ODELL — A Mass of Christian Burial was offered on Tuesday, Dec. 21, at St. Paul’s Church here for Father Michael J. Bies, pastor of St. Paul’s Parish as well as Sacred Heart in Campus.

Father Bies, 54, a priest of the Diocese of Peoria since 2004, died on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2010, at St. Paul’s Rectory after battling cancer for several months. He would have turned 55 the following day.

Bishop Daniel R. Jenky, CSC, was principal celebrant of the funeral Mass, with Father Carl Lopresti as homilist. Burial was at St. Adalbert’s Cemetery in Niles.

Born in Chicago on Dec. 17, 1955, to Michael J. and Elizabeth T. (Wiedemann) Bies Sr., he is a graduate of St. Clement’s Grade School and Roosevelt High School, both in Chicago. Prior to entering the seminary, Father Bies worked as a machinist at Walter Norris Corporation and Lind Engineering Corporation, both in Chicago, and for D.K. Checkwriter Company, Chicago.

He received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from St. Louis University in St. Louis, Mo., and completed studies for the priesthood at Kenrick Theological Seminary, St. Louis, where he received a master of divinity degree.

Ordained by Bishop Jenky on May 22, 2004, at St. Mary’s Cathedral in Peoria, Father Bies served for the next five years as parochial vicar for St. Mary’s Parish, Pontiac, St. John’s, Cullom, and St. Joseph’s, Flanagan.
He served as administrator of St. Malachy’s Parish, Rantoul, from June 2009 until his appointment as pastor of the Odell parish this June.

Father Bies was preceded in death by his parents, an infant brother, Michael, and two brothers, Steven and Robert. He is survived by cousins Patricia Wiedemann of Harwood Heights, Michelle Nolan-Wiedemann of Lake Como, Wis., Gene Bies, Ronald Bies, Leonard Bies, and Richard Scheelk of Villa Park.

Memorials may be made to St. Paul’s Grade School or St. Paul’s Parish in
Odell.