Documentary producer, communications director.
Born at Nottingham, England, on 4 September 1946 to Jan Osicki and Maria Makowska, he was inspired by his Polish heritage throughout his life. Raised in Montreal, he attended the University of Montreal, Loyola College, where he earned a degree in Philosophy and Political Science. Later, he acquired a Masters in Theology from the University of Dayton (Ohio).
His three main passions were teaching, communications, and religion. He was a journalist and media producer, working at CBC Radio as a documentary-maker and as executive producer of the program, Identities. The show was about the struggles, triumphs, and politics of being a Canadian from somewhere else. He was communications director at Nortel at the dawn of the digital era, and his thoughts about that new frontier were profound and influential. He invented the term “intelligent universe.” An uncompleted project he was working on at the time of his death was a television documentary about the nuns who taught in Canada’s residential schools. A media consultant throughout his life, he was a constant mentor to many involved in journalism and media over the years, always encouraging his students and colleagues alike to “try very hard to break through what is considered by those around you to be true and valuable.” (Globe and Mail)
After moving to Winnipeg, he was employed by the Catholic Archdiocese of Winnipeg as spokesperson and communication director for the Catholic Church. He lectured at Concordia University, Canadian Mennonite University, and University of Manitoba (St. Paul’s College). He established the Communications and Media program at Providence College. He also worked on the committee that organized Canada’s first-ever national faith and media conference, which took place in Ottawa in 1998. In 2007, he established the Marshall McLuhan Initiative at St. Paul’s College, a program exploring how intellect and faith nurture each other, and was its Director at the time of his death.
With his wife Basia Osicki, he adopted a son, Tobiasz. After divorce, he married Donisia Roman in 2008.
He died at Winnipeg on 29 October 2012 and was buried in the Holy Ghost Roman Catholic Cemetery. In 2015, he was honoured posthumously with the Marshall McLuhan Initiative Medium and Light award.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 31 October 2012.
“Lives lived: Richard Jan Osicki, 66,” Toronto Globe and Mail, 10 April 2013.
This page was prepared by Lois Braun.
Page revised: 7 July 2026
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