Archdiocesan Priest, Rev. William J. Flaherty, Dies
Chicago (Jan. 9, 2024) – Rev. William (“Bill”) J. Flaherty, pastor emeritus of Infant Jesus of Prague Parish in Flossmoor (now St. Veronica Parish), passed away Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. He was 97 years old.
Flaherty was born on July 21, 1926 in Chicago. He attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago, the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, and Notre Dame University in South Bend, Indiana. He also studied Shakespeare in England.
Flaherty was ordained to the priesthood on May 1, 1952, by Cardinal Samuel Stritch, and he celebrated his first solemn Mass on May 4 of the same year at St. Philip Neri Parish in Chicago.
After ordination to the priesthood, Flaherty served as assistant pastor at St. Lawrence O'Toole Parish in Matteson. He was a former faculty member at Quigley Preparatory Seminary, Niles College and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary. He served as associate pastor at St. Basil Parish on Garfield Boulevard and Sacred Heart Parish on May Street both in Chicago, and St. Nicholas Parish in Evanston. He later became pastor of St. Nicholas Parish and served the community in that role for 12 years. Later, Flaherty was appointed as pastor of former Infant Jesus of Prague Parish and was bestowed the title of pastor emeritus in 1996.
Rev. Martin O’Donovan, pastor at Saints Faith, Hope and Charity Catholic Parish in Winnetka (where Flaherty resided for 20 years), remembered Flaherty as a great man of faith. “He continued to read well into his 90s and was very curious about life.” O’Donovan mentioned that Flaherty was committed to social justice. “While he was a professor at Niles College, he was noted for saying ‘walk the talk’ very often.”
Funeral services will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2024 at Saints Faith, Hope and Charity Catholic Parish, 191 Linden Street in Winnetka. Visitation hours will be from 9 to 11 a.m. followed by the funeral Mass at 11 a.m. Rev. James Flaherty, S.J., will preside and O’Donovan will be the homilist. The funeral Mass will be livestreamed on the funeral home website.
Interment will be at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsip.