Father Paul Fagan is the Executive Producer and Host of The Sunday Mass. He was born to Paul and Rita Fagan and grew up in Port Vue, PA, before moving to Harrisburg, PA, and then to Philadelphia, where he finished high school. After graduating from St. Louis University with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work Degree in 1976, he worked for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as a Child Care Worker. In 1980, he entered the Passionist Residence Program in Philadelphia and took his vows as a Passionist in 1982. He was ordained as a priest in 1986 and has since served in various roles within the church, including as a Retreat Director and Director of the Passionist Spiritual Center in New York. Father Paul is also an avid runner and has completed several marathons.
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Father Paul Fagan's marital status
Father Paul Fagan is a Catholic priest and the host of the televised "The Sunday Mass". He is a member of the Passionist order, having taken his first vows as a Passionist in 1982, and his final vows in 1985. Passionists are a religious community of brothers and priests founded in 1720 with the purpose of keeping alive the memory of Christ's Passion, Death, and Resurrection.
Father Paul's journey to becoming a priest began when he was in the sixth grade. He expressed to his father his desire to become a priest, and his father, who had grown up near a Passionist Monastery, took him there to join the vocation club. After graduating high school, he attended St. Louis University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Social Work Degree in 1976. He then worked for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as a Child Care Worker for four years. During this time, he worked with abused and neglected children and their families.
In 1980, Father Paul entered the Passionist Residence Program in Philadelphia, taking vows as a Passionist in 1982. He then studied at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, earning a Master of Divinity Degree in 1986. He was ordained as a deacon in 1985 and as a priest in 1986.
Father Paul's first assignment after ordination was to the Bishop Molloy Retreat House in Jamaica Queens, New York, where he ministered for eight years. He then served on the Provincial Council of the Eastern Province of the Passionist Community and was transferred to the Passionist Itinerant Preaching Ministry. In 1998, he began pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree in Preaching from the Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis. However, he had to return to New York in 2000 to become the Director of the Passionist Spiritual Center in the Bronx. He completed his Doctor of Ministry degree in 2012.
Father Paul's current assignment is with the Passionist Itinerant Preaching Ministry, where he celebrates Parish Missions, Retreats, and Renewals. He is also the director of Passionist Communications and host of "The Sunday Mass".
While there is no explicit information about Father Paul Fagan's marital status, it is highly likely that he is not married, as Catholic priests typically take a vow of celibacy. This vow of celibacy is one of the three evangelical counsels, which include chastity, poverty, and obedience, that Passionists commit to upholding.
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Father Paul Fagan's work with children
In September 1980, Fr. Paul decided to pursue his calling to the priesthood, entering the Passionist Residence Program in Philadelphia. After a year, he moved to the Novitiate in Pittsburgh, taking vows as a Passionist in 1982. He then studied at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, graduating in 1986 with a Masters of Divinity with a Word and Worship Specialisation.
Fr. Paul was ordained in June 1986 and assigned to the Bishop Molloy Retreat House in Jamaica, Queens, New York. There, he ministered for eight years, offering weekend retreats and evening programs to adults, as well as midweek retreats to students. During this time, he also took classes at Fordham University in drama, which he applied to his preaching ministry.
In May 1994, Fr. Paul was elected to the Provincial Council of the Eastern Province of the Passionist Community, serving as a consulter to the provincial until 1998. He was also transferred to the Passionist Itinerant Preaching Ministry, where he utilised his experience in retreat ministry to enrich parishes with missions, renewals, and retreats for adults and youth.
Fr. Paul has since continued his dedication to preaching and ministry, taking on roles such as director of Passionist Communications and host of The Sunday Mass, a television ministry reaching audiences across the US and Canada. He remains committed to sharing God's word and the passion of Jesus Christ through his work.
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Father Paul Fagan's educational background
After graduating from St. Louis University, Fr. Paul immediately began working for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as a Child Care Worker. He worked with abused and neglected children and their families for four and a half years. In September 1980, he entered the Passionist Residence Program in Philadelphia, PA, and took vows as a Passionist in August 1982. He then moved to Chicago to study at the Catholic Theological Union, graduating in 1986 with a Master of Divinity Degree with a Specialization in Word and Worship.
Fr. Paul was ordained as a priest in June 1986 and assigned to the Bishop Molloy Retreat House in Jamaica, Queens, New York. During his eight years at the retreat house, he attended a few classes at Fordham University in drama, applying the skills of acting and drama to his preaching ministry. In 1999, he began a Doctor of Ministry Degree in Preaching at the Aquinas Institute of Theology. However, he had to withdraw from the program in 2002 due to other commitments. He eventually returned to the program and graduated with his doctorate in May 2012.
