Date of death: 6/17/2024
Saint Meinrad Class: T 1985
Father Dennis Riccitelli, age 80, of Mesa, Arizona passed away peacefully on June 17, 2024, with his immediate family by his side. He overcame several major medical issues during his life but was still able to actively celebrate Mass up until the present although his mobility was compromised.
He was born and raised in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania on January 1, 1944. He attended McDonald Elementary, Franklin Junior High, and was a National Honor Student graduate of Aliquippa High School in 1962. He graduated from Penn State University in 1966 with a degree in Psychology. After working several years for the Pennsylvania Department of Vocational Rehabilitation he answered his calling to become a Roman Catholic priest and graduated first in his class at Saint Meinrad Seminary in St. Meinrad, Indiana in 1985. He was ordained to the priesthood and served the Diocese of Phoenix, Arizona from that time to the present.
He had the privilege to serve as a pastor of many parishes in Diocese of Phoenix and most recently was an assisting priest at St Anne in Gilbert and Our Lady of Guadalupe in Queen Creek. He was a natural leader and his personal relationship with God enabled him to have a positive and lasting effect on many people. He was compassionate, understanding, and always willing to listen. He was the ultimate shepherd and will be missed by many and remembered by all. His never-ending quest for learning enabled him to become proficient in the Italian language by attending Middlebury College in Vermont during his priesthood. He even acquired dual citizenship with Italy that was a testament to his Italian heritage and an act of respect to his grandfather Simone who immigrated to the United States in 1903. He was also self-taught in the Spanish language and was able to celebrate Mass in Spanish.
He loved to travel and led several pilgrimages to Italy and also visited many European and Asian countries. He was preceded in death by his parents Pete and Olga (Piccolo) Riccitelli, and older brother, Sam. He is survived by his brother David of Sheffield Village, OH, and sister Teresa (Lynn)Ledoux of Wexford, PA. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, and great-nieces and nephews.