Father Purtell, Retired St. John Fisher Pastor, Dies

CHICAGO – The Rev. Thomas J. Purtell, who spent two decades as the pastor at St. John Fisher Parish in Chicago's West Beverly neighborhood, died last Friday. He was 83.

Purtell was pastor at St. John Fisher from 1984 until his retirement in 2003, according to an obituary from the Archdiocese of Chicago. He was the pastor emeritus at St. John Fisher from then until the time of his death.

Ordained into the priesthood in 1961, Purtell had been assigned to St. Joseph Parish in Homewood, Our Lady of Lourdes in Chicago and St. Benedict in Blue Island before he came to St. John Fisher.

He's remembered fondly by other priests in the archdiocese.

“He was a wonderful example of what a priest is supposed to be,” said Father William Kenneally, pastor of St. Gertrude Parish in Chicago. Kenneally further described Purtell as “an important factor in Beverly on the South Side.”

All funeral services will be held at St. John Fisher Parish, 10234 S. Washtenaw Ave. A visitation will be held there from 3-9 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 30, with a prayer service planned for 7 p.m. that day. The funeral mass will be celebrated by Cardinal Blase Cupich at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 31. Father Daniel Brady, pastor emeritus of St. Cecilia Parish in Mount Prospect, will be the homilist. Interment will take place at All Saints Cemetery in northwest suburban Des Plaines.

Photo courtesy of the Archdiocese of Chicago