“Missionary Disciple.”
“Woman of love.”
“Intentional for the Lord.”
These were just some of the words that friends used to describe Virginia “Ginny” Licata, a dedicated parish minister, teacher and artist in the Diocese of Camden who died July 24 at age 86.
“Ginny was a faithful and committed disciple of Christ,” Father Sanjai Devis, VC, said to those gathered for Licata’s Mass of Christian Burial celebrated Aug. 2 at Holy Family Church in Sewell. In addition to her family and friends, the celebration at her home parish included numerous priests and deacons of the Diocese.
Father Devis, now pastor of Our Lady of Peace Parish in Williamstown, developed a friendship with Licata when he was parochial vicar at Holy Family. He noted her prolific work in the Diocese, which included serving as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion and helping others through difficulties or grief as a Stephen Minister.
Licata also led parish retreats and days of reflection. She began a sandwich-making ministry at the parish to feed Camden’s hungry, and organized an effort to make care packages for the homeless in Atlantic City. She also spent long hours with Father Devis and other international priests, helping them with their pronunciation of English words so that these shepherds could become better evangelizers for their flocks.
Father Devis smiled as he recalled their lessons that began 18 years ago. “She told me how to pronounce ‘wine’ and ‘vine,’ and that to say the v, I need to bite my lower lip,” he said with a laugh.
Born March 14, 1938, in Philadelphia, Licata taught math and biology at Paul VI High School, Haddonfield, from 1977-1979, and spent 20 as a math professor at Camden County Community College in Blackwood.
In addition to her work at Holy Family, she was deeply involved with Saint Jude Parish in Blackwood (now part of Our Lady of Hope Parish), where she contributed to the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults program and served as a lector.
Licata shared her gift of manuscript calligraphy with catechumens and candidates at Holy Family, said her fellow RCIA teacher at the parish, Deacon Jerry Jablonowski, who currently ministers at Saint Clare of Assisi Parish, Swedesboro.
“She made calligraphy cards with the ‘Our Father’ on them and gave them to her students,” he said. “Ginny was a beautiful woman who shared her faith and love with everyone she met, and brought joy to so many.”
Holy Family parishioner Tara Lanzalotti said she will be forever thankful for Licata’s help seven years ago, when her mother passed away.
“As a Stephen Minister, Ginny welcomed me into her home every week, and sat with me for an hour, letting me just talk about my mother, and talk about my sorrow,” Lanzalotti said. “She didn’t give me any advice, but just listened and let me know that someone cared.”
She added, “If there was ever a need at the parish, she would step up. She was intentional for the Lord, and never said no to a cause for God.”
Father Robert Hughes, Vicar General and Moderator of the Curia for the Diocese of Camden, knew Licata from his time as pastor at Holy Family Parish. He recalled her ministry at home and abroad. “She took time, for a number of summers, to go to Vietnam in order to teach Jesuit seminarians English.”
Reflecting on her gift for manuscript calligraphy, he said, “What I think sums up Ginny is her love for icons and her use of them in artistic expression. She was very fond of painstakingly drawing icons on paper. The process of ‘writing’ an icon includes prayer to God … as well as [for] the person or people who will receive or see it. An icon becomes a window into the sacred and through which Divine Grace can be received. In my opinion, Ginny’s hobby was so profound because she herself was an ‘icon’ – in her, you could see God. Through her, you certainly received God’s grace in abundance.” In addition to her friends, Licata was a cherished sister to Robert L. Sprenger and Charles W. Sprenger Jr. (Cynthia), as well as many nieces and nephews. Licata was buried at Calvary Cemetery in Cherry Hill.
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