Two dozen people gathered in a Pilsen church Saturday to celebrate the life of Pedro Toledo Catalan, a man remembered as consistently positive and known as widely as “Pepe,” whose fatal shooting late last month shocked the community.
“Everybody knew Pepe,” Rev. Brendan Curran told family, friends, and community members gathered at St. Pius V Parish Saturday morning for Catalan’s funeral service.
-
Rev. Brendan Curran, a Dominican Friar who knew Pedro “Pepe” Toledo Catalan from his time at St. Pius V Catholic Church, blesses Catalan’s ashes while Catalan’s brother Isais Toledo holds them during a funeral, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at St. Pius V Catholic Church in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. Catalan, who was believed to be homeless, was killed during a shooting in the Pilsen neighborhood over Labor Day weekend. He was remembered positively by community members. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
1 of 5
Rev. Brendan Curran, a Dominican Friar who knew Pedro “Pepe” Toledo Catalan from his time at St. Pius V Catholic Church, blesses Catalan’s ashes while Catalan’s brother Isais Toledo holds them during a funeral, Saturday, Sept. 27, 2025, at St. Pius V Catholic Church in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. Catalan, who was believed to be homeless, was killed during a shooting in the Pilsen neighborhood over Labor Day weekend. He was remembered positively by community members. (Dominic Di Palermo/Chicago Tribune)
At the front of the church sat a large photo of Catalan, showing him waving with a wide smile, the way many attendees remember him. A small black urn sat next to it atop a colorful swath of fabric.
Speaking in English and Spanish, Curran memorialized the man known for hanging around different parts of Pilsen and sharing a smile with community members. Catalan was experiencing homelessness at the time of his death, but people “never saw Pepe angry or upset,” Curran said.
“Fear is everywhere. Pepe was always a person of peace,” Curran said.
Catalan was one of three men shot in the 1900 block of West 17th Street early Aug. 31 during a violent Labor Day weekend. Neighbors said the shooting coincided with two neighborhood parties happening at the time.
Officers found Catalan, 46, at the intersection with gunshot wounds to the neck and ankle, according to a police report. An autopsy later found that he died of a gunshot wound to the head. The other two men, 41 and 43, survived their wounds.
Neighbors said they can’t imagine Catalan was the target of anyone, and since his death, community members have held multiple vigils in Pilsen memorializing him. Police have not released any suggested motive for his shooting. The investigation into Catalan’s death remained open Saturday with no new updates, police said in a statement.
Isaias Toledo, Catalan’s brother, briefly thanked people in Spanish for coming and asked for God to bless them all. Earlier in the morning, he had carefully placed the photo of his sibling on its stand before processing through the church with his brother’s ashes.
Attendees at Saturday’s service remembered Catalan as “always happy” and a “kind” person, as they shared their favorite stories and lessons they took away from knowing him. Catalan loved to look at the sky. He was always positive. He turned down offerings from people, opting instead to help others, community members said.
Catalan’s approach to life is “refreshing” in a time that is negative for many people, Curran said. The neighborhood should be a home for all people–as Pepe saw it–no matter where they might physically live.
“Pepe had that instinct to see the good in the neighborhood, no matter what was going on,” Curran said. “See the good in every moment of his time here with us.”
:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/tronc/W2T2QOGH3ZHZBK6FMBKJLB5464.jpg)
