Local Catholic ordained
a Dominican priest 

A local Catholic school alumnus can now celebrate the liturgy in both the Roman and the Byzantine Rite.

Dominican Father Christopher Fadok, a graduate of both Most Holy Trinity and Brophy College Preparatory, was ordained to the Order of Preachers June 25 in San Francisco. He was among 48 men nationwide scheduled to be ordained to a religious order this year.

Fr. Fadok will celebrate his Mass of Thanksgiving July 10 at his parents’ home parish in Sun City before heading to his first assignment, a Latin rite parish in Seattle, Washington.

The full-fledged priest had an idea growing up that priesthood could be in his future. After all, being a priest would allow him to love everyone like God wanted, Fr. Fadok reasoned as a child, and his belief in the faith would radically change his life.

The philosophy major still wasn’t sold on his vocation, however, even after six months as a novitiate with the Order of Preachers in the Western Dominican Province.

Fr. Fadok left the Order to discern a vocation to marriage while working in the computer field. He continued to study Catholic thought including works by Pope John Paul II.

Four years later, Fr. Fadok realized that his vocation is a mystery he could grow to understand, but didn’t he have to understand God completely before pursuing it. He returned to the Dominicans in 2002.

“I can never fully comprehend the meaning of the priesthood and my call to be a priest,” Fr. Fadok said. “The self-imposed demand for complete understanding was a barrier for many years.”

Eight years later with a year of what he called “religious life boot camp” under his belt plus six years of academia and one of pastoral work, Fr. Fadok is ready to embrace the priesthood.

“Dominicans are men and women who simply must preach the Gospel,” Fr. Fadok said a week before his ordination. “Our life of prayer and study is one we share in common, and its purpose is our own salvation and the salvation of others through the preaching of the Gospel.”

Fr. Fadok, the youngest of six, looks forward to his Mass of Thanksgiving at St. Clement of Rome Parish.

“I might shed a few joyful tears during the Eucharistic Prayer. That moment will have been a long time coming,” Fr. Fadok said. He later added, “I love the thought of giving Holy Communion to my family and friends.”

One of two sisters, the sibling closest in age to Fr. Fadok, will only be there in spirit, however. His Mass of Thanksgiving will mark the tenth anniversary of her death in an auto accident. Fr. Fadok will celebrate the Mass in her name.

Fr. Fadok’s father, George, said he reacted with utter joy when he learned his youngest was discerning the priesthood. George identified kindness and a sense of caring for others as longtime traits in his son, now a Dominican Father.

“It delights me that he is enthusiastic about the Easter Rite of the Church,” said George, a Ukrainian Catholic.

Fr. Fadok spent the last 18 months serving as a transitional deacon at a Byzantine Parish in San Francisco.

“I look forward to serving Divine Liturgy as a priest for the first time, so that my whole family can be introduced to this beautiful and sacred heritage of ours,” Fr. Fadok said.

I have discovered that the Byzantine rite is ‘in my blood’ — it has been of immeasurable spiritual benefit to me in its reverence, strong sense of mystery, and ‘other-worldly’ aspect. We greet the greatness and holiness of God in our worship with fantastic ceremony, and there's just never any doubt that what's going on is importantly different from — yet most intimately connected with — the world of our humdrum daily lives.”

St. Stephen Cathedral in Phoenix serves as the pastoral center for the Holy Protection of Mary Byzantine Catholic Eparchy of Phoenix which covers the entire Western region including Alaska.