Br. William Lanning, OFM, 73, passes away in Chicago

Br. William Lanning, OFM, 73, of St. Peter in the Loop Friary in Chicago, passed away on March 5, 2026, from sudden heart failure. He faithfully served St. Peter’s Church in Chicago for 40 years.  

Visitation for Br. Bill was held on March 10 from 2 to 5 p.m., concluding with Vespers at 5:10 p.m., at St. Peter’s Catholic Church, 110 W. Madison St., Chicago, IL 60602. A Mass of Christian Burial was offered at St. Peter’s at 10 a.m. on March 11. Interment took place following the Mass at Queen of Heaven Cemetery, 1400 S. Wolf Rd., Hillside, IL 60162.   

Br. Bill was born to Robert Lanning and Agnes (née Roche) Lanning on Sept. 12, 1952, in Cleveland. He was baptized 16 days after his birth at St. Patrick Parish, also in Cleveland. He was the fourth of 10 children.    

Soon after, his family started attending Our Lady of Angels Parish in Cleveland, staffed by Franciscan friars, and he enrolled at the school, later attending John Marshal High School. He served Mass at the convent of the Poor Clares at 6 a.m. When needed, he served as a sacristan and a porter in the evenings at Our Lady of Angels. He also had a paper route for two years and sold vacuum cleaners door to door. Inspired by the compassion of the Franciscans he met during his youth, he felt called to discern a vocation with their community. Shortly after graduating high school in 1973, he joined the Order of Friars Minor and professed solemn vows on Sept. 17, 1977.   

Before he began serving at St. Peter’s, he served at other parishes: St. Francis Solano Parish, in Quincy, Illinois and five years at Immaculate Conception Parish in Omaha, Nebraska. It was there that he met Fr. Blasé Cupich, now Cardinal Archbishop of Chicago.   

At St. Peter’s, he dedicated himself to various aspects of parish and friar life, including pastoral ministry and the finance ministry. He welcomed visitors to St. Peter’s with Franciscan hospitality. His job in the Finance Office was to count every dollar at least once – and every collection from every Mass and special occasion.   From 1989 to 1994, Br. Bill served at Bonaventure House, a hospice for men with AIDS, where he gave compassion to the ill and dying.    

He was known for his heart of service, and he willingly supported his community whenever needed. He enjoyed the company of others and was always ready for conversation and coffee. He relished living in the Windy City and was a wonderful guide to visiting family members and friends.   

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Br. Bill and for all who mourn his loss. He is preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his siblings, Cathy Knittel (Greg, deceased), Tom (Mary Lou), Fr. Michael Lanning, Bob (Colleen), Jim (Sandy), Mary Ellen Rogers (Warren), Martha, Jerry (Jill), and Rosemary Schafer (Mike). He was the beloved uncle of Matthew Knittel (Erin), Mary Cory (Mike), Peter Knittel, Melissa Patrizi, Marty Lanning (Cathy), Caitlin Calabria (Dave), Grace Lanning (Jon), Edward Lanning, Nora Mango (Chris), Helen Goldberg (Sam), Clare Hoban (Tanner), Samantha Selio (John), Lindsey Watson (Clay), Madeline Lanning (Jess), Emily Herman (Alex), Tim Schafer and Owen Schafer, as well as the great uncle of 22. He will be greatly missed by his friar brothers of the Province of Our Lady of Guadalupe.