Fr. Grgo Sikirić, member of the Province of St. Jerome in Croatia and of the Convent of St. Francis in Odra (Zagreb), died in a hospital in Zagreb on March 24, 2023 at the age of 99, in the 76th year of religious life and 71st year of priestly service.
He was born on February 13, 1925, in Bibinje, into a large Catholic family to father Roko and mother Ana, nee Šimunić. After primary school, in his hometown, he was admitted in 1939 to the minor seminary in the Convent of St. Paul the Abbot in Školjić. He attended classical high school in Školjić, in Krk and in Split, where he took his high school leaving exam in 1948. He took his first religious vows on August 28, 1947 in Školjić and his solemn vows on December 8, 1951 in Split. After studying philosophy and theology at the University of Split, he was ordained a priest in Zadar on June 29, 1952. After his priestly ordination, he carried out compulsory military service in communist Yugoslavia from the autumn of 1952 to the spring of 1955.
He was a member of the convent in Ogulin (1955 ‒ 1960) and a local minister in the same convent (1960 ‒ 1963) and, during that period, parish priest in Tounj (1955 ‒ 1963). He was then parish priest in the Parish of St. John the Baptist in Zadar (1963 – 1966), local minister in the Convent of St. Joseph in Split (1966 – 1972) and, at the same time, parish priest in the Parish of the Holy Family in Split, in which he led, in the difficult times of the communist regime, the construction of the parish church.
After his stay in the convents of St. Michele in Zara (1972 ‒ 1973) and of St. Francis of Assisi in Odra (1973 ‒ 1975), he was transferred to the Provincial Commissariat in the USA and worked there for more than twenty-five years: he was chaplain in the first Croatian parish in the USA – St. Nicholas Parish in Pittsburgh (1975 – 1978) and parish priest in the same parish (1978 – 1994). After the establishment of the personal Croatian Parish of St. Nicholas (for Pittsburgh and Millvale) he was its parish priest, in solidum (1994 – 1999) and parochial vicar (1999 – 2000), always remaining in Pittsburgh. At that time, he was also the second councilor of the provincial Commissariat (1980 – 1997). In 1985, he earned a licentiate in spirituality from the Catholic University of Pittsburgh.
In 2000, he returned to Croatia and lived in the Convent of St. John the Baptist in Zadar (2000 – 2019), willingly helping in pastoral activities, according to his abilities. As a priest, he collaborated for many years with the Neocatechumenal Way. As a young priest, before leaving for the United States, he willingly and often led popular missions and preached in various parishes and places. Five years ago, he came to the Convent of St. Francis in Odra to recover from a contusion and since 2021 he remained in Odra as a member of the convent. In 2002, he celebrated his golden priestly jubilee in several places in Croatia and the United States. On that occasion his Convent of St. John in Zadar published his autobiography (Svjedok istine evanđelja. Zlatni jubilej o. Grge Sikirića/ A witness to the truth of the gospel. The Golden Jubilee of Father Grga Sikirić). On June 27. 2022, he celebrated the 70th anniversary of his priestly ordination in Odra.
The funeral on March 29, 2023 in the Zadar Municipal Cemetery was celebrated by the Archbishop of Zadar, Milan Zgrablić, with the assistance of the Provincial Minister, Fr. Ivo Martinović and the Rev. Mario Sikirić, nephew of Fr. Grgo. Present at the funeral, together with twenty-eight religious from the Province, were his relatives, eight diocesan priests originally from Bibinje, the birthplace of Fr. Grgo, about ten other priests from the Archdiocese of Zadar, Franciscan friars and nuns from Zadar, parishioners of the Parish of St. John in Zadar, many inhabitants of Bibinje, birthplace of Fr. Grgo, many members of the Neocatechumenal communities and other believers, friends and acquaintances.
In his funeral eulogy, the Provincial Minister presented the human, Christian, religious and, above all, priestly virtues of Fr. Grgo. In his pastoral work Fr. Grgo had a particular sensitivity for the sick and infirm, the elderly and the poor. He worked systematically wanting to be a true priest of Christ and do everything so that the faithful could live a true life of faith and a true sacramental life. He willingly helped the priests in the pastoral care of the sacrament of penance and in preaching, he led spiritual exercises and as a priest he was willingly at the service of the nuns. He carried out his priestly duties with great zeal and love for God, people and country. He was simple and sincere in his approach to people, conscientious and responsible in his priestly service.
In his words, his nephew Zlatko Sikirić highlighted that Fr. Grgo was a “courageous man and priest” who “always tried to do good” and always enriched his work with new and updated approaches.
Tomislav Markić, director of pastoral care for Croats abroad, highlighted his many years of work among Croats in the United States in his letter of condolence.
The funeral mass in the church of St. John the Baptist in Zadar was presided over by the Provincial Minister Fr. Ivo Martinović. The nephew of Fr. Grgo, Rev. Mario Sikirić, concelebrated, along with Fr. Jurica Galić, local minister and parish priest, friars of the Province and diocesan priests.