Some 20 years ago, when issues about the use of West Side Park in Newark arose, Nickas drove efforts to improve the area for children and families.

And at St. Peter Claver, Nickas was the first pastor in Montclair to hold worship services in three different languages just so people of Haitian and Latino descent could feel more welcome and comfortable when they pray.

"People profess to values of diversity and multi-culturalism in Montclair. But Father Nickas lived it, and he manifested it in Montclair," said former Montclair NAACP Chapter President James Harris.

"He was a super human being," Harris said.

Nickas, the 68-year-old Pastor Emeritus of St. Peter Claver, died on Oct. 9 near the tomb of St. John’s at a church in Istanbul, Turkey, while on a pilgrimage.

Nickas suffered from heart disease, said Marisol Dennis, St. Peter Claver Church’s bookkeeper.

Always aware of his fragile health, Nickas never complained, but wrote poetry to express his feelings, Dennis recalled.

"He wasn’t going to let his condition stop him from living life to the fullest," she said.

"He made everyone feel like they were so special to him. And, of course, he was outrageously special to us."

Nickas was also especially beloved by children.

In 1972, he founded St. Joseph’s Day Care Center in Newark. The following year, he founded St. Ann’s Community Day Care Center. While serving as pastor of St. Rocco’s Church in Newark since 1970, Nickas founded the St. Rocco’s Children’s Center and was founder and executive director of The Learning Experience Alternative High School in Newark in 1981.

Before he died, Nickas was working on opening a charter school in Newark.

"He was always taking care of people," said Dennis, who still marvels at Nickas’ ability to accept things as they were and avoid negativity.

Nickas served as pastor of St. Peter Claver Church from 1996 to 2004. During that time, he founded the Healing Mass and belonged to the Health Ministry, Peace Action and Homecall, a program that provides housing for the poor.

"When I moved to Montclair and started looking for a church, Father Nickas was the kindest and most open-minded Christian I had ever met," said Kareen Obydol-Alexandre, who has been a member of the church for more than 10 years. "Plus … he had been to my French native island Guadeloupe. So, he could really understand me. I will miss him," Obydol-Alexandre said.

In 2005, he became pastor emeritus and continued his work as coordinator of the AIDS Ministry for Essex County for the Archdiocese of Newark. He was residing in the Msgr. James Kelley Residence in Caldwell since 2004.

Nickas allowed the local NAACP to hold general meetings at the church at no charge, as well as youth council and education committee meetings, which are still held there, Harris said.

Nickas opened the doors to the local Narcotics and Alcoholics Anonymous groups for their meetings, said Nancy Taiani, coordinator of the church’s Parishioners for Peace and Justice group.

Nickas also invited New Jersey Peace Action to hold its annual meetings in the church, she said.

"The Father’s point of view was reaching out to the community. The man just loved everybody," said Taiani, who described Nickas as a storyteller with a humorous personality and "fun to be with."

One of his most cherished stories included his calling to the priesthood. In eighth grade, he was given a form to check off the subject of his intended course of study.

A friend quickly told Nickas that if he checked off "priesthood," then he wouldn’t be able to participate in sports or go on dates.

So Nickas tried to erase his checkmark and instead marked off the option for "Academic Studies."

Apparently, he didn’t erase hard enough, and he was enlisted on the priesthood track at Seton Hall Prep.

Remembering the story always makes Taiani chuckle. "That was just who he was," she said.

Born in Newark, Nickas was raised in Maplewood and graduated from Seton Hall University in 1962. He studied at Immaculate Conception Seminary in Mahwah and was ordained to the priesthood for the Archdiocese of Newark in 1966 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart.

He earned a Master of Divinity degree at Immaculate Conception Seminary in 1975 and studied for a doctorate at Drew University.

His first pastoral assignment was for a year at the Blessed Sacrament Church in Franklin Lakes in 1966. He was then assigned to St. Patrick’s Pro-Cathedral in Newark until 1969, and later became pastor of St. Rocco’s Church in Newark.

Nickas was a founding member and was on the Board of Trustees of Coalition 6, Newark, a community-based group of six Catholic churches. He served on the boards of the YM-YWCA in Newark, the Community Nursing Association in East Orange, Urban Housing Corporation in Newark and Project Live in Newark. He was president of the Board of Trustees of St. Ann’s Community Day Care Center in Newark.

A memorial Mass will be held in St. Peter Claver Church, 56 Elmwood Ave., on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at 7 p.m. when people will be asked to bring a dessert and share their favorite stories about Nickas.

"Everyone has Father Nickas stories," Dennis said.

"We were really blessed to be walking with such a saintly man."

Contact Tanya Drobness at drobness@montclairtimes.com.