Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Maggie (Marie Josette) Hopkins, 81, died Dec. 16 at her home in Madison, Wisconsin.

Born in Milwaukee, she professed vows with the Sinsinawa Dominicans in 1966. She earned a bachelor’s degree in religious studies from Mundelein College and a master’s degree in theology from Wartburg Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa.   

Sister Maggie taught at Trinity High School, River Forest, as well as in Minnesota and Wisconsin. She served as her congregation’s vocation director at Sinsinawa and served in youth ministry at Cardinal Stritch College, Milwaukee.

For several years, she served on the Edgewood High School Board of Directors. Sister Maggie served for more than 30 years at Edgewood University, Madison, as an educator and vice president of mission.

She is survived by a brother, John Hopkins; and a sister, Frances Quinn.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Helen (Marcellus) Hurley, 89, died Dec. 18 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Wisconsin, she professed vows with the Sinsinawa Dominicans in 1956. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in curriculum.

She taught at St. Patrick, Lemont, and St. Richard. She also ministered in California, Iowa, Washington and New York, as well as in Wisconsin, where she was an associate professor in early childhood education at Edgewood College, Milwaukee, and a pastoral associate.

Franciscan Father Paul (Nikola) Maslach, 89, died Jan. 3.

Born in what is now Bosnia and Herzegovina, he attended elementary school in Italy before arriving in the Unites States in 1951.

He attended St. Joseph High School in Westmont, starting his studied in theology and philosophy there before graduating in 1955.

He entered the Order of Friars Minor that year, and continued his studies in New Hampshire and Washington, D.C. He made first vows in 1956 and solemn vows in 1969 before being ordained a priest in 1962.

He was an associate pastor of Sacred Heart Croatian Parish (1962-1964). After assignments in Milwaukee and St. Louis, he was pastor of St. Jerome Croatian Parish (1976-1979).

After ministering in Pennsylvania, he returned to Chicago as guardian (1982-1985, 1994-1995) and custos (1985-1994, 2009-2012) of St. Anthony Friary.

He was pastor of Sacred Heart Croatian (1995-2000) before again ministering in Milwaukee. His final pastoral assignment was as director of the Blessed Alojzije Stepinac Mission in Chicago (2012-2017).

He resided at St. Anthony Friary in his retirement.

Providence Sister Rosemary (Rose Clare) Rafter, 93, died Dec. 1 in St. Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.

Born in Bloomington, Illinois, Sister Rosemary moved to Indiana with her family as a child. She entered the Sisters of Providence in 1951 and professed perpetual vows in 1958.

She earned a bachelor’s degree from St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, a master’s degree in education from Indiana State University and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from George Williams College of Aurora University.

In her 75 years as a Sister of Providence, she ministered in education, community leadership and pastoral ministry in Illinois, New Hampshire and Indiana, including a term as provincial of her community’s motherhouse province.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, she taught at St. Andrew (1963-1965) and served as director of student services and Mother Theodore Guerin High School, River Grove (1977-1980).

She is survived by two sisters, Joan Whitehouse and Sue Rafter.

Deacon Emiliano Rodriguez Sr., 97, died Nov. 16. He was ordained in 1974 and ministered at St. Sebastian and St. Bonaventure parishes before he retired in 2001.

He is survived by his children Carmelo Rodriguez, Amparo Mendoza, Julia Rodriguez-Coss, Herman Rodriguez and Emiliano Rodriguez Jr.; eight grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren.

Deacon Dennis M. Cristofaro, 77, of Colon, Michigan, died Nov. 21. He was ordained in 2014 and served at St. Elizabeth Seton Parish in Orland Hills.

Born in Chicago, Deacon Cristofaro graduated from Mendel Catholic High School in 1966 and married Barbara Cimbala the following year. They were married for 57 years before his wife died in 2024.

Deacon Cristofaro worked for the Chicago Transit Authority for more than 25 years, beginning as a mechanic and retiring as a maintenance manager. After his retirement, he and his wife moved to Michigan.

In the Archdiocese of Chicago, he served as a deacon at St. Elizabeth Seton. During his time in Illinois, he also served as a trustee on the Orland Hills village board.

He continued his diaconate ministry in Michigan, and served in municipal government in Colon.

He is survived by his children Brian Cristofaro, Denise Keel, Rosemary Burklow and Jennifer Camacho; 12 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and his siblings Jo Chiappetta and Mario Cristofaro.

Deacon Daniel G. Carroll, 78, died Nov. 25. He was ordained in 1982 and served at St. Walter Parish, St. Benedict Parish and St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Orland Park.

Deacon Carroll was a graduate of Little Flower School, Leo High School and DePaul University Law School.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Mary Ellen; his children Maura and Daniel Carroll; three grandchildren; and his brothers Dennis, James and Gerard Carroll.

School Sister of Notre Dame Carol (Mary Joseph) Brunner, 78, died Nov. 18 at Ascension Resurrection Life Center.

Born in Chicago, she was a member of the School Sisters of Notre Dame for 58 years.

She served as an elementary school teacher at St. James, Highwood, St. John de la Salle and St. Constance, as well as in Dixon and DeKalb, Illinois.

She also taught at Madonna High School and served as the director of vocations for the School Sisters of Notre Dame.

Sister Carol was a nurse at Ravenswood Hospital and St. Francis Nursing and Rehab in Evanston and a medical advocate for SSND sisters at Resurrection Life Center.

Father Francis L. Schouten, 96, died Nov. 7. He was a former member of the Society of the Divine Word and the former associate pastor of St. Eugene Parish.

Born in Chicago, Father Schouten attended St. Willibrord School; Divine Word Seminary in East Troy, Wisconsin; and Divine Word College in Epworth, Iowa, before continuing his studies in philosophy and theology in Techny, the  North American headquarters of the Divine Word Missionaries, where he was ordained in 1955.

For the first half of his priestly life, Schouten was a member of the Society of the Divine Word who ministered for years as a missionary in Ghana after being assigned there in 1956. He served as a parish priest, built schools and churches and taught at a secondary school outside Accra, the capital.

When his health declined, he returned to Chicago and assisted at Most Holy Redeemer Parish in Evergreen Park for several years.

“Father Schouten was well regarded by the people of Most Holy Redeemer,” said Father Michael G. Foley, vicar for priests. “He was a gentle soul.”

Schouten decided to become a diocesan priest and was incardinated in the Archdiocese of Chicago with the blessing of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin in 1990. He served as associate pastor at St. Eugene Parish until he retired in 1999.

After retirement, Schouten continued to assist at Most Holy Redeemer until 2020.

Sinsinawa Dominican Sister Marjorie (Stella Maris) Buttner, 96, died Nov. 7 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin.

Born in Boston, Sister Marjorie professed vows in 1953. She earned a master’s degree of education in guidance and counseling from Loyola University Chicago.

Sister Marjorie’s ministry was dedicated to teaching and archival work. She taught at Visitation High School and at schools in Wisconsin and Montana. She served as the congregation archivist at Sinsinawa Mound in Wisconsin for nearly 20 years.

She is survived by her sister, Carole Maloof.