Submitted by: Dan Rich

Rev. Roman Sebastian Ladewski CSC

June 5, 1914 - Dec. 18, 2007

South Bend Tribune 12/20/2007
SOUTH BEND - Rev. Roman Sebastian Ladewski CSC, 93, passed away December 18th, 2007, in Holy Cross House, Notre Dame. He was prayed into the arms of God by his fellow Holy Cross religious and many of the Holy Cross house staff who helped take care of him the last few years. Fr. Ladewski was born to Ladislaus and Martha Ladewski on June 5, 1914, in South Bend, IN. He attended elementary school at St. Stanislaus and then four years of high school at Holy Cross Minor Seminary, graduating in 1931. Fr. Ladewski received the habit at St. Joseph's Novitiate, Notre Dame, on July 1, 1931, and made first profession the next year. He began classes at Notre Dame that fall and graduated in 1936. After four years of study in theology at Holy Cross College, Washington, D.C., he was ordained in Sacred Heart Church, Notre Dame, on June 24, 1940. He returned to Washington, D.C., and began studies at Catholic University in religious education, receiving an M.A. in 1941. After a year of teaching at his alma mater, Holy Cross Seminary, Fr. Roman was assigned to teach and prefect at Notre Dame. In 1943 he was diagnosed with tuberculosis.

In 1948, after receiving a clean bill of health, he taught once again at Notre Dame for the next two years. After a year of serving as teacher and chaplain at Reitz Memorial High School in Evansville, IN, and confessor at Sacred Heart Novitiate in Jordan, MN, he returned to Notre Dame as teacher of religion from 1951 to 1966. The next four years, 1966-70, were spent as chaplain to the sisters at St. Mary's College. From 1970-79 Fr. Ladewski ministered to the Ursuline Sisters at their Motherhouse in Paola, KS. Returning to Notre Dame and Moreau Seminary in 1979, he assisted on the formation team until 1980 when the opportunity came for a sabbatical year followed by two years as hospital chaplain at St. Agnes Hospital in Fresno, CA. Moving east into the Rockies he began a four-year assignment at St. Francis Assisi parish, Incline Village, NV. In 1986 he was chaplain to the Dominican Sisters of Great Bend, KS.

In 1987 he returned to Notre Dame to reside at Holy Cross House and a year later he moved to the Mission House at the Fatima Retreat Center. He moved to Holy Cross House in 2001. Since his return to his native South Bend, Fr. Roman has taught many classes in theology and philosophy at the Forever Learning Institute started years ago by the late Fr. Louis Putz. A kind and gentle soul who loved reading, learning and teaching, Fr. Ladewski was a blessing to all who knew him. Fr. Ladewski was preceded in death by his parents, Ladislaus John Ladewski and Martha (Markowski) Ladewski. He is survived by two brothers, Stanley and Eugene Ladewski, a sister, Mrs. Genevieve Speer, and numerous cousins.

Viewing for Fr. Ladewski will be held in the Chapel of Moreau Seminary, University of Notre Dame, today, Dec. 20th, from 3:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with a wake service at 7:30 p.m. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Basilica, Notre Dame, on Friday, Dec. 21st, at 3:30 p.m. Kaniewski Funeral Home is handling arrangements. Memorial contributions to support the mission and ministries of the Priests of Holy Cross, Indiana Province, may be made to: Priests of Holy Cross, Indiana Province, Office of Development, P.O. Box 765, Notre Dame, IN 46556.