Chicago Tribune from Chicago, Illinois • 19

Chicago Tribune. Monday, March 17. 1986 Section 2 3 Citysuburbs 3 masses play dirge for S. Side churches 5,000 cases jam Chancery Court IS who works in the archdiocesan offices. Francis Gorman has been at St.

Patrick's for 82 years and is one of the oldest members. He and his wife, whom he met and married in St. Patrick's, go to weekly mass there, even though they have moved to Calumet City. "I'm 84, and I have to shop for a new church one without steps. But," he said shrugging his shoulders, "it's one of those things." The churches are finding that more people are moving out of their neighborhoods and are having to compete for members, said Father Paprocki.

He has been at St. Joseph's for three years. The last wedding there was two years ago, and there have been few baptisms. And the number of priests, like the number of parishioners, is declining. Some priests are working in two parishes, Father Paprocki said.

Rev. Harold Bonin, administrator of St. Patrick's, said his recommendation to close the church was easy because of the declining membership but difficult because of the people's feelings for the church. "It was a necessary move; they see it too. But they're sad and resigned," said Father Bonin, also pastor of Immaculate 2944 E.

88th St. "Some wished the closing could have waited until Easter," Father Bonin said. "But my position is, why not do Easter at a new place?" By Daryt Strickland The masses at three South Side Catholic churches Sunday morning were less like a celebration and more like a funeral. The three, including St. Patrick Catholic Church, founded in 1857 and the oldest Catholic church on the South Side, were closing.

And for most people, there were many memories and a lot of emotion. For the last time, Walter Maloney greeted people, guiding them to seats as they walked through the doors of St. Patrick's, 9525 S. Commercial Ave. At age 76, Maloney is the senior usher.

He has been going to St. Patrick's since 1914, and he said he wishes the church would not close. Others, he said, agree with him. "This is hard to accept," Maloney said. "They're in tears.

Most of the people here are at least in their 50s. This is like taking their home away from them." He took a seat in the back of the church as mass began. About 10 minutes later, he reached into his left pocket for a handkerchief, took off his glasses and wiped a tear away. Celebrating final masses Sunday, along with St. Patrick's were Sts.

Peter and Paul, 2938 E. 91st and St. Joseph, 8801 S. Saginaw Ave. The churches were closed by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago because there are not enough people or money to support them.

Also, there are 11 Catholic churches in the area, said Rev. Thomas J. Paprocki, who is administrator of St. Joseph's and fS If I 1 By Charles Mount At least 5,000 cases are backed up in the Chancery Division of Cook County Circuit Court, with cases facing delays of weeks and even months, according to a Tribune study of court records. Judges and lawyers familiar with the situation said such delays are costly to litigants, especially those with complicated cases involving large sums of money.

Many chancery cases fall into this category. Because of the conviction of Chancery Judge Reginald Holzer for taking payoffs from litigants appearing before him, cases already decided may have to be retried. The logjam has resulted not only because of Holzer's. conviction but. also because of a high turnover of judges in the Chancery Division.

Judges in the division decide cases involving corporate matters and sensitive class action and injunction cases. Records show that seven judges have been transferred into and out of the division in the last 10 months. In addition, the division has had three presiding judges in that period. Judge David Shields, presiding judge since January, said many of the 12 judges in the division each face more than 700 pending cases. The rapid turnover of judges started with Holzer's indictment last May on extortion and other charges.

Holzer was found guilty by a federal court jury last month. Because of the nature of his offense, dozens of litigants who appeared before Holzer and lost are petitioning to overturn the judge's decisions on grounds that he took money from lawyers on the winning side. If their petitions are granted, they will get new trials, some of which could be lengthy. Shortly after Holzer was indicted and left the bench, presiding Chancery Judge John Hechinger was demoted because he was linked to a loan from a defendant in a federal criminal case. Hechinger's successor was Judge James Murray, who-was elevated to the Illinois Appellate Court in January.

He was succeeded by Shields. Another chancery judge, Brian Duff, became a federal judge last October after only five months in the division. Judges Benjamin Mackoff, George Marovich and Roger Kiley replaced Holzer, Hechinger and Murray. In each instance, the new judge had to take over virtually all his predecessor's cases because under Illinois law cases remain with the courtroom and not the judge. Exceptions are made for cases near Rev.

