Visitation and Funeral Mass Set for Fr. Sayers, Pastor Emeritus of St. Joseph Parish

Rev. James Michael Sayers, the beloved pastor emeritus of St. Joseph Parish in Homewood, passed away on Sunday, Dec. 8, in Naples, FL, where he had been residing in retirement. He was 82 years old, the Archdiocese of Chicago announced.

Fr. Sayers was recalled as progressive priest, who took the reforms of Vatican II and “ran with them,” Deacon Jack O’Leary of St. Joseph said.

He was born in Chicago on Sept. 18, 1932, and attended St. Brendan School in Chicago. He graduated from the former Quigley Preparatory Seminary, and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from St. Mary of the Lake Mundelein Seminary.

Fr. Sayers was ordained by Samuel Cardinal Stritch, then Archbishop of Chicago, on April 12, 1958. Soon after, Fr. Sayers was assigned to his first parish at Visitation Parish, now St. Basil Visitation Parish, on West Garfield Blvd. in Chicago. There, Fr. Sayers served as the associate pastor until 1966.

Fr. Sayers filled similar roles at St. Germaine Parish in Oak Lawn and St. Thomas More Parish in Chicago.

In 1980, Fr. Sayers was named pastor of St. Joseph Parish. Grateful parishioners honored the popular priest with the distinguished title of pastor emeritus upon his retirement in 2002.

Rev. Richard Kozak, the current pastor of the Homewood parish, recalled his mentor’s devotion to St. Joseph’s and parishioners.

“[Fr/ encouraged me to become pastor, which I did in 2002. I would not have pastor had it not been for his encouragement,” Fr. Kozak recalled. “When I first came to St. Joseph’s as associate pastor back in 1998, I asked him to tell me about the parish. He said, ‘we have the best people in the world,’ and we really do.”

Deacon Jack O’Leary, who will be the homilist at Fr. Sayers’ funeral Mass, said the priest was a big proponent of the diaconate, or deacon program.

“He pushed the diaconate and encouraged about eight people from the parish to become deacons,” O’Leary said. “He asked me to be a deacon and the rest is history.”

Fr. Sayers loved music and books, especially the Civil War epic, Gone With the Wind. He was a cultured man who enjoyed theater and was a gourmet cook. After he retired, he moved to Florida and ministered to the Ursuline Sisters in Naples, O’Leary said.

Fr. Sayers will lie in state on Monday, December 15, from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., at St. Joseph Parish, 17951 Dixie Highway in Homewood. His funeral Mass will take place the same evening at 7 p.m.

Most Rev. Joseph N. Perry, Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago, will be the main celebrant and Deacon Jack O’Leary will be the homilist. Interment will take place at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsip.

Fr. Sayers is survived by his cousin, John Moriarity.