Rev. Eugene A. Mierzwinski, CSV died at 4:08 p.m. on Monday, October 16, 1995 at Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge, Illinois. He died of a sudden heart attack at the age of 69.
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Gene Mierzwinski entered the Viatorian Novitiate in June of 1946 and pronounced his First Vows on June 18, 1947. After receiving his undergraduate degree in Philosophy from St. Ambrose College, he began theological studies at the Viatorian Seminary in Washington D.C. and was ordained to the priesthood on June 5, 1954. Following his ordination, Gene began a long career of high school teaching beginning at Spalding Institute in Peoria (1955¬-1957) with subsequent stays at St. Gregory High School (1957-1959), Marian High School (1959-1962) and St. Viator High School (1962-1970). After leaving St. Viator High School, Gene served for a year as Associate Pastor at St. Ferdinand Church in Chicago and then as Associate at St. Viator Parish in Las Vegas (1971-1973). In 1973 he was appointed Pastor at St. Viator Church in Chicago where he served for a term of 4 years. He subsequently served as Pastor of Guardian Angel Cathedral in Las Vegas and, in 1984, moved to Bay City, Michigan where he served as Chaplain at Bay Medical Center. His ministry as a Hospital Chaplain continued from 1986-1988 at St. Francis Hospital in Blue Island. From 1988-1990 he served as Parochial Vicar at St. Joseph the Worker Church in Wheeling, Illinois. In 1990 he moved to the Province Center where he lived until his recent hospitalization and change in residence to Resurrection Nursing Pavilion.
Visitation for Father Mierzwinski was held at St. Viator Church in Chicago on Thursday, October 19th from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. A prayer service was held at 7:30 p.m. The Mass of Christian Burial took place at St. Viator Church on Friday, October 20th at 11:00 a.m. Burial was in the Community plot at Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois.
Father Mierzwinski is survived by his brother, Walter.
Taken from letter to the Viatorian Community on October 17, 1995 from the Provincial, Rev. Robert M. Egan, CSV