March 5, 2010

Father Richard Stuchlik

Father Richard Stuchlik was born on Oct. 21, 1942, in Hillsboro, Kansas. He studied for the priesthood at Cardinal Glennon College, St. Louis, Mo., where he received a bachelor of arts degree, and at Gregorian University in Rome, where he received a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology. He received a licentiate in sacred theology in 1969 from the Gregorian, and studied French in Paris and German in Wien, Austria. Fr. Stuchlik was ordained on Dec. 20, 1968, in the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome by Bishop Francis Reh, the late Bishop Emeritus of Saginaw, Mich., who at the time was rector of the North American College in Rome. During the 1970s he was an associate at Holy Savior, a chaplain at the V.A. hospital, and a religious education teacher at Kapaun Mt. Carmel High School, all in Wichita. He later taught at Bishop Carroll Catholic High School before he was named an associate at St. Joseph, Conway Springs and St. Martin, Caldwell. He returned to Holy Savior as pastor in 1979. Fr. Stuchlik was named pastor of St. Michael Parish in Mulvane in 1983. Two years later he volunteered to serve at the diocesan mission in Barquisimeto, Venezuela. Father returned to the Diocese of Wichita in 1992 to serve as a temporary administrator at St. Joseph, Ost. The next year he was named temporary administrator at St. Rose, Mt. Vernon and St. Louis, Waterloo. His decade-long stint at St. Teresa, Hutchinson, started in 1993. In 2003 he was named pastor of St. Margaret Mary, Wichita. He is buried in St. John Cemetery in Pilsen.