Bishop Guy Sansaricq Dies
The Diocese of Brooklyn announced this afternoon the passing of the Most Reverend Guy A. Sansaricq, retired Auxiliary Bishop, who has ministered in the Diocese of Brooklyn since 1971.
Bishop Sansaricq died at the rectory at St. Gregory the Great Church in Crown Heights, Brooklyn on Saturday, August 21, 2021, the Diocese of Brooklyn informed. He was 86 years old.
“Bishop Sansaricq was the first Haitian American Bishop in the United States. He was a symbol of the progress of the Haitian people here and, as someone who served as a bishop, gave the Haitian community some recognition and stature as immigrant people, a ministry he served very well,” said the Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn.
“Bishop Sansaricq actually just sent an email out three days ago saying what he was going to do in organizing relief efforts at the National Haitian Apostolate. He had met the week before with the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince, so Bishop Sansaricq was very active right to the end,” said Bishop DiMarzio.
Bishop Sansaricq was born in Jérémie, Haiti, on October 6, 1934, into a devout Catholic family. At the age of 13, he decided that he wanted to become a priest. He was ordained a Priest on June 29, 1960, for the Diocese of Les Cayes, Haiti.
After a year, Father Sansaricq was assigned to serve as chaplain for Haitian immigrants in the Bahamas, ministering from the Benedictine Priory of St. Francis in Nassau. In seven years in that work, he became aware of the plight of immigrants, and especially undocumented immigrants.
When he completed his work in the Bahamas, he was given a scholarship to study social sciences at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome, where he received a master’s degree in 1971.
Bishop Sansaricq held numerous curial positions in the Diocese of Brooklyn.
Bishop Sansaricq first served as Parochial Vicar of Sacred Heart, Cambria Heights (1977-1993) in Queens. During that time, he was appointed diocesan coordinator of the Haitian Apostolate. In 1987, he was selected by the U.S. bishops to head the National Haitian Apostolate.
His next post was to serve as the Pastor of St. Jerome, Brooklyn (1993-2007) and on August 22, 2006, he was appointed by His Holiness Pope Benedict as Auxiliary Bishop of Brooklyn. He served as Pastor of St. Gregory the Great, Brooklyn (2007-2011) and as Pastor Emeritus of St. Gregory the Great, Brooklyn (2011-2021).
Bishop Sansaricq was named a Prelate of Honor by Pope John Paul II in 1999.
The arrangements are as follows:
WAKE:
- Tuesday, August 31, 2021 - 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM, St. Jerome R.C. Church - 2900 Newkirk Avenue, Brooklyn NY 11226
- Wednesday, September 1, 2021 - 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM, St. Gregory the Great R.C. Church - 224 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
VIGIL MASS: Wednesday, September 1, 2021 – 7:30 PM, St. Gregory the Great R.C. Church - 224 Brooklyn Avenue, Brooklyn, NY
FUNERAL: Thursday, September 2, 2021 - 11:00 AM, Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph - 856 Pacific Street, Brooklyn, NY
BURIAL: Bishop Chapel Crypt – Douglaston, NY
*** Masks will be required at all public services for Bishop Sansaricq***