Obituaries

Chicago, IL (January 4, 2017) – Rev. Donald Joseph Ahearn passed away on Sunday, January 1, 2017, after a brief stay in hospice at St. Benedict Nursing and Rehab Center in Niles. Fr. Ahearn was Pastor Emeritus of St. Juliana Parish in Chicago. He was 91 years old.

Fr. Ahearn was born in Chicago on March 1, 1925. He attended Presentation B.V.M. School in Chicago (closed in 2005), and went on to study at Quigley Preparatory Seminary.  Fr. Ahearn graduated from the University of St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary, with both Bachelors and Masters degrees. He was ordained into the priesthood on May 3, 1951, by Samuel Cardinal Stritch, Archbishop of Chicago. He celebrated his first solemn Mass at St. Lucy Parish on May 6, 1951.

Fr. Ahearn served in the Archdiocese in a number of different parochial roles. He served as Assistant Pastor of St. Gertrude Parish in Franklin Park (1951-59); St. Barbara Parish in Brookfield (1959-66); St. David Parish in Chicago, closed in 1995 (1966-70); All Saints Parish on South State, closed in 1989 (1973-74); and Our Lady of Ransom Parish in Niles (1974-75). He also served in the capacity of Administrator and Pastor at St. Nicholas Parish on State Street, closed in 1973 (1970-73) and was the Administrator of Holy Rosary Slovak Parish in 1973.  Fr. Ahearn was named Pastor of St. Juliana Parish in Chicago in 1975, and served in that capacity until his retirement in 1995, when he was named Pastor Emeritus.

Fr. Ahearn also served as Chaplain of St. Patrick High School, as a member of the Archdiocesan Pastoral Review Board and School Board Advisory Committee, and as Assistant Vicar for Senior Priests.

Rev. Stephen Kanonik, Moderator of the Curia for the Archdiocese of Chicago, considered Fr. Ahearn a great model of priesthood. He said, “To me, Fr. Don Ahearn is the kind of priest anyone who wants to wear the collar should strive to be. He loved Christ above all and he loved the Church. He understood the privilege he shared of shepherding the community and always tried to go above and beyond for all people.” He continued, “A wonderful person, Fr. Don was a gentleman who I never heard complain about anything and who I never heard say a bad word about anyone. He was an ‘Old Irish Politician’ in the very best sense of that term and he was a blessing in so many people's lives. I, and so very many others, feel lucky to have known him and will deeply miss him.”

Rev. Scott Donohue, President and CEO of Mercy Home for Boys and Girls, reflected on his time with Fr. Ahearn, "Fr. Don was my deacon supervisor, friend and I had the privilege to live with him at St. Juliana for over 10 years as a resident priest while serving as Director of Vocations. He was truly a wonderful, thoughtful and beloved priest and pastor in the Archdiocese. Don oversaw the Priests’ Retirement and Mutual Aid Association (PRMAA) for years." Fr. Donohue added, "Don was simply beloved."

Fr. Ahearn will lie in state on Friday, January 6, from 2 to 9 p.m., at St. Juliana Parish, 7201 North Oketo Avenue in Chicago. Visitation will begin again at St. Juliana Parish on Saturday, January 7, at 9 a.m., until the Funeral Mass, beginning at 11 a.m. Cardinal Blase J. Cupich will be the main celebrant and Fr. Donohue will be the homilist.

Interment will take place at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside.

Fr. Ahearn is survived by a nephew and niece.