Fr. Hilary Fischer
Father Hilary Fischer, MSC died on Monday afternoon, January 4, 2021, at Asbury Gardens nursing home, North Aurora, Illinois. He was 88 years old. He was born in Tipton, Missouri on February 7, 1932 to Oscar Andrew Fischer and Mattie (Kosusnik) Fischer. He attended St. John the Baptist Parochial school in Winfield, Illinois and graduated from there in 1945. In the fall of that year, he entered the Sacred Heart Mission Seminary in Geneva, Illinois, where he completed four years of secondary school and one year of college. In 1950, he entered the novitiate of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Shelby, Ohio. He made his first profession of vows on September 14, 1951. He continued with studies for the priesthood at Sacred Heart Seminary in Shelby, Ohio where he made perpetual profession of vows on September 14, 1954. He was ordained to the priesthood on September 21, 1957 by Bishop George Rehring, D.D. at Shelby, Ohio. From 1958-59, Fr. Fischer attended De Paul University in Chicago, Illinois, receiving the degree of Masters in Education. During that same time, he taught mathematics and science at the Sacred Heart Mission Seminary in Geneva, Illinois. In 1959, he was appointed to the missions in Papua New Guinea. He ministered there until 1994. He was, at various times, dean and pastor in several locations. He taught mathematics, science and religion at the Ulapia minor seminary near Rabaul on the island of New Britain. He was the founder of Our Lady of the Poor Parish at Puas in the New Ireland region. From 1970-73, he served as regional superior of the Kavieng region for the MSC community, where he completed construction of the MSC center at Kopkop near Kavieng. For fifteen years he was the pastor of Papitalai parish in the Manus islands, where he became the chaplain of Papitalai High School and the Lombrum naval base. He then became pastor of the Lihir islands in the New Ireland province for two years. After that, he moved to Lamasong parish on New Ireland, where he was pastor until 1994. In 1994, he left Papua New Guinea and accepted an appointment as superior of the new MSC community in the diocese of Nitra, Slovakia. Fr. Hilary was one of the first three MSC to minister in that country after the fall of the Iron Curtain. He translated the “Life’s Healing Journey” retreat into Slovak, and preached it in many parishes. It is still being used there. In 1997, Fr. Hilary returned to Papua New Guinea, and was again pastor of Lamasong parish. In 1998, he returned to the USA for back surgery, after which he went back to Papua New Guinea, this time becoming pastor of Lemakot parish on New Ireland. He helped the people there build a new steel frame church. On the side, he maintained the diocese’s two-way radios, a task that he undertook throughout his years in Papua New Guinea. He was also the diocesan judicial vicar for many years. He remained in Lemakot until 2005, when he returned to the USA. He then moved to the San Bernardino, California diocese, where he became administrator of Sacred Heart church in Anza, California, 4000 feet up in the mountains of Riverside County. In 2015, he retired and moved to our community in Aurora, Illinois. Later, he became a resident of the Asbury Gardens assisted living community in North Aurora, where he died. Fr. Hilary was fluent in the Neo-Melanesian (Pidgin) language, plus Spanish, and he knew Slovak and German. His interests included electronics, mechanics and printing. He was also adept at explosives handling, carpentry and other skills useful to a missionary. He was also an avid photographer and jogger. Father Hilary is survived by four sisters, Joan, Lelia (Lee), Anita and Mary, and two brothers, Lawrence(Guy) and Richard. He is preceded in death by a brother, Eugene. The mass of Christian burial for Fr. Fischer will be on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at St. John the Baptist parish, Winfield, Illinois. Interment will follow at Mt. Olivet cemetery in Aurora, Illinois, at the MSC plot there. May Fr. Hilary Fischer, MSC rest in eternal peace. Donations in behalf of the memory of Father Fischer may be made to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, 305 S. Lake St., Aurora, IL 60507-0270Obituary
Father Hilary Fischer, MSC died on Monday afternoon, January 4, 2021, at Asbury Gardens nursing home, North Aurora, Illinois. He was 88 years old. He was born in Tipton, Missouri on February 7, 1932 to Oscar Andrew Fischer and Mattie (Kosusnik) Fischer. He attended St. John the Baptist Parochial school in Winfield, Illinois and graduated from there in 1945. In the fall of that year, he entered the Sacred Heart Mission Seminary in Geneva, Illinois, where he completed four years of secondary school and one year of college. In 1950, he entered the novitiate of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart in Shelby, Ohio. He made his first profession of vows on September 14, 1951. He continued with studies for the priesthood at Sacred Heart Seminary in Shelby, Ohio where he made perpetual profession of vows on September 14, 1954. He was ordained to the priesthood on September 21, 1957 by Bishop George Rehring, D.D. at Shelby, Ohio. From 1958-59, Fr. Fischer attended De Paul University in Chicago, Illinois, receiving the degree of Masters in Education. During that same time, he taught mathematics and science at the Sacred Heart Mission Seminary in Geneva, Illinois. In 1959, he was appointed to the missions in Papua New Guinea. He ministered there until 1994. He was, at various times, dean and pastor in several locations. He taught mathematics, science and religion at the Ulapia minor seminary near Rabaul on the island of New Britain. He was the founder of Our Lady of the Poor Parish at Puas in the New Ireland region. From 1970-73, he served as regional superior of the Kavieng region for the MSC community, where he completed construction of the MSC center at Kopkop near Kavieng. For fifteen years he was the pastor of Papitalai parish in the Manus islands, where he became the chaplain of Papitalai High School and the Lombrum naval base. He then became pastor of the Lihir islands in the New Ireland province for two years. After that, he moved to Lamasong parish on New Ireland, where he was pastor until 1994. In 1994, he left Papua New Guinea and accepted an appointment as superior of the new MSC community in the diocese of Nitra, Slovakia. Fr. Hilary was one of the first three MSC to minister in that country after the fall of the Iron Curtain. He translated the “Life’s Healing Journey” retreat into Slovak, and preached it in many parishes. It is still being used there. In 1997, Fr. Hilary returned to Papua New Guinea, and was again pastor of Lamasong parish. In 1998, he returned to the USA for back surgery, after which he went back to Papua New Guinea, this time becoming pastor of Lemakot parish on New Ireland. He helped the people there build a new steel frame church. On the side, he maintained the diocese’s two-way radios, a task that he undertook throughout his years in Papua New Guinea. He was also the diocesan judicial vicar for many years. He remained in Lemakot until 2005, when he returned to the USA. He then moved to the San Bernardino, California diocese, where he became administrator of Sacred Heart church in Anza, California, 4000 feet up in the mountains of Riverside County. In 2015, he retired and moved to our community in Aurora, Illinois. Later, he became a resident of the Asbury Gardens assisted living community in North Aurora, where he died. Fr. Hilary was fluent in the Neo-Melanesian (Pidgin) language, plus Spanish, and he knew Slovak and German. His interests included electronics, mechanics and printing. He was also adept at explosives handling, carpentry and other skills useful to a missionary. He was also an avid photographer and jogger. Father Hilary is survived by four sisters, Joan, Lelia (Lee), Anita and Mary, and two brothers, Lawrence(Guy) and Richard. He is preceded in death by a brother, Eugene. The mass of Christian burial for Fr. Fischer will be on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, at St. John the Baptist parish, Winfield, Illinois. Interment will follow at Mt. Olivet cemetery in Aurora, Illinois, at the MSC plot there. May Fr. Hilary Fischer, MSC rest in eternal peace. Donations in behalf of the memory of Father Fischer may be made to the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, 305 S. Lake St., Aurora, IL 60507-0270
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