STAMFORD—Monsignor Nicholas V. Grieco, founding editor of Fairfield County Catholic and first Director of Communications for the Diocese of Bridgeport, passed away on November 27, 2021, at the Catherine Dennis Keefe, Queen of the Clergy Residence in Stamford, where had had been residing since retiring in 2010. He was 88 years of age.
“Monsignor Grieco served the people of the diocese well and faithfully in a variety of assignments in parishes and on the diocesan level. Many recall his optimism, his collegiality and his commitment to religious education and evangelization. As we celebrate his life of service, let us also pray for the repose of the soul of Monsignor Grieco and the consolation of his family,” said Bishop Frank J. Caggiano.
In 2009, Msgr. Grieco celebrated his 50th Anniversary of Priestly Ordination in a Jubilee Mass Celebration held at St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Weston, where he was serving as pastor.
Nicholas Vincent Grieco was born in Brooklyn, NY, on April 7, 1933. He was baptized at Saint Frances de Chantal Church in Brooklyn, NY on June 4, 1933. He attended Saint Frances de Chantal Parochial School and LaSalle Academy. Monsignor Grieco’s home parish was administered by the Society of the Fathers of Mercy, and after discerning his vocation to the religious life and the priesthood, he entered the Society. He attended college at Our Lady of Mercy Seminary in Lenox Massachusetts. Monsignor Grieco next studied philosophy at the Catholic University of America. For the first two years of major seminary, he attended Athenaeum Pontificium Angelicum in Rome, later completing his theological studies at Catholic University in Washington, DC.
Monsignor Grieco was ordained to the priesthood by the Most Reverend John McNamara at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC on June 6, 1959. The following year, as a result of changes in the Society, Monsignor Grieco requested exclaustration from the Society which was granted in July of 1960. Most Reverend Lawrence Shehan, the Bishop of Bridgeport, permitted him to report for an assignment in the Diocese, and consequently, he was incardinated in February of 1964.
Monsignor Grieco’s first assignments were at St. Edward the Confessor Church in New Fairfield and Sacred Heart Church in Stamford. In August 1966, he took up residence at St. Raphael Rectory in Bridgeport and began his ministerial assignment as Spiritual Director of Notre Dame Girls’ High School in Bridgeport. In 1967, Bishop Walter Curtis appointed him as Diocesan Director of the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine with residence at St. Peter Church in Bridgeport.
In 1972, Monsignor Grieco was appointed Director of the Division of Religious Education in the Department of Religious Education as well as the Vicariate Director of Religious Education for Vicariate III. In 1979, he was also named Secretary of Evangelization for the Diocese.
Monsignor Grieco began work as Assistant at St. Maurice Church in the Glenbrook section of Stamford in 1973. His next assignment was as the Director of Diocesan Communications in 1975 with a change of residence to St. Stephen Rectory in Trumbull. During his tenure as Director, Monsignor Grieco became the founding editor of the Fairfield County Catholic. The paper grew out of his work with “Instant Info,” a monthly newsletter published by the diocese. It began as largely calendar items and brief notices but became so popular that he started to include longer stories. The newsletter then evolved into Fairfield County Catholic, which published its first issue in January of 1984.
In 1986, papal honors were conferred on Monsignor Grieco when he was named Chaplain to His Holiness, Pope John Paul II.
While continuing his work as Secretary for Communications, Monsignor Grieco moved to St. Thomas Aquinas Parish as a resident in 1987. In 1992, he was named pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Weston, once again while continuing his work in Communications. After a long and fruitful active priestly ministry, Monsignor Grieco retired in 2010 and took up residence at the Catherine Dennis Keefe Queen of the Clergy Residence in Stamford and for many years continued to assist in parishes in the area.
In addition to the works mentioned above, Monsignor Grieco served as a member of the Diocesan Commission of the Sacred Liturgy of Music and Art in 1966, the Priests’ Council from 1976-1978, and the College of Consultors from 1998-2003.
A wake will be held on Thursday, December 2 from 6-8 pm at Saint Cecilia Church located at 1184 Newfield Avenue in Stamford. Bishop Frank J. Caggiano will celebrate Monsignor’s funeral Mass on Friday, December 3, at 10 am, at Saint Cecilia Church. Monsignor Thomas Powers, Vicar General, will preach. Burial will take place at St. Charles Cemetery in East Farmingdale, Long Island, New York.
