ST. TAMMANY PARISH, LA. 

Obituary for: PERKOVIC, ANTON 

Submitted by: Louis Lavedan. 

Source: Honaker Funeral Home, Slidell, La.

Died: 

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PERKOVIC, ANTON
January 7, 1922  -  July 23, 2014

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Fr. Anton Perkovic, age 92, passed away on Wednesday, July 23, 2014, in 
Covington, Louisiana.

Fr. Anton Perkovic was born and baptized on January 7, 1922 in what is now 
known as the country of Croatia. 

He was the former Pastor and founder of St. MarthaÕs Catholic Church in Harvey, 
La. Since his retirement in 1994, he lived in Mandeville, La. and often 
concelebrated Mass at Our Lady of the Lake Church.

He was the son of Ivan Perkovic and Marija Puh. He was baptized in his parish 
church of ŌSÕvetvincet.Ķ This church was important to Fr. Anton in his 
spiritual development as it was in this church he made his First Communion, 
Confirmation and where on September 22, 1946 he was ordained to the Priesthood.

Fr. Anton went to the inter-diocesan minor seminary in 1936 at the age of 14 as 
this was then the classic preparation to enter the major seminary. These were 
very difficult years for him because these years coincided with the World War 
in Europe and the civil war in what was then Yugoslavia. He was able to 
complete his seminary studies up to the first year of the major seminary but 
because of the civil war and the partisan fighting, the seminary was closed. 

During this time, one of FrÕs brothers was killed in Dachau, concentration 
camp. He had to return home and he completed his studies on his own, under the 
direction of his parish priest, the Rev. Miroslav Pules, who after the war, was 
later executed by the communists and was beatified in Pula, Croatia on 
September 26, 2013.

After WWII, Fr. Anton was able to return to the seminary for one year of study 
and he was then ordained a Priest in 1946. After ordination, he was assigned to 
administer three country parishes. Fortunately, all three parishes were along a 
highway and he was able to reach them by bicycle. His residence was in the 
middle parish. All three parishes were named after Apostles; St. Peter, the 
first parish was in the center; St. Phillip, the second parish, was to the 
North and the St. Bartholomew was to the South.

The government of Yugoslavia was then ruled by the Communists under Marshal 
Tito and the persecution of the Church was in full force. Priests, especially 
young priests, were considered the greatest enemy of the State. There were 
intimidations, arrests, forced drafts into the army and the murder of priests. 
It was at this time that FrÕs childhood mentor and teacher, Rev. Miroslav 
Pules, was murdered and after serious threats to Fr. AntonÕs life he was forced 
to immigrate and become a refugee in Italy. Fr. Anton lived for three years in 
Italy waiting for an opening at the Pontifical Gregorian University to attend a 
course in Dogmatic Theology. He then completed a two year course to obtain a 
degree (Licentiate) in Sacred Theology.

Still a refugee and a man without a country, he was informed that some American 
Bishops were willing to sponsor refugee priests. He applied to Archbishop 
Rummel and was accepted. Fr. Anton recalled that the Archbishop was a real 
gentleman to him. He then travelled to the U.S. on an International Red Cross 
passport and arrived in the port of New Orleans aboard the ship ŌSamuel 
SturgisĶ on a Sabbath Day. Fr. Anton proudly recalled that since many of the 
passengers were Jewish refugees, all the passengers voted not to land until 
Sunday January 12, 1952.

Fr. AntonÕs first assignment was to Our Lady of Good Counsel Church on 
Louisiana Ave as the third assistant Priest. He could not speak English at the 
time, so all the priests spoke to him in Latin. He was 30 years old and now had 
to begin serious parish work and like many immigrants he had to learn the 
English language. He became an American citizen in 1955.

After eight years at Good Counsel, he was assigned to St. Catherine of Sienna 
Church in Metairie, at the time a very busy parish, with three priests in 
residence. After five years he was assigned to Our Lady Star of the Sea Parish, 
on St. Roch Ave to assist a retiring priest.

After two years at Star of the Sea, Fr. Anton was named pastor of St. AnslemÕs 
Church in Madisonville. After Four years as pastor at St. AnselmÕs, he was 
named pastor of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Westwego.
After two years at our Lady of Good Counsel, he was given the greater challenge 
to be the founding pastor of St. MarthaÕs Church in Woodland West, Harvey, La. 
Fr. Anton remained there as pastor until he retired in 1994 and move to 
Mandeville until his death.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, July 26, 2014, from 9:30am until 10:30am 
at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, 395 Laffitte Street, in Mandeville, 
Louisiana.
A Funeral Mass will begin at 10:30am.

Burial will be in St. Joseph Abbey Cemetery in Covington.

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