Fr. Paul R. Fagan, C.P.

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  Center Director

  Fr. Paul is the second of three children born to Paul and Rita Fagan. His older sister, Bernadette, currently lives with her family in Indianapolis, IN and his younger brother, James, lives with his family in Hawthorn Woods, IL. Fr. Paul’s mother, Rita, lives in Buffalo Grove, IL. His father died in 1982.

  Fr. Paul grew up in Port Vue, Pa., a little town south of Pittsburgh. At the age of 14, his family moved Harrisburg, PA but just for a year and then it was on to the Philadelphia area where he finished his high school education. Once he finished high school it was time to start out on his own, so Fr. Paul made his way to St. Louis, where he attended St. Louis University. He received a BSSW, (Social Work), from St. Louis University in 1976 and immediately went to work for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as a Child Care Worker. During his four and a half years with DCFS, Fr. Paul worked with abused and neglected children and their families, teenagers and was involved in specialized adoptions.

  In September of 1980, Fr. Paul answered a life long invitation by entering the Passionist Residence Program in Philadelphia, Pa. After a year, he moved on to the Novitiate in Pittsburgh and took vows as a Passionist on August 22, 1982. His Passionist journey then took him to Chicago where he studied at Catholic Theological Union. Fr. Paul completed his studies in June of 1986 with a Masters of Divinity with a Word and Worship Specialization.

  He was ordained on June 18, 1986 and assigned to the Bishop Molloy Retreat House in Jamaica Queens, New York. He ministered in the retreat house for 8 years offering weekend retreats and evening programs to adults and midweek retreat days to students. During his time in retreat work, Fr. Paul attended a few classes at Fordham University in drama. He tries to apply the skills of acting and drama to his preaching ministry.

  In May 1994, Fr. Paul was elected to the Provincial Council of the Eastern Province of the Passionist Community. He served the province as a consultor to the provincial until May of 1998. At the time of his election, Fr. Paul was transferred to the Passionist Itinerant Preaching Ministry, and over the next five years used the talents, skills and experience developed during his retreat ministry days to enrich parishes with Missions, Renewals and Retreats.

  Fr. Paul spent ten and a half years as director of the Passionist Spiritual Center. He is now administrating the closing of the Spiritual Center and trying to finish the studies in preaching that he started back in 1999.

  Because Fr. Paul is energized by the ministry of preaching, he has begun the new project of The Passionist Online Spiritual Center. Through this project and the other ministry Fr. Paul will be involved in he hopes to give people Good Word through his online reflection, his preaching and his prayerful celebrations within the sacramental life of the Church. Fr. Paul is always hopes to bring the Good Word, the Good News to people as he enters the preaching moment. One of his heroes has always been the Apostle Paul, a traveling preacher himself. Sharing his faith with others in a genuine way, as St. Paul did, is Fr. Paul’s life long goal! He works at being a quiet peaceful man; with an interest in people and the goodness and joy, they can bring to life.

  Fr. Paul is an avid sports fan with his first love being baseball. He enjoys exercise of all kinds, especially skiing in the winter. He is also a marathon runner and tries to run several marathons each year. Perhaps you would like to sponsor Fr. Paul on one of his Passionist Spirit Runs. (See Fr. Paul’s Spirit Run for further details.) He has also learned to enjoy culture and theater, which has been helped by his 24 years in New York area. Fr. Paul enjoys quiet time to, especially watching rivers like the Hudson just flow by!

  Contact Fr. Paul at: preachermancp@cs.com or frpaul@passionists.org.