July 26.

Thursday, 02 August 2012 09:47

Sister M. Corinne Peerenboom, 82, a native of Oshkosh, Wisc., died July 18 in Oshkosh.
Services were held there Saturday, July 20.
Carol Theresa Peerenboom entered the religious community of the Sisters of the Sorrowful Mother on Aug. 3, 1951, in Milwaukee, Wisc.
After her novitiate, she professed her first vows on Aug. 12, 1954, and final vows on Aug. 12, 1959.
She taught for several years but then began studying nursing. After receiving her bachelor’s degree in nursing, she studied Clinical Pastoral Education at St. Joseph Hospital in Wichita.
She also worked as a nurse in Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

Thursday, 02 August 2012 09:46

EWERTZ
Samantha Kaye, 16, Sacred Heart, Colwich, July 10.
STEVENS
Gerald A., 75, St. Joseph, Wichita, July 11.
KINSLEY
Buelah Allene, 98, St. Anne, Wichita, July 13.

Thursday, 19 July 2012 12:56

Sister was former president of St. Mary of the Plains College and former editor of the Advance
Sister Cecilia Bush, former president of St. Mary of the Plains College in Dodge City, and former editor of the Catholic Advance, died Sunday, July 15. She would have been 100 years old on Sept. 30.
A rosary for Sr. Cecilia will be prayed at 7 p.m. this evening at All Saints Church, 3205 Grand St., in Wichita. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at All Saints.
Christopher M. Riggs, the current editor of the Advance remembers Sister Cecilia as an amazing person.
“There wasn’t one area of her life in which she didn’t excel,” Riggs said. “Sister Cecilia is a model for all of us who wish to use our God-given talents to serve God.”
She was typical of many Sisters of St. Joseph in her love, kindness, and humility, he added.
“I hope any young woman considering her vocation as a nun would ponder Sister Cecilia’s life and how well she was able to serve the church and God,” Riggs said.
Mary Winifred Bush, the sixth child of Mary Martha (Brown) and Donald J. Bush, was born on Sept. 30, 1912, on a farm near Bertrand, Mo.
The family moved to Kansas City where she was taught by the Sisters of St. Joseph at St. Thomas School. After three years at Bishop Ward High School she entered the Congregation of St. Joseph on March 19, 1929, where she received the religious name Sr. Mary Cecilia.
Earned a Ph.D.
She earned a bachelor’s degree from Marymount College in Salina, a master’s from Creighton, a doctorate from Fordham and did post-doctorate studies at the University of London.
An educator and administrator all her professional life, Sr. Cecilia taught in Catholic elementary and secondary schools in Kingman, Wichita, Danville, Parsons, and Dodge City.
Following her doctoral studies she became academic dean at St. Mary of the Plains College in Dodge City and was president of the college from 1960 to 1971. During her tenure as president, she was instrumental in obtaining accreditation for the college from the Kansas State Department, the North Central Association, and the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.
From 1972 to 1975, she worked in public relations and planning at Coordinated Services for the CSJ hospitals, and then took on responsibility as director of planning for the congregation and four of its hospitals. In 1984 until 1988 she was editor of The Catholic Advance.
Upon retirement in 1988 she continued being active as a writer, serving as mentor for seminarians, and playing the organ for services at Mt. St. Mary Convent.
Memorial contributions may be made to Sisters of St. Joseph Dear Neighbor Ministries, Inc., 3700 E. Lincoln, Wichita, KS 67218.

Thursday, 19 July 2012 12:55

PADDOCK
Elizabeth (Friess) “Elsie,” 85, St. Joseph, Ost, June 14.
MEDKEFF
Helen, 94, St. Thomas Aquinas, Wichita, June 27.
REESE
Max Macario “Wheels,” infant, Holy Name, Coffeyville, June 27.

Thursday, 05 July 2012 13:04

PITTSBURG – Luke Wenzl, 75, who worked for decades with the diocesan Ministry with Persons with Disabilities, died June 14 at St. Luke’s Hospital in Kansas City, Mo.
Services were held June 18 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Inurnment was in Pueblo, Colo.
Ginny Sachs and Sr. Catherine Switlik, who worked with Wenzl many times on several diocesan projects, described him as a patient, gentle soul and a loyal friend and advocate for persons with disabilities.
He was a true disciple of Christ, they said.
Wenzl was born on July 11, 1936, in Tecumseh, Neb., and attended St. Anthony School in Steinaur, Neb., and Maur Hill Prep School and Benedictine College in Atchison, Kan. Luke studied art education at Emporia State University and Pittsburg State University.
Wenzl was a member of St. Benedict’s Abbey in Atchison from 1963 to 1975. He served St. Benedict’s Parish from 1963 to 1965 and as a Benedictine Missionary in Brazil from 1965 to 1968. While in Brazil, he was injured in a car accident, which left him paraplegic. After returning to the United States for rehabilitation, he began art studies and became an instructor at Maur Hill Prep School.
In 1975 Wenzl moved to the Pittsburg area and opened a stone and silver shop, which provided custom-made silver jewelry. He was an art instructor at Colgan-St Mary’s High School through 2000.
Wenzl worked in the ministry with the disabled at the diocesan Holy Family Camp and the Faith and Light ministry for persons with disabilities.
For over 20 years he and his wife, Joanne, were foster parents to many children in southeast Kansas.

Thursday, 05 July 2012 13:02

BENTON
Patricia, 75, St. Thomas Aquinas, Wichita, June 6.
KERR
Leola Irene “Lee,” 82, St. Mary, Derby, June 6.
LITTLE
Leota A., 75, St. Francis, St. Paul, June 6.

Wednesday, 13 June 2012 14:29

DUBUQUE, Iowa – Sister Martha Grogan, a Sister of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, died June 2, at Caritas Center, Dubuque, Iowa. She was 94. Burial was in the Mount Carmel cemetery.
In the Diocese of Wichita, Sister Martha taught at St. Joseph School in 1941 and at Mount Carmel from 1941 to 1949.
She was born in Kansas City, Mo., on Feb. 25, 1918 and entered the Sisters of Charity, BVM congregation on Sept. 8, 1938, from Little Flower Parish, Kansas City. She professed first vows on March 19, 1941, and final vows on Aug. 15, 1946.
Memorials may be given to the Sisters of Charity, BVM Support Fund, 1100 Carmel Drive, Dubuque, Iowa 52003, or online at www.bvmcong.org/whatsnew_obits.cfm.

Wednesday, 13 June 2012 14:28

SHINOGLE
Judith Ann “Judy,” 49, St. Francis of Assisi, Wichita, May 20.
KARGES
Barbara Laurette “Babs,” 84, St. Thomas Aquinas, Wichita, May 23.
BURNETT
(Bertha) Eileen, 90, Catholic Care Center, Wichita, May 24.