'He truly lived his faith': Pastor of merged Schaumburg, Hoffman Estates parishes dies at 59
The life of the Rev. Michael Scherschel, pastor of the newly merged parishes of Saints Matthew and Hubert in Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates, was celebrated by Cardinal Blase Cupich during a funeral Mass Thursday morning at St. Hubert Church.
Scherschel died Aug. 10 at the age of 59, about six months after he was tapped to lead the new merged parishes.
A Chicago native who was ordained in 2007 at the age of 43, Scherschel attended Cary-Grove High School in Cary, the University of Dayton in Ohio, and St. Mary of the Lake Seminary in Mundelein.
He was remembered by the Rev. James Presta, a colleague at St. Joseph College Seminary, as a kind, humble and gentle soul.
"He really brought the love of Christ to others through his great work," Presta said of in a statement.
Scherschel's first assignment as a priest was as associate pastor of St. William Parish on Sayre Avenue in Chicago from 2007 to 2011.
He then was associate vocation director for Vicariate IV of the Archdiocese of Chicago and was a member of the formation faculty at St. Joseph College Seminary in Chicago, until 2017.
Scherschel became pastor of St. Hubert Parish in 2017, and recently led the formation of SS. Matthew and Hubert Parish, as the two neighboring churches unified.
The Rev. Robert "Bob" Rizzo preceded Scherschel as pastor of St. Hubert Parish.
"I was totally delighted when he was named pastor because he is truly a kind, gentle and super authentic person," Rizzo said in a statement. "He truly lived his faith day in and day out."
Rizzo served as homilist at Scherschel's funeral Thursday.