Peace Advocate, Hero of Poor, 'Living Saint' Fr. Daniel Mallette Dies at 85

CHICAGO, IL -- Peace advocate, beloved priest and “living saint” Rev. Daniel Mallette died late Sunday evening at Little Company of Mary Hospital in Evergreen Park. He was 85.

Fr. Mallette was the long time pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Church in Washington Heights and deemed the parish’s pastor emeritus in 2012. He marched with Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King and suffered a brutal beating at the hands of burglars and almost lost his life.

“We tried like you wouldn’t believe to get him to write his story,” longtime friend and parishioner Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart told the Sun-Times. “We bought him a tape recorder a few years ago and he spent an afternoon with it only to tell me later, ‘Tommy, the thing is broken,’ and I said ‘Father, there’s no tape in there!'”

Fr. Mallette was born in Chicago on December 2, 1931. He attended St. Mary Magdalene Elementary School in Chicago. Fr. Mallette went on to study at Quigley Preparatory Seminary North and graduated from the University of St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary with a Baccalaureate of Arts, a Baccalaureate in Sacred Theology (S.T.B.), a Licentiate of Sacred Theology (S.T.L.), and a Master of Arts degree.

He was ordained into the priesthood on May 3, 1957, by Albert Cardinal Meyer, Archbishop of Chicago. Fr. Mallette celebrated his first Solemn Mass at St. Ailbe Parish on May 7, 1965.

Fr. Mallette served in the Archdiocese in a number of different parochial roles. He was Assistant Pastor of St. Agatha Parish in Chicago (1957-68), Pastor of Visitation Parish in Chicago (1971-1975) and Associate Pastor of St. Norbert Parish in Northbrook (1975-77).

In 1977, Fr. Mallette was named pastor of St. Margaret of Scotland Parish Chicago, and went on to build one of the most racially diverse parishes in the city.

In addition to serving Catholics in parishes around the Archdiocese, Fr. Mallette was also the chaplain for Harrison High School in 1963 and assistant dean at the Lincoln Center College of Fordham University in Brooklyn, New York (1968-71). Fr. Mallette was known as a civil rights activist, participating in demonstrations and anti-war protests in Chicago and across the country.

In December 2011, Fr. Mallette was assaulted and seriously injured by two burglars who broke into St. Margaret of Scotland Parish. He responded by becoming increasingly involved in prison ministry, often visiting prisoners at Cook County Jail.

Fr. Paul Whittington, pastor at St. Margaret of Scotland, said, "Father Mallette had a great love for the poor, love for the parish, and was always willing to go the extra mile for the young people, in particular."
Fr. Joseph Auer, Pastor Emeritus of St. Linus Church in Oak Lawn, remembered Fr. Mallette as, “a hero to the poor and disadvantaged."

Fr. Mallette will lie in state on Friday, March 31, from 3 to 8 p.m., at St. Margaret of Scotland Church, 9830 S. Vincennes Ave, Chicago. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Margaret of Scotland Church on Saturday, April 1, at 11 a.m. Father Paul Whittington, O.P., will be the main celebrant.

Interment will take place at Holy Cross Cemetery in Calumet City.

Fr. Mallette is survived by several cousins, including Eileen Jaminski.