Rev. Eugene J. Faucher, 86, pastor emeritus of St. Martha parish in Morton Grove and former assistant pastor at St. Bernardines, died Sunday, July 15, at St. Edna rectory in Arlington Heights, where he was a senior priest in residence.
“He was the happiest most loving priest,” noted St. Edna’s pastor, Fr. Jerome Jacob. “He loved being a priest, he loved saying Mass and he loved ministry and preaching. One of the signs of his personal happiness and dedication was reflected in the fact that Fr. Faucher had few possessions and he gave a lot of his money away,” he said.
He graduated from Catholic elementary school in Chicago, Quigley Preparatory Seminary and the University of Saint Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary. He was ordained by Cardinal Stritch in 1951.
From 1967 to 1973, Fr. Faucher was the assistant pastor at St. Colette in Rolling Meadows, before taking on the same assignment for the next two years at St. Bernardine in Forest Park.
He was named pastor of St. Martha in Morton Grove in 1975 and remained there until his retirement from active ministry in 1995, when he was named pastor emeritus.
He is survived by a sister, Jane Ryan, and several nieces and nephews.
