Fr. Carmine James Sacco, S.J.

Obituary Reverend Carmine J. Sacco, S.J., who was pastor of St. Rita Catholic Church in Tacoma for 32 years, from 1979 to 2011, died peacefully in the Lord on September 21, 2016 at the Sacred Heart Jesuit Center in Los Gatos, California. Being 91 years old, his health began to fail about six months ago. He left Tacoma on August 3 for Los Gatos where the Jesuits have a modern health care center. Fr. Sacco was born in Seattle in 1924. He entered the Jesuit Order in 1944 to study for the priesthood. After the usual studies, he was ordained a priest in Spokane in 1957 by Bishop Bernard Topel. After that he was a teacher of religion at Seattle Preparatory School and then at Bellarmine Preparatory School in Tacoma. But most of his priestly life he was not a teacher, but a pastor of a parish. From 1971 to 1974 he was pastor of St. Luke Church, Woodburn, OR. Then after doing some graduate work in theology, he became pastor of St. Ignatius Church, Portland, OR, from 1975 to 1979. The major life work of Fr. Sacco was as pastor of St. Rita Church in the hilltop area of Tacoma. For 32 years he provided daily spiritual and material help to the members of his parish and others. St. Rita was originally an Italian national parish, and he was only the fourth pastor over a period of about 90 years. Fr. Sacco was a caring and loving pastor who was beloved by his parishioners because he was always there for them, because of his good humor and because of his excellent preaching. In 2011 at the age of 86, and due to ill health, he was no longer able to function as pastor so he moved to the Jesuit Community at Bellarmine. There he spent his time in prayer, reading, receiving visitors from St. Rita parish, and doing odd jobs around the house as best he could. Fr. Carmine Sacco is survived by his sister, Anna Popovich; and by his sister-in-law, Theresa Sacco. He also has many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces and grand-nephews. A vigil and Rosary service will be held at St. Rita Church on Wednesday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m. The Funeral Mass for Fr. Sacco will be celebrated at St. Rita Church on Thursday, September 29 at 10:30 a.m. Interment will take place at Mt. St. Michael's Cemetery in Spokane, WA, on Friday, September 30th at 11:00 a.m. Notes of condolence may be sent to his sister, Anna Popovich, 2901 NE Blakely, St., Apt. 509, Seattle, WA 98105, or to St. Rita Parish, 1403 S Ainsworth, Tacoma, WA 98405. Please leave online condolences at www.gaffneycares.com. Arrangements by Gaffney Funeral Home, 253-572-6003.