Monsignor Edward Francis Litot, 95, of LaPorte, Indiana passed away Wed. , May 9, 2018. A priest of the Catholic Diocese of Gary, Monsignor Litot was born June 18, 1922 in Fort Wayne, IN to Francis and Bernadette (Forbing) Litot.
After attending St. Patrick Elementary School and Central Catholic High School in Fort Wayne, Monsignor Litot graduated from St. Joseph College in Collegeville, IN. before entering St. Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad, IN. for his priestly formation.
He was ordained a transitional deacon in 1946 before his ordination as a priest at Cathedral in Fort Wayne in 1947. At that time, the Fort Wayne diocese encompassed the Northwest Indiana region. Early in his priesthood, Father Litot served as an assistant at St. Vincent in Elkhart, St. Joseph, Dyer and St. Anthony, Gary.
He was in-residence at Settlement House in Gary and named chaplain for the 113th Engineer Battalion, 38th Division of the Indian National Guard in 1957. In 1967, Father Litot was appointed pastor of St. Joseph, Dyer, and then as pastor of Notre Dame in Michigan City in 1983. At the time of his death, Monsignor Litot was the most senior Prelate of Honor of the Papal Household, assuming the title of Monsignor in 1962.
Considered one of the founding fathers when the Diocese of Gary was first founded in 1957, he worked side-by-side with the then newly-named Bishop Andrew G. Grutka in visioning and planning the future of the Gary diocese. Known for his brilliance, yet kind and unassuming nature, over the course of his priesthood, Monsignor Litot also served the diocese as a Pro-Synodal Judge and a Judge in the Court of Second Instance for the Marriage Tribunal. He was the first editor of the diocesan paper, then known as the Gary Sunday Visitor, and set the standard for excellence in communications in the diocese for the next 61 years.
Monsignor Litot also served as a diocesan consultor, the director of the Confraternity of Catholic Doctrine (CCD), the director of the National Conference of Catholic Men and the chair of the diocesan Commission on Ecumenism. He was granted senior priest status in 1994. The Reception of the Body and Evening Prayer will take place at Notre Dame Church, 1005 Moore Road, Michigan City, on Friday, May 11 at 6:30 p.m. with visitation to follow.
Visitation on Saturday, May 12, (9-10 a.m.) will be followed by Morning Prayer and a 10:30 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial, celebrated by Bishop Donald J. Hying, Bishop of Gary, and priests of the diocese. Arrangements by Frank L Keszel Funeral Home, Essling Chapel, 1117 Indiana Avenue, LaPorte, IN 46350. Please share your prayers, condolences and memories with the family at EsslingFuneralHome.com.
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