Parishioners gathered Thursday at St. Emeric Roman Catholic Church in Country Club Hills to celebrate the life of a pastor emeritus who led their congregation for nearly 20 years.
The Rev. John Rochford died June 1 at age 96. He was pastor of St. Emeric from 1972 until his retirement in 1991.
“People felt welcomed in the community he built here,” the Rev. Paul Seaman said in the homily during the funeral Mass for Rochford. Seaman succeeded Rochford as pastor of St. Emeric and is now pastor of St. Clement Parish in Chicago.
I met Rochford last year when his former parish celebrated the 70th anniversary of his ordination in 1947. I visited him at Holy Family Villa in Palos Park, where he used a wheelchair to get around.
“His legs gave out but his mind remained remarkably sharp,” Seaman said.
Rochford impressed me with his friendliness, wit and good nature.
“I think of the many people who received his kindness, comfort and subtle Irish humor,” Seaman said.
Rochford was the last surviving member of his graduating class at St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein. He first served at St. Mark Church in Chicago, then at St. Bartholomew and at St. Raymond de Penafort in Mount Prospect. He was a chaplain at Alexian Brothers Medical Center in Elk Grove Village.
St. Emeric was founded in 1960. Rochford was the parish’s second pastor, following the late Rev. Stephen D. Ryan.
“Father Rochford’s years were marked by racial change in Country Club Hills,” the parish says on its website. “While many were threatened by this, others were anxious to welcome all believers to Saint Emeric. This is the greatest part of Father Rochford’s legacy to our parish.”
Seaman talked about Rochford’s leadership when tensions over integration strained the parish’s spirit of inclusion.
“When racial change came to Country Club Hills, that spirit was tested,” Seaman said.
Rochford exhibited “quiet leadership,” Seaman said. He drew smiles from the 100 or so people in the church when he said if the windows were blown out and the roof torn out, he imagined Rochford would thoughtfully stroke his chin as he calmly surveyed the scene.
“‘We should probably do something about this,’ he would probably say,” Seaman said.
Rochford demonstrated a “steady and calming presence,” he said. He empowered others to make decisions.
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“Sometimes the best leader is the one who gets out of the way,” Seaman said.
After his retirement from St. Emeric in 1991, Rochford continued to serve weekend Masses for many years at St. John Catholic Church in Glenwood.
The Most Rev. George J. Rassas, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Chicago, said he met Rochford in the 1970s when a group of priests in the northwest suburbs would share a Saturday evening meal.
“I got to know Father John as a wonderful priest who was full of wisdom,” Rassas said.
Rassas read a letter to St. Emeric parishioners from Cardinal Blase Cupich, archbishop of Chicago.
“My sympathy and prayers are with you,” Rassas read, in part, from Cupich’s letter. “He will be remembered for his compassion and presence.”
The funeral Mass for Rochford was a somber occasion, thought it brought together members of a faith community undergoing another transition. The Rev. Martin Marren, who has been pastor of St. Emeric since 2004, is leaving the parish at the end of the month.
Thursday’s Mass provided an opportunity to introduce the Rev. Edmond Aristil, who will become the fifth pastor of St. Emeric on July 1.
The program for Thursday’s funeral Mass featured a quote from Rochford.
“I feel God has blessed me throughout my life with so many undeserved favors, such good friends, and family. I could never do enough to justify these gifts. There are so many people I have to thank for their love and friendship and generosity. I pray God will bless them.”
I feel grateful for the opportunity to have met Rochford and some of the kind parishioners at St. Emeric. I think all faith communities are special, but I especially admire how St. Emeric honored Rochford for bringing together people of diverse backgrounds.
A framed document in the church vestibule describes how St. Emeric was born in 1007 as the son of St. Stephen, king of Hungary, and Princess Gisela. St. Emeric died in a hunting accident at age 24.
“St. Emeric was well educated in Catholic doctrine and energetically lived a life of purity, justice, kindness and care of the poor,” the document said.
“St. Emeric has indirectly given his name to America,” the document continued. “Emericus, or Emeric in a slightly varied form, was given to Americus (Amerigo) Vespucci, after whom America has been named.”
How fitting, I thought, for a parish named after a saint known for his kindness to celebrate a former pastor who led by example with compassion and grace.