Fr. . James F. Nallen retired pastor of St. Columba Parish on Chicago’s southeast side, died Saturday, July 14, 2012 after suffering a stroke while visiting in Morris, Illinois. Fr. Nallen was 72 years old.
A Chicago native, Fr. Nallen received his elementary education in Catholic schools before graduating from Quigley Preparatory Seminary. Following his graduation from the University of Saint Mary of the Lake / Mundelein Seminary, he was ordained in 1966 by Cardinal Cody.
Fr. Nallen’s first assignment was assistant pastor at St. Odilo Parish in Berwyn, where he served from 1966 to 1973. He was assistant pastor for one year at Our Lady of the Snows Parish near Midway Airport before being named assistant pastor in 1974 at St. Mary in Riverside. Fr. Nallen remained at St. Mary until 1981, after which he was associate pastor of Sacred Heart in Melrose Park for about five months.
He was named pastor of St. Ethelreda Parish on Chicago’s south side in 1982 and remained there for 23 years until 2005. That parish was closed in 2007.