John Paul Szura, O.S.A. (1940-2024)

Rev. John Paul Szura, O.S.A., entered eternal life on June 7, 2024.

John Paul Szura was born on September 21, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois, to John and Antoinette (Duch) Szura. He was baptized on October 12, 1940, at St. Barbara Church in Chicago. He received the Sacrament of Confirmation on October 15, 1950, at Immaculate Conception Church in Chicago.

John received his elementary education at Holden School and Immaculate Conception School, both in Chicago. He earned a diploma from St. Rita High School in Chicago in 1958.

He was received into the Augustinian Novitiate on September 4, 1958. He professed simple (temporary) vows in the Order of St. Augustine on September 5, 1959, and solemn (permanent) vows on September 5, 1962.

John completed his collegiate studies at Tolentine College in Olympia Fields, Illinois. At that time, Tolentine was an extension of Villanova University in Villanova, Pennsylvania. He earned a B.A. in Philosophy (Magna cum Laude) from Villanova in 1963. He then pursued theological studies at Tolentine College and was ordained a priest on November 21, 1966.

Father Szura earned an M.S. in Psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago in 1970; an M.A. in Moral and Pastoral Theology from St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1971; a Ph.D. in Psychology from the Illinois Institute of Technology in 1973; and a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Fordham University in Bronx, New York, in 1978.

He taught at Mendel Catholic High School in Chicago from 1967 to 1968, and at Augustinian Academy in St. Louis, Missouri, from 1968 to 1971. He was then assigned to teach at Tolentine College in Olympia Fields, Illinois. He also taught at St. Francis College in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, during the summer of 1972. He was transferred in 1973 to the Augustinian Midwest Priory at Villanova University, where he did further studies and also taught. From 1975 to 1978, Father Szura taught at Washington Theological Union in Washington, D.C. In addition, he was an adjunct professor at Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland, from 1976 to 1978.

Father Szura served in several roles at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago from 1978 to 1994, including: Associate Professor of Psychology, Theology, Supervised Ministries, and Justice and Peace; Director of the M. Div. Program; Acting Director of the M.T.S. Program; Acting Director of Continuing Education; and Assistant Dean. In 1979, he was awarded a travel grant by the National Science Foundation to the 17th Interamerican Congress of Psychology in Lima, Peru.  He also taught at St. Louis University in St. Louis, Missouri, during the summer of 1980.

While he was at CTU, Father Szura was assigned to Mendel Monastery in Chicago (1978-79), St. John Stone Friary in Chicago (1979-92), and Bl. William Monastery in Chicago (1992-95). During his first assignment at St. John Stone Friary, he was also a member of the Augustinian formation team there. He was later assigned to St. Jude Parish in New Lenox, Illinois, from 1995-1999, and to St. John Stone Friary in Chicago from 1999-2016. 

Father Szura taught courses at various educational institutions throughout 1992-2014: University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois; Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts; San Carlos and San Marcelino Archdiocesan Major Seminary in Trujillo, Peru; and the St. Thomas of Villanova Institute at the San Agustin Center in Quezon City, Philippines. He also served as a consultant to the Illinois Catholic Conference.

Father Szura had long been a part of the Augustinian presence at the United Nations, even before the Order became an accredited Non-Governmental Organization (NGO). He developed and taught the “Partners in Peace and Development” course at the U.N. The course focused on how collaboration of the Church and the U.N. can strengthen the Church’s mission.  He remained committed to the Order’s efforts at the UN, as well as the Province’s Commission for Justice and Peace.

In 2002, Father Szura was given the Outstanding Service Award by the Society for the Study of Peace, Conflict, and Violence, which is a division of the American Psychological Association.  He was a member of the American Psychological Association, Psychologists for Social Responsibility, Catholic Theological Society of America, and the Karl Rahner Society.

In 2007, he founded a program called “Pennies for Heaven” in collaboration with students from Pope St. John Paul II High School in Scarborough, Ontario.  The program raised money to pay medical costs for poor children in the Philippines. 

Beginning in February 2016, Father Szura was assigned to Marylake Monastery in King City, Ontario, where he provided priestly ministry at Our Lady of Grace Shrine.  He was appointed Prior and Treasurer in 2017.

Due to health concerns, he was assigned to St. Anthony Home in Crown Point, Indiana, in March 2018.  He remained at St. Anthony Home for the rest of his life.

He passed away peacefully on the morning of June 7, 2024, the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart.

Father Szura is remembered for his incredible intellect and his life-long love for learning and teaching.  His dedication to social justice is known throughout the world.  

He is buried in the Augustinian plot at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsip, IL.

Memorial gifts may be made to: The Midwest Augustinians, 10161 S Longwood Dr, Chicago, IL 60643-2032 or via our Online Giving Page.