“John was a ‘father’ in the most complete sense of the word — he really loved the people he served, especially at St. Joseph in Ida,” Fr. Gawronski said Tuesday.
Living at the IHM Motherhouse after his cancer forced him to retire early from his parish, Fr. LaCasse would nevertheless “hold court” following daily Mass, talking with anyone who came to see him.
“He’d ask me what all was going on in the vicariate, or sometimes he’d tell me what was going on in the vicariate,” Fr. Gawronski said, adding, “I’m going to miss him a great deal.”
Fr. LaCasse died Sept. 29. He was 69.
Fr. Tim Pelc, pastor of St. Ambrose Parish in Grosse Pointe Park, recalled his seminary classmate as “one of those larger-than-life characters.”
“He was bright, colorful, somewhat older than the rest of us, and always spoke his mind,” Fr. Pelc said, adding, “He had a very loud laugh, and everyone knew when John was happy.”
As an assistant pastor and pastor, Fr. LaCasse was “a good priest and certainly dedicated to every parish he served.”
“He always found it extremely difficult to leave any parish for another assignment, because he fell in love with the people and fell in love with the parish,” Fr. Pelc said.
Deacon Michael Hammond, one of the 10 new permanent deacons ordained last Saturday, said he would miss Fr. LaCasse, who was his pastor for 20 years at St. Joseph Parish.
“Fr. John was the one who inspired me to go into RCIA and give my wife the 10-year wedding anniversary present of converting to Catholicism,” Deacon Hammond said.
Fr. John LaCasse was born Sept. 18, 1942 in Escanaba to Romeo and Veronica LaCasse, and was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of Detroit on Dec. 1, 1974.
He served as associate pastor and later administrator at St. Leonard of Port Mauric Parish, Warren (1975-77); associate pastor of St. Theodore of Canterbury Parish, Westland (1979-88); and associate pastor of St. Mary Queen of Creation Parish, New Baltimore (1988-89).
He became pastor of St. Joseph Parish, Ida in 1989, and remained there until failing health made it necessary for him to take early retirement in 2008.
Fr. LaCasse is survived by his mother, Veronica; and a sister, Mary Ann (John) Beauchamp.
A funeral Mass was to be celebrated Wednesday, Oct. 5, in the chapel of the IHM Motherhouse in Monroe.
Condolences may be sent to the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, 610 W. Elm Ave., Monroe 48162.
