Fr. Michael Sucharski, SVD was born in Buffalo, New York 70 years ago to Mr. and Mrs. Zenon Sucharski. They later moved to Vicksburg, MS. After graduating from High School in Vicksburg, Fr. Mike entered Divine Word College Seminary in the fall of 1973. Twenty-Five miles west of the City of Dubuque, Iowa on the Mississippi lays Epworth, IA, a very small farming community where the college seminary is located.

After graduating from Divine Word College, he entered the Novitiate for the Society of the Divine Word in the fall of 1977. A year later, in August of 1978, he along with his classmates professed First Vows as members of the Society of the Divine Word.

Fr. Mike attended graduate school at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He also did two years in Cross Cultural Ministry in Papua New Guinea before returning to Chicago to complete Graduate School. On December 10, 1983, Fr. Mike and his classmates were ordained to the priesthood at Divine Word Missionary's Holy Spirit Chapel in Techny, IL.

As a religious priest of the Society of the Divine Word, Father Sucharski spent many years lovingly serving the Diocese of Lafayette. Local places of assignment included Immaculate Heart of Mary in Lafayette, Notre Dame in Saint Martinville, Saint Joseph in Broussard, Saint Anthony in Lafayette, Saint Joseph in Maurice, and Saint Lawrence in Mowata, LA. He also served as the Rector of St. Augustine Seminary in Bay St. Louis, MS.

He is survived by the Brethren of The Society of the Divine Word and his beloved cat, Tabby.