Thomas J. Paprocki bids farewell to parishioners outside St. Joseph Catholic Church, 8801 S. Saginaw after mass Sunday. State Democratic leader may face fight Judge Reginald Holzer completion.

Last Tuesday Mackoff, in the division only since August, was' promoted to presiding judge of Divorce Court with instructions to: end an logjam there, Mackoff was replaced by Judge. -Thomas O'Brien, of the Law Divi- sion. O'Brien will have to get on top of about 400 of Mackoff Mackoff will continue to hear 34 cases near completion. Lawyers said O'Brien will be. -aided because he had chancery experience as a private.

attorney before becoming a judge in 1976. O'Brien also is one of a group of judges who frequently get to work about 7:30 a.m. "I'll use the extra time to get on top of emergencies and other cases where rulings have to be made soon," O'Brien said. "I intend to conclude those cases within a few weeks, but I am not suggesting I will be able to get on top of my entire call in that time." Some of the problems caused by rapid turnover of judges in a division were described by Jerold Solovy, chairman of the special commission appointed by Chief -Judge Harry Comerford to study ways to reform the Circuit Court "It results in a delay because a new judge has to go over all the" previous testimony in Solovy said. "Some judges can get' up to speed fast, and others can't.

The delays can be several weeks to several months." He added that key witnesses often have to be called back to testify again so the new judge can determine if they are credible by. to them speak and obser- ving their demeanor. I- Solovy stressed, however, that the decision to send Mackoff to oversee Divorce Court was a good one. By R. Bruce Dold Illinois Democratic Party Chairman Calvin Sutker may face a challenge for the state party leadership after Tuesday's primary election, in a revival of some regional rivalries in the party.

Sutker, 62, a state representative from Skokie, was elected to the state chairmanship in 1984 after Senate President Philip Rock Oak Park stepped down. He has begun quietly to tell party leaders that he wants to be re-elected when the Democratic State Central Committee convenes after the primary. But speculation about a challenge also has arisen, largely revolving around State Sen. Vince Demuzio Carlinville, 43d Ward Committeeman Ann Stepan or a challenger from Mayor Harold Washington's ranks. "The rumors are circulating around," said Aid.

Niles Sherman Tun pnoU by Cart Hugm had," said Aid. Roman Pucinski 41st, who also sits on the state party's governing board. "Cal is solid. Any challenge would be strongly resisted." One wrinkle that could influence the voting is a party reform that Sutker strongly supported. Democratic primary voters for the first time will select a male and female committeeman from each congressional district, a move designed to increase female representation in the state party structure.

In the past, the post of female committeeman was ceremonial. Now, all committeemen, male and female, will have an equal vote for party chairman and on other party matters. Some Democratic observers speculated that a battle over the top spot in the party may be avoided by the creation of one or more new vice chairmanships that could be handed to a female or Downstate party leader. 21st, who is running for the state central committee seat being vacated by Aid. Wilson Frost 34th.

"It might be a good time for the Democratic Party to consider a black chairman. But it won't necessarily be a black candidate; it could be all kinds of folks." Demuzio said he has had "no serious discussions" about a challenge to Sutker, but he wouldn't rule out the move. "I would be interested in a leadership position in the party," said Stepan, who is running for 9th District female committeeman with Sutker's support. "I could support Cal Sutker, but I'm not going to say whom I'd support." Sutker, as a suburbanite, could face pressures for the party post to go to someone from Downstate, where Democrats have clamored for a greater role in party affairs, or to someone from Chicago, which is still the hub of Democratic voting strength. 7th Congressional Washington letting ally Davis go it alone in race with Collins North Branch Chicago River I 1 He also faces primary challenges for his Democratic committeeman posts in Niles Township and the 9th Congressional District and for his seat in the legislature.

But if he performs a political hat trick, winning all three races, he would be considered a strong favorite to retain the state party chairmanship. Sutker has maintained cordial ties with both factions in the Democratic struggle at City Hall and gained recognition for increasing the state's presence in national Democratic affairs. "His service has been very satisfactory," said City Treasurer Cecil Partee, a member of the Democratic State Central Committee. "He's worked hard and tried to serve the entire state on an equal basis." Partee, however, stopped short of committing to Sutker. "He's put in more time and effort than any chairman we've District keep any more jobs than she has.

