Mass of Christian burial Tuesday, May 21 in Urbana for Father George Remm
Father George Remm
URBANA — A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 21, 2024, at St. Patrick Church here for Father George F. Remm, pastor emeritus of St. Patrick Parish in Urbana, who played a major role in helping the diocesan faithful adapt to the changes ushered in by the Second Vatican Council.
Father Remm passed away on Thursday, May 16, in Brookdale Assisted Living in Urbana. He was 89.
The principal celebrant at the funeral Mass will be Bishop Louis Tylka, who will be assisted by Father Joseph Hogan, pastor of St. Patrick Parish, and concelebrating priests.
Visitation will take place at St. Patrick Church, 708 W. Main St. Urbana, on Monday, May 20, from 3 to 7 p.m. (with a recitation of the Rosary at 6:30 p.m.), and again the next day before the funeral from 10 to 10:50 a.m.
Father Remm will be buried beside his parents at St. Joseph Cemetery in Peoria at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 21.
A DESIRE TO PASTOR
Born in Peoria on July 23, 1934, he was the son of Marie and George Remm. He was a member of St. Patrick Parish in Peoria, and attended St. Patrick grade school. He graduated from Spalding Institute in Peoria and went on to St. Bede College in Peru before completing his studies for the priesthood at St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Later, Father Remm completed his Master of Liturgical Studies during summer sessions at Notre Dame University in 1974.
“It was important to be sure that you were reflecting the feeling and the needs of people in decision-making in the parish.” — Father George Remm
He started his priestly career as an assistant at Holy Trinity Parish in Bloomington in 1960. As he told The Catholic Post in 2010 on the occasion of his 50th anniversary of ordination, “I wanted to become a parish priest, a pastor . . . I had no other ambitions.” But God had a few other ideas.
Father Remm served as director of the Office of Christian Worship from 1969 to 1976, and on the Diocesan Art and Architecture Commission from 1969 to 1993.
VATICAN II CHANGES
These were years of renewal in the wake of Vatican II, and it was Father Remm’s job to help parishes adapt to the letter and spirit of the council’s directives. Some of the changes were liturgical, such as the priest turning to face the congregation. Other changes involved a heightened recognition of the role of the laity in parish administration.
As he said in 2010, “It was important to be sure that you were reflecting the feeling and the needs of people in decision-making in the parish.”
Additional diocesan assignments included master of ceremonies to the Bishop, 1972 to 1976; moderator, Diocesan Marriage Encounter, 1973 to 1976; and moderator, Beginning Experience, 1977 to 1982.
Parish assignments included assistant at St. Mark in Peoria, 1971; pastor at Visitation and St. Joseph, Kewanee, 1976; and pastor at St. Mary, Kewanee, 1982.
LONG-TERM PASTORAL POST
Father Remm came to Champaign-Urbana and St. Patrick Parish in 1986, and settled long-term into the role he had always coveted — that of parish priest and pastor — for the next 18 years until being granted senior status in 2004.
He was preceded in death by his parents, George and Marie (Schlichtig); and two brothers, Fredrich and Robert.
He is survived by his niece, Beth (Paul) Juszczyk of Mason Ohio; nephews Tom (Connie) Remm of Milford, OH, and John (Melissa) Remm of Fountain Hills, Arizona, and their children.
He requested that in place of flowers, memorials may be made to the St. Patrick’s Catholic Education Foundation or St. Mary’s Latino Community.
Condolences may be offered at www.owensfuneralhomes.com.
