Father Marion Soprych Dies; Served at St. Bede, St. Rene, Other Area Parishes

Press release just released by the Chicago Archdiocese:


The Rev. Marion Andrew Soprych died suddenly on Sunday, September 21, at Silver

Cross Hospital in New Lenox. Fr. Soprych was the Associate Pastor of SS. Cyril & Methodius Parish in Lemont. He was 64 years old.

Fr. Soprych was born in Chicago on December 6, 1949, and attended Immaculate Conception and Five Holy Martyrs Schools on Chicago’s Southwest side.  He was a graduate of Quigley Preparatory Seminary South and Niles College Seminary at Loyola University. He earned his Baccalaureate in English from Niles College. Fr. Soprych graduated from the University of St. Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary, where he received his Master of Divinity degree. John Cardinal Cody, Archbishop of Chicago, ordained him into the priesthood on May 14, 1975. 

Fr. Soprych’s first assignment was at St. Helen Parish in Chicago, where he was an Associate Pastor for just over a year.  He moved to Evergreen Park’s Queen of Martyrs Parish in 1976 and served as Associate Pastor until 1985. After this, Fr. Soprych was assigned to St. Rene Goupil Parish in Chicago, serving there for five years. Beginning in 1990, he spent seven years as the Associate Pastor of St. Louis de Montfont Parish in Oak Lawn.  In 1997, he moved to St. Bede the Venerable Parish on Kostner Avenue in Chicago, and served there until 2006. That same year, Fr. Soprych was named Associate Pastor of St. John Fisher Parish, remaining there until 2013, before he moved to SS. Cyril & Methodius Parish in Lemont. 

Rev. Bill Stenzel, retired Pastor of St. Mary of Celle Parish, who was a classmate of Fr. Soprych’s and was also ordained with him said, “Marion was the most true-to-himself individual. He never tried to be anybody that he wasn’t. He was just so genuine and he was very comfortable with who he was and what he did.”  

Fr. Stenzel was Pastor of St. Bede the Venerable Parish and ministered there with Fr. Soprych.  He went on to say, “Marion was very connected with the people and was active in the communities that he was in, especially in interfaith activities, working with clergy of other faith denominations. He was very much accepted by them as a great reach-out from the Catholic community.” 

According to the SS. Cyril & Methodius Parish website, Fr. Soprych was an avid reader and filmgoer, “Father Marion enjoys reading science fiction, fantasy, mystery and horror. He also enjoys movies. His favorites include 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Last Starfighter, The Horse Soldiers, High Noon, Moondance Alexander, Marigold, and Underworld movies and the Resident Evil series. Father Marion even did a day of acting for an independent film which, sadly, was never completed.”

Rev. Edward Barrett, Pastor of St. Terrence Parish, was ordained with Fr. Soprych. He remembers him as “very humorous, a great storyteller and also a big fan of John Wayne.” 

Fr. Michael Furlan, Pastor of St. Germaine Parish, who was also a classmate, reaffirmed Fr. Soprych’s love for movies and John Wayne, “He was a great movie buff, but especially about John Wayne, particularly because they shared the same first name, ‘Marion.’ On a day off, Fr. Soprych used to enjoy going to see sometimes three movies. He was a real down-to-earth person, people really related to him.”

Fr. Soprych will lie in state at SS. Cyril & Methodius Parish, 608 Sobieski Street in Lemont, on Thursday, September 25, from 1 to 8 p.m.  A wake service will also be held on Thursday, at 7 p.m.  The funeral Mass for Fr. Soprych will take place at SS. Cyril & Methodius Parish on Friday, September 26, at 10 a.m.  Interment will be at Resurrection Cemetery in Justice. 

Fr. Soprych is survived by his two brothers, Thad and Adrian Soprych.