January 27, 2004
Father John Zich
Father Zich was born on Oct. 23, 1931 in St. Louis, Mo., and studied for the priesthood at Kenrick Seminary, St. Louis, Mo.,. After his ordination at the cathedral in St. Louis, Mo., for the Diocese of Wichita on Apr. 6, 1957 by Archbishop Joseph E. Ritter, Father Zich served as an assistant pastor at the cathedral; Council Grove; St. Anthony, Wellington; and St. Anne, Wichita. As pastor he was assigned to Scammon and Weir; Conway Springs and Caldwell; Harper and Anthony; Mary, Queen of Peace, Parsons; and Haysville. He retired from his last assignment in Oswego, Chetopa, St. Paul and Erie on June 26, 2000. During his priesthood he was Diocesan Director of CCD and administrator of the St. Mary School for Exceptional Children, which was later called Holy Family Center. Msgr. William Carr said of Father Zich, “He organized the CCD in Wichita in the bleak days of religious education and gave wonderful workshops to train lay teachers to teach religion.” (The Catholic Advance, Feb. 6, 2004) After his retirement he was senior associate pastor at St. Peter Catholic Church in St. Charles, Mo., until his death on Jan. 27, 2004. Father Zich’s funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Peter’s Church, St. Charles, Mo., and a memorial Mass was celebrated at St. Elizabeth Chapel of the Catholic Care Center, Wichita, by Bishop Eugene J. Gerber.