Parish bids farewell to Pallottine Fathers with gratitude, fond memories
On June 30, the Society of the Catholic Apostolate, commonly known as the Pallottines, concluded its pastoral administration of Our Lady of Grace Parish in Fairview, NJ, after 103 years of stewardship and service.
“We are deeply grateful to the Pallottine Fathers and Brothers for more than a century of faithful service to this community,” Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, said in a statement announcing the pastoral transition. “Their ministry has been a living witness to the Gospel, and we pray for God’s continued blessing upon them as they carry forward their mission in the Church.”
The news came several months after the death of Father Peter T. Sticco, S.A.C., who served as pastor of Our Lady of Grace for almost three decades. In the announcement, the archdiocese explained that the Pallottines had growing responsibilities in their remaining ministries and limited personnel, and that the society’s decision had been received with “gratitude and deep respect.”
Engaging lay people with the Church’s mission
The Society of the Catholic Apostolate was founded in 1835 by Saint Vincent Pallotti, an Italian active in apostolic ministry in the city of Rome. His community of priests and brothers worked with lay people to serve and minister to those who were neglected or forgotten by society.
The aim of the Society was threefold: 1) to engage all Catholics in the mission to spread the faith, 2) to strengthen and increase the faith of Catholics, and 3) to organize and inspire spiritual and corporal works of mercy of every sort.
Saint Vincent encouraged people of every social background to join the Society in its work.
In the decades after St. Vincent’s death in 1850, the Society sent missionaries to countries outside Italy, including the United States. Pallottine Fathers and Brothers have been present in the US since 1884 and in the Archdiocese of Newark since 1895.
A thriving parish in Fairview
When the Pallottines arrived in Fairview, NJ, in 1923, they first served the community’s Catholics in a converted movie theater. Eleven years later, Archbishop Thomas Walsh would lay the cornerstone Our Lady of Grace’s new church building. It was completed a year later.
By 1960, the Pallottines were ministering to an estimated 1,700 families in the parish. As the number of families grew, catechizing the young became a challenge. Hundreds of kids were educated in parish missions and, later, through a Confraternity of Catholic Doctrine (CCD) program. In 1964, then-pastor Fr. Joseph Mungari was able to start a school in the rectory, while construction began on Our Lady of Grace School which opened the following year. A community of Pallottine Sisters ministered there, working in collaboration with the parish.
In 1978, the man who would serve as a parochial vicar for the next 10 years and later as pastor for another 28 years arrived at Our Lady of Grace. To Father Peter Sticco, the Pallottine charism was clear and simple, like the message of Jesus: “We still need prayer, fasting, reception of the sacraments, and ministering to the poor,” he once said.
A “hero” and “spiritual father”
Called to religious life at the age of 13, Father Peter Sticco possessed an energy that few could match.
At various points, he served the Pallottines by directing vocations, leading the Pallottine Center for Apostolic Causes, and supporting the development and expansion of the Society’s mission in Peru. That job required frequent travel around the world. He also found time to earn his master’s and doctorate degrees so that he could minister to families and provide marriage counseling.
In 1982, he became an Air Force Chaplain, serving in that capacity for twenty years. He retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2002. During his time in Fairview, “Father Peter,” as he was known to everyone, also served as chaplain to the borough’s police and fire departments.
Evangelizing young people was a special focus of his priesthood. Many adults at Our Lady of Grace credit him with attracting them to the faith as young people. As pastor, Father Peter led the parish’s Young Adult Club to Appalachia and to the Yucatan region of Mexico where they performed missionary work, helping to renovate and refurbish churches and orphanages, and building homes for the disadvantaged. He was also deeply devoted to the parish school where he was always a supportive and encouraging presence.
When Father Peter died suddenly last November, grieving parishioners and community members lined up outside the church, braving bitter cold to say goodbye to a beloved priest and friend, a man they described as a “hero” and “spiritual father.”
Father Peter T. Sticco Way
On June 2, hundreds of parishioners and Fairview residents gathered at Our Lady of Grace parish for a ceremony honoring Father Peter. The centerpiece of the ceremony was the unveiling of a new street sign. In April, the Borough of Fairview passed Ordinance No. 26-10, naming the portion of Kamena Street between Our Lady of Grace Church and the parish school “Father Peter T. Sticco Way.”
The ordinance cited Father Peter for being a man who “exemplified the highest ideals of spiritual guidance, humility and service, touching countless lives through his ministry, mentorship and acts of kindness.” Many of Father Peter’s family members attended the ceremony, along with first responders and local leaders.
Speakers mentioned how Father Peter had befriended and supported them over the years. John Bussanich, a parishioner and borough councilman, said that he first encountered the priest as a sixth grader and that “his gentleness, his heart, and his enthusiasm were so magnetic that they transformed me,” inspiring him to live his Catholic faith into adulthood.
“In Father Peter’s presence, people felt seen, valued, and loved,” Bussanich said as some in the audience wiped away tears.
Living out the Pallottine charism
At the ceremony, Father Manuel Raj Innasia Pillai, S.A.C., temporary administrator of Our Lady of Grace, lauded his brother priest as a man who embodied the Pallottine ideal. “Father Peter lived out the charism of Saint Vincent Pallotti, reminding us all that we are called to be apostles of charity and hope,” he said.
Also present at the ceremony were several Pallottine Sisters. They wore T-shirts bearing Father Peter’s image and the words, “Forever in our hearts.” The sisters explained that the shirts were created for the Academy of Our Lady of Grace’s annual field day, held earlier that day, which had been dedicated to Father Peter’s memory.
Though the Pallottine Fathers and Brothers will leave the parish on June 30, the sisters said that they will remain at the Academy of Our Lady of Grace. One of them shared that they are delighted to continue sharing their Pallottine charism with the parish. “We love the school, the children, and the families here,” she said.
To view a gallery with more photos of Our Lady of Grace Parish and the ceremony honoring Father Peter Sticco, CLICK HERE.
Editor’s Note: Thanks to Brianna LoSardo, Archivist, Archdiocese of Newark, for her assistance while researching this article.
Featured image: Parishioners of Our Lady of Grace and residents of Fairview gathered behind the church on June 2 for a ceremony naming a street in honor of former pastor Rev. Peter Sticco. (Photo by John Touhey / Archdiocese of Newark)
