Stephen Kanonik

Rev. Stephen F. Kanonik, a priest of the Archdiocese of Chicago and pastor of St. Benedict Parish on Irving Park Road in Chicago, died Jan. 7, at the age of 68.

Kanonik was born Aug. 23, 1956, in Chicago. He attended Quigley Preparatory Seminary in Chicago, Niles College of Loyola University in Chicago, and the University of St. Mary of the Lake/Mundelein Seminary.

Bishop Nevin Hayes ordained Kanonik to the priesthood on May 12, 1982. He celebrated his first Mass on May 23, 1982, at St. Ferdinand Parish in Chicago.

After ordination to the priesthood, Kanonik served as associate pastor at St. Bruno Parish on Harding Avenue in Chicago and St. Louise de Marillac Parish in La Grange Park. He then served as pastor at three Chicago parishes: St. Ladislaus on Roscoe Street, St. Juliana Parish on Touhy Avenue and St. Benedict. Kanonik served as moderator of the Curia and recently had also been a member of the Diocesan Priests’ Placement Board.

Rev. Thomas Refermat, archdiocesan priest and associate pastor at St. Benedict Parish, remembers Kanonik as “a man who loved the people, cared for the people and wanted to speak up for his parishioners.”

“He loved them and his parishioners loved him, especially the children,” Refermat said.

He recalls serving alongside Kanonik, saying “working side by side with him, I always saw him as an older brother.”

Rev. James Kastigar, archdiocesan priest and one of Kanonik’s classmates, remembers Kanonik as a “very kind, gentle man who really loved other people and he took time to listen to them. He’d always stop what he was doing to talk to people.”

Kastigar recalled Kanonik’s dedication to his vocation, describing him as “a happy priest, a pastoral priest, and someone who was born to be in a parish.”

Visitation will take place until 8 p.m. today and from 9-10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Benedict Church, 2215 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago. The funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at St. Benedict Church, with Bishop Robert Casey, vicar general of the archdiocese, as the celebrant. Kastigar will be the homilist.

Interment will occur at Maryhill Catholic Cemetery in Niles.