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Father Paul Fagan's ordination
Father Paul Fagan, C.P., the Executive Producer and Host of The Sunday Mass, was ordained on June 18, 1986, and assigned to the Bishop Molloy Retreat House in Jamaica, Queens, New York.
Father Paul grew up in Port Vue, Pennsylvania, a little town south of Pittsburgh. At the age of 14, his family moved to Harrisburg, PA, but only for a year before relocating to the Philadelphia area. After finishing high school, he attended St. Louis University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work Degree (BSSW) in 1976. He then worked for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services as a Child Care Worker for four and a half years, during which he supported abused and neglected children, their families, and teenagers, and facilitated specialised adoptions.
In September 1980, Father Paul entered the Passionist Residence Program in Philadelphia, fulfilling a lifelong invitation to join the priesthood. A year later, he moved on to the Novitiate in Pittsburgh and took his first vows as a Passionist on August 22, 1982. He then studied at the Catholic Theological Union in Chicago, obtaining a Master of Divinity Degree with a Specialization in Word and Worship in June 1986.
Following his ordination in 1986, Father Paul ministered at the Bishop Molloy Retreat House for eight years, offering weekend retreats, evening programs for adults, and midweek retreats for students. During this period, he also attended drama classes at Fordham University, which he leverages in his preaching ministry.
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Father Paul Fagan's hobbies and interests
Father Paul Fagan is a man of many interests and passions. Growing up in the 1950s and 60s, he attended Catholic School and, from a young age, felt the calling to become a priest. After completing his high school education, he attended St. Louis University, obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Social Work in 1976. He then worked for the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services, dedicating four and a half years to supporting abused and neglected children and their families. During this time, he also gained experience in specialized adoptions.
In 1980, Father Paul embarked on his religious journey by entering the Passionist Residence Program in Philadelphia. He subsequently moved to the Novitiate in Pittsburgh, taking his first vows as a Passionist in 1982. His studies then took him to Chicago, where he pursued a Master of Divinity with a specialization in Word and Worship, which he completed in 1986.
Father Paul's hobbies and interests are varied and reflect his dedication to his faith, his community, and his personal well-being. Here are some of his notable hobbies and interests:
- Running and Sports Enthusiast: Father Paul is an avid runner and has completed numerous marathons, half-marathons, and races. He aims to participate in several marathons each year. Additionally, he is a sports fan, with a particular fondness for baseball.
- Acting and Drama: Father Paul has studied drama and acting, and he incorporates these skills into his preaching ministry. He believes that these artistic pursuits enhance his ability to connect with his congregation and deliver God's message effectively.
- Prayer and Reflection: Father Paul values quiet time for prayer and reflection, often finding solace in natural settings like rivers, such as the Great Hudson River, which he believes offer insights into God's presence.
- Community and Social Work: Father Paul has a strong commitment to community service and social work. He has worked extensively with children and families in need, and his ministry work involves preaching, retreats, and community engagement.
- Writing: Father Paul's interests extend to writing, as he is involved in creating plays and books as part of his ministry work. He also worked on a thesis project titled "Towards a Spirituality for Preaching: The Preacher as Friend of God," reflecting his passion for both writing and preaching.
- Music: Although not explicitly stated, Father Paul may have an interest in music, as he tries to incorporate skills from acting and drama into his preaching, and music could be a part of that.
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Frequently asked questions
Father Paul Fagan wears a wedding band because he is married to the priesthood. He took his first vows as a Passionist in 1982 and was ordained in 1986.
A Passionist is a member of a religious community of brothers and priests founded in 1720 by St. Paul Francis Danei, also known as St. Paul of the Cross. Passionists take a vow of chastity, poverty, and obedience, in addition to a special vow to keep alive the memory of Christ's Passion.
The Passionist habit includes a special sign—a heart surmounted by a cross with the words "Jesus XPI Passion" (meaning "The Passion of Jesus Christ") inside the heart in Latin and Greek. This sign is worn over their hearts on their black habits.
Father Paul Fagan grew up in a Catholic family and attended Catholic school. He worked as a social worker for four years after graduating from St. Louis University in 1976. In 1980, he felt called to religious life and entered the Passionist Residence Program in Philadelphia. He took his first vows as a Passionist in 1982 and was ordained in 1986.
Father Paul Fagan has served in various roles, including retreat director, preacher, and director of communications for The Sunday Mass, a television ministry. He is also the host and executive producer of The Sunday Mass, which is broadcast across the US and Canada.