Congregation says goodbye to Rev. Kevin Dominik

Before leaving for a new assignment, he presided over one last Mass Sunday morning at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish.

Fr. Kevin Dominik speaks to worshipers Sunday at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish. Jenn Codeluppi / MVI

Hugs were abundant, hundreds of hands were shaken and smiles were shared as the Rev. Kevin Dominik led his last Mass at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish on Sunday.

In May, the Diocese of Pittsburgh announced that Dominik had been relived from his position at the parish, which was merged from St. Damien of Molokai in Monongahela, Mary, Mother of the Church in Charleroi and Our Lady of the Valley in Donora in January of 2020.

Since coming to the Mon Valley, Dominik has grown close to his parishioners and the communities he has served.

“When we learned the news Father Kevin was leaving, we felt a mixture of emotions,” Patty Forsyth said. “As happy as we were for him with his new assignment, we felt an equal amount of sadness on his leaving us.

“Father Kevin truly worked to unite and nourish the faith at St. Andrew the Apostle. In addition to managing three church sites, he was always very generous with his time. “He was a hands-on guy in all aspects of his parish life, except singing. Who will get to empty trash and keep volunteers hydrated during our summer festival? Fr. Tom (Kadlick, parochial vicar) is going to have to step up as parish chief.”

Parishioners will most miss the level of care he had for them and the community.

“His care and attention to our parish family, outreach to the sick, elderly and bereaved, celebrations of Mass and the sacraments, boundless energy and enthusiasm will be sorely missed,” Forsyth added.

Barbara Stafura Russo applauded Dominik for a job well done.

“Congratulations, Rev. Kev!,” she wrote on Facebook. “You will be truly missed. Under your leadership you have managed to maintain three churches and a school, a difficult task wherein many buildings are converging and/or closing. You will certainly be an asset to the seminarians and future priests in our Catholic Diocese. Their gain is our loss!

“On a positive note, you won’t be too far away.”

Kathleen Gourn said he has been called to a greater good.

“Sorry to see you go but his Excellency has chosen you to do something for the greater church in Pittsburgh, and it will benefit St. Andrew Mid Mon,” she posted on Facebook. “…You came to us during a difficult time, the merging of three parishes into one with a great challenge for you and you handled it with tremendous grace.”

Nancy Podroskey Cole said she is sad to see him leave.

“I wish things were different, and you would remain here at St Andrew’s,” she added on Facebook. “You have done an amazing job bringing the church together, not just in the demographics and geography, but bringing us all together in faith, in worship and nurturing our Catholic faith so we can be confident in sharing it as you’ve shared it with us, this is your gift.

“You have a ‘kingdom’ view of teaching and evangelization and you will be an asset in your new role. Please know you will always be in my prayers, you’ve been a true blessing to all of us.”

Kate Papak said Dominik has been a blessing to the area.

“You have been an amazing asset to the Mid Mon Valley, and I am sad to see you go,” she said. “However, you are moving on to a position where God will surely bless you and use you abundantly as you utilize your gifts of faith, unity and wisdom, just as you did at St. Andrew the Apostle Parish.

“I am grateful on behalf of the men you will teach and serve. You will be sorely missed.”

Diane Kooser said Dominik’s his new assignment is an opportunity.

“Your new appointment will expand your circle of influence to bring and form priests at the service of the altar,” she said. “It goes without saying that you will be missed.”

Mary Buchta Martin said Dominik provided leadership in an uncertain situation.

“Your quiet faith and dedication guided us through a challenging time,” she said. “… Uniting three parishes into one vibrant parish. Thank you for leading by example and your unwavering support for the parishioners. May your new assignment be filled with many Blessings.”

Linda Tonarelli echoed those comments.

“Fr. Kevin’s dedication to his vocation showed in everything he did,” she said. “He always put the need of his parishioners first and as he did what was good for the whole parish.”

In announcing the new assignment, the Most Rev. David A. Zubik said “given the importance of priestly vocations recruitment for the Church of Pittsburgh,” Dominik would be appointed as director of the Propaedeutic Program as well as director of the Office for Priestly Vocations, Chaplain to the Serra Club of Pittsburgh and Chaplain for Scouting.

His new position starts today with his residence at St. Paul Seminary.

Dominik was also appointed as a member of the Formation Team for the seminarians at Saint Paul Seminary, where he will assist Fr. Thomas S. Sparacino, Rector and Director of Pre-Ordination Formation, the faculty in nurturing the seminarians in the four dimensions of formation, namely: spiritual, human, intellectual and pastoral.

“Since your ordination to the priesthood in 1988, you have demonstrated an exceptional love for the priesthood and an attractive zeal in calling young people to enliven their faith,” Zubik wrote. “In the past you have been a part of the priestly formation programs here in our own diocese as well as at Saint Vincent Seminary in Latrobe.

“Your residence at Saint Paul Seminary affords you the daily opportunity to offer your support to the men in the Propaedeutic Program and at the same time to be a good example of the priesthood together with the Rector and the Spiritual Director. Please know that I stand ready to assist you at any time. I look forward to our mutual collaboration in this important work of the Church. I am very grateful for your willingness to leave the pastoral care of the people in the Mon Valley to assume this new, exciting assignment. Grateful for our continued efforts together in being On Mission for The Church Alive!, and for our belief that ‘Nothing is Impossible with God.’” In the past four years, more than 7,000 parishioners around the Mon Valley have learned the love of God through Dominik’s heartfelt, humble and relatable sermons, which took on an ever- larger impact since he was accepted as a seminarian by the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1988.

Dominik attended Saint Mary’s Parish grade school and was a 1980 graduate of Serra Catholic High School.

A 1984 graduate of Saint Mary’s College in Orchard Lake, Mich., he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Religious Education.

During those years, he discerned his vocation while he was involved in the Priestly Formation Program in conjunction to SS Cyril and Methodius Seminary.

The Diocese of Pittsburgh accepted him as a seminarian and was assigned to Saint Vincent Seminary where he received a master of divinity degree in 1988 and has since served in several capacities.