Redemptorist Father Thomas Joseph Siconolfi, who died May 12 at age 80, left two legacies at St. Mary’s Parish in Annapolis, one of the largest in the Archdiocese of Baltimore, where he served from 1993 to 1999.
Father Siconolfi raised money for and supervised the construction of St. Mary’s mission church of St. John Neumann in Annapolis, which addressed the area’s growing Hispanic population, quickly thrived, and will observe its 25th anniversary next year.
And in 1997, he approved perpetual adoration of the Eucharist on St. Mary’s campus, “a response to so many parishioners who asked for this great gift,” said Redemptorist Father Patrick Woods, St. Mary’s current pastor. St. Mary’s is one of seven perpetual adoration sites in Anne Arundel County.
Father Siconolfi also was pastor and rector at Our Lady of Fatima Parish in Baltimore from 1987 to 1993.
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Oct. 30, 1943, to Anthony and Julia (Gleason) Siconolfi, he was baptized and confirmed at the Redemptorist parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
He attended St. Mary’s Minor Seminary in North East, Pa., from 1957 to 1962 and St. Mary’s College in Ilchester, where he professed first vows Aug. 2, 1964, and then St. Alphonsus College in Suffield, Conn., where he professed final vows Sept. 2, 1968, and received his bachelor’s degree. He received a master’s of divinity degree from Mount St. Alphonsus seminary in Esopus, N.Y., where he was ordained June 21, 1970.
His initial assignments were at the Redemptorist missions in Brazil, “where he served with great zeal” in impoverished communities, Father Woods noted.
Father Siconolfi’s missions in the vice-province of Campo Grande included Aquidauana, Ponta Pora and St. Antonio. He was active with youth groups in all these postings.
Back in the United States, he was associate pastor at Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Ephrata, Pa., 1982-87, and after serving at St. Mary’s in Annapolis, was at St. Martin of Tours in Bethpage, N.Y., 1999-2005. He served in retreat ministry at Notre Dame Retreat House in Canandaigua, N.Y., 2005-08, and was director at San Alfonso Retreat House in West End, N.J., 2008-12.
At the time of his death, he lived at St. Clement Mission House in Ephrata. His funeral Mass May 15 was at Our Mother of Perpetual Help in Ephrata.
For the funeral homily, Redemptorist Father Raymond Collins, who had known Father Siconolfi since they were boyhood neighbors in Brooklyn and attended seminary together, read a letter from another seminary classmate recalling Father Siconolfi’s “incredible sense of humor” and his stance as “an early rebel against the Vietnam War.”
Father Siconolfi was also remembered for his great sensitivity rooted in his love of reading, particularly poetry. And his decision to go to Brazil for mission work surprised his classmates, who were all being assigned to American parishes.
“He was just a lot of fun to be with,” Father Collins said.
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