Obituario

Chicago, IL (March 2, 2018) – Rev. Robert J. Kash, 92, passed away on February 27, 2018. He was the Pastor Emeritus of St. Fabian Church in Bridgeview, Ill.

Fr. Kash was born on September 16, 1925 in Chicago. He attended St. Bruno Catholic School in Chicago and Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago.

Fr. Kash earned a master’s degree in 1951 and a licentiate of sacred theology in 1952 from the University of St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary in Mundelein, Ill. He was ordained into the priesthood on May 1, 1952 by Samuel Cardinal Stritch, Archbishop of Chicago, and celebrated his first Solemn Mass at St. Bruno Catholic Church in Chicago on May 4, 1952.

After ordination to priesthood, Fr. Kash served as assistant pastor in four parishes: St. Joseph Parish in Chicago Heights (1952-62), St. Florian Parish on 131st Street in Chicago (1962-63), St. Wenceslaus Parish on Monticello Avenue in Chicago (1963-67) and St. Michael Parish on South Shore Drive in Chicago (1967-71). Fr. Kash then served as pastor of Ss. Peter & Paul Parish on S. Exchange in Chicago from 1971 through 1977.

Fr. Kash continued to serve the archdiocese as associate pastor of St. Pascal Parish on Irving Park Road in Chicago (1982-84) and as pastor of St. Fabian Parish in Bridgeview, Ill., (1984-95). He was bestowed the title of pastor emeritus of St. Fabian Parish and retired in 1995. Even in retirement, Fr. Kash continued to assist as an administrator of St. Denis Parish on St. Louis Avenue in Chicago and Our Lady of the Snows Parish on Leamington Avenue in Chicago.

Bishop John R. Gorman – one of Fr. Kash’s 13 classmates – has known Fr. Kash since high school and remembers him as a well-read and good writer. “He loved St. Fabian and parishioners loved their great pastor,” added Bishop Gorman.

“We got to know each other better at Mundelein (Seminary),” said Bishop Raymond E. Goedert, another classmate. “He was a very intelligent man – kind of quiet. Our class saw him as a poet and a very good writer.”

Rev. Thomas Healy described Fr. Kash as an exemplary priest: very kind, respectful and dedicated. “He would always put himself last.”

Visitation hours will be 1 – 9 p.m. on Monday, March 5, while the Funeral Mass will take place on Tuesday, March 6 at 10:30 a.m. All funeral services will take place at St. Fabian Church, 8300 Thomas Avenue in Bridgeview, Ill.

Bishop Goedert will be the main celebrant of the Funeral Mass, and Fr. Healy, also a classmate, will be the homilist.

Interment will take place at Resurrection Cemetery in Justice, Ill.