Obituary of Fr. Louis Antl, OFM
Fr. Louis Antl, OFM
On Tuesday, September 5, 2017 at the age of 94 Fr. Louis was called by his heavenly father from Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home to the Kingdom of Heaven. Fr. Louis was born January 28, 1923 to the late John and Mary (nee Tesarek) Antl in Joliet, IL. He was baptized and confirmed at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Joliet which is the very parish that he called home. He took his simple profession August 19, 1942 and was ordained a catholic priest June 24, 1948 both is Teutopolis, IL under Father Wenceslaus Krzycki and Fr. James Griffin. Father’s first assignment from 1948-1952 was to serve in Rome, Italy, in 1952 he returned to Teutopolis, IL to St. Joseph Catholic Church where he was reassigned to Quincy College for a year. Father then was reassigned from 1953-1961 to Teutopolis, IL to St. Joseph Catholic Church where he remained as the Lector of Theology. In 1961 through 1962 Father was reassigned to the Holy Trinity Parish in Dubuque, IA and was the Chaplain at Mt. Saint Clair in Clinton, IA. In 1962 through 1966 Father returned home to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Joliet, IL where he also became the Chaplain of Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home, was an instructor at Lewis College and an assistant instructor at St. Francis Convent. In 1966 through 1970 Father was reassigned to the St. Vincent de Paul Church and became the assistant director of the Newman Center both in Nashville, TN. In 1970 Father was reassigned to St. Mary’s Catholic Church where he was installed as associate pastor in Mokena, IL and he was also a Chaplain at St. Francis of the Woods in Frankfort, IL. In 1974 he returned to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and was the associate Chaplain at St. Joseph Hospital, in that same year he was reassigned to the Missions of San Jose and Espada in San Antonio, TX where he became Pastor. From there in 1974 he was assigned to Brazil to bring his message of peace, love and the teaching of our Lord Jesus Christ until 1990. In 1991 through 1999 Father was reassigned to Rome, Italy where he became Confessor at the Lateran. In 1999 through 2007 he returned to his home parish where he became supply ministry in the Joliet Diocese and Chaplain at Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home. From 2007 through 2011 Fr. Louis enjoyed a brief but well needed retirement at Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home at Villa West in Sherman, IL. However the love of his community brought him out of retirement and back to Joliet to take up residency at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church where it all began. Fr. Louis still felt he had more to give and continued as a retired supply priest filling in at Parishes where ever he was needed. When it was evident that he needed just a little more care he moved to Our Lady of Angels Retirement Home in Joliet, IL until his final days.
We always wondered how Fr. Louis could get to mass on time because he just could not walk past anyone without a kind word or an impromptu conversation. When the Catholic Church reassigns priests, we can understand that the kind and gentle touch of Fr. Louis should be shared all around the world and in fact was.
He was preceded by his parents; two sisters, Sr. Mary DePadue, OSF and Sr. Mary Bonaventure, OSF and two brothers, Bernard Antl and Joseph Antl in infancy.
Fr. Louis is survived by his many congregations and the people he touched.
Funeral services for Fr. Louis Antl, OFM will be Friday, September 15, 2017 at 10:00 a.m. from Our Lady of Angels Retirement Residence, 1201 Wyoming Ave, Joliet, IL to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, 404 N. Hickory St., Joliet, IL where a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. Interment will be at St. John Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Franciscan Province of the Sacred Heart, 3140 Meramac St., St. Louis, MO 63118-4399 or the Third Order of the Sisters of St. Francis of Mary Immaculate, 1433 Essington Rd., Joliet, IL 60435. Visitation will be at Our Lady of Angels Retirement Residence on Thursday, September 14, 2017 from 3:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. Fred C. Dames Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. For more information, please call (815) 741-5500 or visit his Memorial Tribute at www.fredcdames.com