According to Sparrow, Collins will spend more than $100,000. She also has radio ads. They play up her record in the House, where she has served since 1973, after the death of her husband, George, who had represented the district. Collins also points out in her appearances at churches and rapid-transit stops that she is the only black woman in Congress. Her slogan is "one black woman can make a difference." To further bolster that theme, last week she brought in former U.S.

Rep. Shirley Chisholm N.Y.. The pitch could undercut Davis on his own turf. Many of the households in Austin and elsewhere on the West Side are headed by single black women. Last Friday, Collins was cited by the Federal Election Commission for not filing a required campaign report detailing contributions and expenditures from Jan.

1 throt Feb. 16. The report was due Mar. 6. Sparrow said the report had not been submitted because an auditor was still going over a rush of contributions.

He said it would be filed early this week. Also cited by the commission was U.S. Rep. Philip Crane, a Republican from Arlington Heights. No one in Crane's office would comment on the late filing.

Neither Collins nor Crane had been cited before for being delinquent in filing campaign reports, said Sharon Snyder, a commission spokeswoman. Cerniak CMmqo Tribune Mop North Chicago Madison 3 Roosevelt I o. Cermak Election '86 as SPRINGTIME IS THE PERRY ELLIS COLLECTION PRESENTED BY A SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE IN NORTHBROOK THURSDAY, MARCH 20, AND IN CHICAGO FRIDAY, MARCH 21. INFORMAL MODELING FROM NOON TILL 3:00. THE PERRY ELLIS SIGNATURE SWEATER FOR SPRING '86: THE BLUE AND BLACK CHINESE DRAGON ON WHITE COTTON, P-S-M-L SIZES 275.00.

CHICAGO, NORTHBROOK. DESIGNER SPORTSWEAR By Michael Amdt Throughout his four-month campaign for Congress, Aid. Danny Davis 29th has been waiting for something that he now concedes probably will never come. One of Mayor Harold Washington's most loyal allies in the Chicago City Council, the West Side alderman has been hoping to get the mayor's endorsement in his Democratic primary election campaign against U.S. Rep.

Car-diss Collins in the 7th Congressional District, which stretches from the lakefront on the Near North and Near South Sides to the western suburbs. In a race that Davis contends is close, he believes that Washington's blessing could put him over the top. But as Tuesday's primary election nears, it seems highly unlikely that Washington, who backed Davis against Collins in 1984, will get involved in the rematch. "I wouldn't expect any endorsement at this point," Aid. Timothy Evans 4th, Washington's chief political operative, said late last week.

"He will probably stay neutral." Evans said the mayor's" neutrality does not signal any tiff between Washington and Davis. "It's just that he made a decision not to endorse, and he's sticking to it," Evans said. Gene Sparrow, Collins' campaign manager, said, "The congresswoman had a long talk with the mayor several weeks ago, and he told her he's going to stay out of this race." Davis said he hasn't "heard any such definitive statement." But he acknowledged that Washington probably will not come to his aid. And at such a late date, he said, an endorsement now would not mean all that much. Washington backed Davis two years ago when the alderman first challenged Collins.

That endorsement was announced only two days before the March, 1984, primary. This year, Washington appears more concerned with Tuesday's A special aldermanic elections, which could affect his power in the city council, than with getting embroiled in contests over who serves in Washington, D.C. He has made endorsements in only two of the eight congressional districts that take in Chicago, backing U.S. Rep. Charles Hayes in the 1st District over Melverlene Clark and U.S.

Rep. Sidney Yates in the 9th District over Judith Acheson. Davis, 44, who was first elected to the council in 1979, said his chances of defeating Collins are much better than in 1984, when two other candidates were also on the ballot. Collins won that election with less than half the vote. He said Collins, 54, still leads him on the lakefront and in the west suburbs, where she has always done well.

But Davis said he is ahead in black West Side neighborhoods and is gaining in Oak Park and Maywood. Davis has raised $50,000 and is looking to raise an additional $10,000. Some of that money has been used to buy radio ads. In his ads and public statements, Davis criticizes Collins for the loss of 50,000 manufacturing jobs in the district over the last decade. Collins says, however, that the entire Midwest has lost manufacturing plants and employment and that Davis would not be able to 5.