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msgr. maurice F. driscoll dies sept. 9

Msgr. Maurice F. Driscoll, 93, died Sept. 9 at the Little Sisters of the Poor Nursing Facility in Mobile Ala.
Father John W. McEvilly, VG will receive the body of Msgr. Driscoll at 9 a.m. Sept. 19 at Our Lady Queen of Peace Church in Belleville with visitation to follow until 11 a.m.

The Mass of Christian Burial begins at 11 a.m. with Father McEvilly as principal celebrant and Father John T. Myler homilist. Bishop Edward K. Braxton will preside and pray the final commendation.
As the senior priest of the diocese, Msgr. Driscoll had celebrated his 67th year of ordination in May by Bishop Henry J. Althoff.

When he celebrated his 65th year of ordination two years ago, he spoke of the good people and good experiences that made up his years as a priest here.

After his ordination May 30, 1942, then Father Driscoll served as an associate at Blessed Sacrament in Belleville with care of parishioners at St. Stephen’s in Caseyville as well.

Later, he was appointed chaplain at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Belleville, which he said he “ran like a parish.”
During this same time, Father Driscoll was in charge of diocesan insurance on parishes and diocesan buildings. At that time “it was $270 million worth of insurance on institutions in the diocese,” he said.

In 1955, Bishop Albert R. Zuroweste showed Msgr. Driscoll a piece of property in Belleville where he said a new parish, Our Lady Queen of Peace, would be erected. Asking about the pastor of the new parish, Msgr. Driscoll was told he would be its pastor.

Msgr. Driscoll served as Queen of Peace pastor from Aug. 18, 1955 until July 5, 1983 when he retired.
Named a monsignor in 1976, he had his first heart surgery in 1979 and his second heart surgery in 1992 after he had retired to Mobile in 1983.

“The good Lord takes care of things,” Msgr. Driscoll said.

Msgr. Driscoll was born Oct. 21, 1915 in East St. Louis to Thomas P. and Ellen Kerins Driscoll.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers: James J. Driscoll, William J. Driscoll and Msgr. Thomas P. Driscoll Jr.

He is survived by one brother, John V. (Betty) Driscoll Sr., of Mobile, Ala., nieces, nephews and great-great nieces and nephews.

He will be buried at Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Belleville.

Father Edmond J. Perjak Dies Sept. 3

   Father Edmond J. Perjak, 83, of Fort Walton Beach, Fl., died Thursday, Sept. 3, at Fort Walton Beach Medical Center in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. He was born Dec. 27, 1925 in St. Louis, Mo.

Before being ordained a priest for the Belleville diocese on May 13, 1967 by the Most Reverend Albert R. Zuroweste, he served in the U.S. Navy and was a religious brother in the Benedictine community in Pevely, Mo.

After his ordination Father Perjak served as an associate pastor at SS. Peter and Paul in Waterloo and St. Henry’s and St. Mary’s in Belleville.

In 1971 he was named to his first pastorate at St. Patrick Parish in Enfield. He served as the pastor of St. Joseph’s in Equality and St. Francis de Sales in Stonefort before receiving permission for reasons of health to work part-time in a southern diocese.

Returning to the diocese in 1978 he was the temporary administrator of St. Augustine’s in Breese, before serving as the chaplain at St. Clement’s Hospital and Clementine Residence in Red Bud. His five-year pastorate assignment at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish in Posen began in 1981. In 1986 he began his last assignment as the pastor at St. Patrick Parish in Tipton and a year later was also assigned to Immaculate Conception Parish in Madonnaville, retiring in 1992 with residency in Fort Walton Beach.

Father Perjak was preceded in death by his parents Adam and Rose Kachuba Perjak, a sister, Frances and brother, Jerome. He is survived by a brother, Raymond Perjak of Fairview Heights, Ill, a sister-in-law Helen (Mrs. Jerome) Perjak of rural Ashley, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

The Liturgy of Christian Burial was celebrated at 10:30 a.m., Sept. 9, at St. Mary Catholic Church in Fort Walton Beach, with Bishop John H. Ricard as the principal celebrant and Msgr. Michael Cherup as homilist. Interment was in the Barrancas National Cemetery in Pensacola, Fl.