Rev. Dominic J. Grassi
Biography
Born on August 8, 1947 in Chicago IL, Rev. Dominic J. Grassi was ordained for the Archdiocese of Chicago in May of 1973. He was awarded a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature from Niles College of Loyola University and a Master’s Degree cum Laude from St. Mary of the Lake Seminary. He completed further graduate work at Loyola University in Education and Guidance and Counseling. Prior to his ordination he was on the faculty of Carmel High School for Girls. Both before and after his ordination he was an associate chaplain of the Arthur J. Audy Detention Center for Youth.
He served as associate pastor at St. John DeLaSalle Parish. For thirteen years he was on the faculty of Quigley South Seminary High School where he taught Religion, Speech, and Media Studies. He also served as a guidance counselor and coached soccer. While there, he developed several academic and religious programs and retreat formats. He served as chairperson of the Religious Education Department and as an administrator as Dean of Vocation Development. He has served on teams for the North Central Evaluation Program of Secondary Schools and taught both Deacon Training and the Lay Ministry Training Programs of the Archdiocese. He gives retreats, Missions, days of recollection and talks at parishes and to groups around the country. He lectured in the Theology on Tap program for young adults. He is in demand as a retreat director for priest groups and for deacons. He served as associate editor or Upturn, the journal of the Association of Chicago Priests, a group of which he is also past chairperson. He has taught courses in Ministry at St. Xavier University. His work has been featured in many newspaper articles. He has appeared on C-Span, PBS and many television and radio stations nationwide.
He has written for a number of homily services. He has written articles for many publications including Critic, U.S. Catholic, Catholic Digest and America magazines. In 1991 he published to much acclaim the book Do You Love Me? which explores ministry in the Catholic Church. His book Bumping Into God: 35 Stories Of Finding God In Unexpected Places was published by Loyola Press in 1999, a best seller with multiples hard cover and paperback printings. On reviewer called him “a cross between Jerry Garcia and Phil Jackson.” A sequel, Bumping Into God Again was published in 2001. In 2003 Loyola Press published Still Called By Name – Why I Love Being A Priest. In 2005 he co-authored with Joe Paprocki, Living the Mass: How An Hour A Week Can Change Your Life. It was published in English, Spanish, Polish and Chinese. A revised edition followed. Bumping Into God In the Kitchen was published in April of 2007 and was featured in the cooking section of the Chicago Sun-Times. In 2018 his first work of fiction, a murder Mystery, was published by In Extendo Press a division of ACTA Press, entitled Death in Chicago/Winter. It was featured on WTTW-TV as a summer must read and was named the 2019 Catholic Press Association Ist Prize winner for Catholic Fiction.
He is a recipient of the “Tree of Life Award” given by the A.I.D.S. Pastoral Care Network and the First “Founders Award” from the Mental Illness Ministry of the Archdiocese of Chicago. He was named outstanding alumnus of Archbishop Quigley Seminary and Alumnus of the Year of Mr. Carmel Academy. In 2008 he was selected by the Chicago Sun-Times as one of the “50 People Who Make Chicago a Better Place”. In 2012 he received the “Distinguished Pastor” award from the National Catholic Education Association at their convention in Boston. In 2017 he received the Blessed Pope John XXIII Award from the Association of Chicago Priests
He served as pastor of St. Josaphat Parish on the Northside of Chicago for eighteen years where he made its motto “A Church to Come Home To” a reality for thousands of parishioners. He was appointed pastor of St. Gertrude Parish in Chicago’s Edgewater neighborhood where he served for eleven years, retiring in July of 2017. In retirement he continues to give retreats and talks throughout the country. He Helps out at various parishes, shrines and schools celebrating Mass and other Sacraments. He resides in the Edgewater community in Chicago where he enjoys having additional time for reading, writing, cooking and, paraphrasing Satchel Paige, sometimes he sits and thinks and sometime he just sits.