Vocation Discernment
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Vocation Office
Western Dominican Province
5890 Birch Court
Oakland, CA 94618-1626
(510)-596-1821
Our Vocations require a great deal of support, from the first moment they begin their novitiate until the last moments of their retirement. Please do conside visiting our donation page and helping form and sustain the priests and brothers who will serve you in the future, serve you now and have served you in the past.
Saints and Blesseds
The Order of Friars Preachers,
The Dominican Order,
has a beautiful history of learning, service and holiness manifested in its saints and blesseds of every age since its foundation by St. Dominic de Guzman. Do enjoy the periodic postings of such stories as are available from various sources, especially our own archives.
Religious Retirement
Our elderly and infirm friars receive the best care we have available to us, as in any family. We rely heavily on the donations of others for our own existence and thus when one of our own becomes incapable of further ministry due to age or infirmity, those same donations help us support the sometimes necessary special care required by such members of our communities.
We prefer to care for our elderly and infirm in our own houses so that the life of a religious community can be a part of a friars life as long as possible. This is also the most economical in many ways. We strive to use donations wisely. But sometimes a care facility is essential. As we, as a Province, do not benefit from the national collection for retired religious, we ask that you assist us in caring for these friars who have prayed, taught, served and ministered for so many years amomg the people of the Western United States and beyond.
Please, in your kindness, consider assisting us in this work of brotherly love.
Many thanks in advance.
Catholicism
It's just the right thing
Fr. Albert Robert Felice-Pace, OP
I was born on the Island of Malta, a small Island in the Mediterranean. According to the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 28 verse 1, St. Paul was shipwrecked on the Island. One of seven children, I entered the Dominican Order in Malta after finishing High School. Ordained as a priest on April 2, 1960, I came to the United States in 1961 after finishing my philosophical and theological studies in Malta. I also received a MA from the University of San Francisco in Adult Religious Education.
My very first assignment was to a parish in Berkley, CA. After just one year, I was assigned to Los Angeles where I started my campus ministry career. I served the Catholic community at Occidental College and I was a part-time Associate Pastor at St. Dominic's Parish in Los Angeles. At that time, I did not have a clue what was a Newman Club. But I learned very fast about this ministry and fell in love with it. I have been working with students and the university community for 36 years and still love it.
After seven years in Los Angeles, I moved to St. Albert Priory in Oakland, CA to serve as Director of the Dominican Seminarians. In 1972, I moved to UC Riverside, CA to be the Co-Director of the Newman Center. After four years of serving the Newman community, I was appointed by Bishop Straling as Director of Adult Education for the Diocese of San Bernardino. But my passion was campus ministry. So in 1980, I went back to campus ministry. I have been serving the Catholic students, faculty and staff at various Pac-10 campuses. In 1980, I served as Director/Pastor for the university Catholic communities at Arizona State University, University of Oregon and the University of Arizona. I love to be in the university milieu. It energizes me. Now I am excited to continue my campus ministry at UNLV. I fell in love with the area and I am blessed with a wonderful group of students. My prayer is that together we will continue to bring the Gospel to the university community.
Besides serving various campuses, I was very much involved in the national and regional activities of the Catholic Campus Ministry Association. I was the first President of the Pacific Northwest Catholic Campus Ministry Association. For six years I was a member of the Catholic Campus Ministry Association National Executive Board and for four years a member of the National Association of Diocesan Directors of Catholic Campus Ministry. I also served the Western Dominican Province for five years a member of the Provincial Council.
On January 7, 1985, I was given the "Charles Forsyte Award" in recognition for Outstanding leadership in Campus Ministry. On January 3, 2003, I was recognized by the National Association of the Diocesan Directors of Campus Ministry for twenty years of service in that organization.
I love the desert. It grows on you. Coming from an Island, it seems crazy to fall in love with the desert. But I love the heat and the cactus and all that the desert offers. I love traveling. Before I came to UNLV, I went on a trip to Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore and various countries in Europe. My plan is to continue to travel as long as I am able to do it. I love sports. My first love is soccer. I follow the English and the Italian leagues. I also like baseball and American football - my favorite team is the 49ers. Come to my office to see Jerry Rice's autograph. I love college football.
Pray for me as I try my best to serve the people of God at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic community and the Diocese of Las Vegas. Pray that some benefactor will come to help us fulfill the dream—a Chapel and a Newman Center for the UNLV Catholic community.
Photo 2008 (144dpi)
