Fr Giuseppe Pollichino, at the age of 78, flew to heaven from our convent of Gesù Ecce Homo in Calvaruso on April 25, 2022. On the 26th, his mortal remains lay in the confession chapel of the Sanctuary of Gesù Ecce Homo. On the 27th, his funeral was solemnly celebrated. The Provincial Minister Fr. Massimo Cucinotta presided, surrounded by numerous confreres of the Province, by priests of the diocesan clergy, by postulants and by the faithful of the sanctuary. In the afternoon of the same day, in his last earthly journey, he was buried in the cemetery of Sciacca (Ag) and buried in the cemetery chapel of the Friars of the Province.
Fr. Giuseppe was born in Chiusa Sclafani (Pa) on February 12, 1944 to Bartolo and Giammalva Maria Anna. He was baptized the following week, on February 19.
At the end of his probationary period, he began his novitiate in Calvaruso, which ended with temporary profession on October 4, 1963. Solemn vows were made in the convent of San Calogero in Sciacca on November 11, 1966.
He was ordained a priest in the cathedral of Palermo by Bishop Francesco Carpino on July 12, 1970.
His human, religious, Franciscan and priestly formation began in the Calvaruso and Sciacca junior high school; his theological studies were made in Palma di Mallorca (Spain), in Syracuse and Messina with the Capuchin Fathers and at the Institute of St. Thomas of the Salesian Fathers.
He began his priestly mission to the hundreds and hundreds of young people who attended our College of Santa Maria in Syracuse. In the provincial congregation of 1972, he was transferred to Calvaruso and given the office of treasurer. In October 1974, he moved to the Sanctuary of San Calogero di Sciacca again as treasurer. In the 1980 Congregation, he was appointed Prior of the convent of San Calogero. He was reconfirmed Prior in 1984. On August 10,1987, he was appointed parish administrator of San Calogero. In the provincial congregation of 1988, he was appointed treasurer of the house. In 1992, he was transferred to the Convent of Corleone as treasurer and assistant parish priest. In 1993, he went to Messina. From 1994 to 2003, he went back and forth to various convents contributing where it was required for special cases and for the health of the confreres. In 2004, he returned to Sciacca, in the community of San Calogero, as parish vicar. In June 2012, he was sent from San Calogero to the convent of Santa Caterina a Chiaia in Naples, until January 2016. He then lived in Calvaruso until his death.
Throughout his various assignments that took place in his religious life, accepted serenely and Franciscanly, the character of this religious emerges: humble, simple and available who offers his contribution wherever his presence is required. And everywhere he left good memories. He accepted the diseases that struck him during his earthly pilgrimage and especially this last one that led to his death, was embraced by him very serenely.