Fr. Fabio Faiola

The Pacific Voice happily continues a new feature honoring our priests on Guam during the Year for Priests declared by Pope Benedict XVI. In partnership with the Office of Vocations, we feature profiles of our dedicated, hardworking priests on the second and last Sundays of every month. God bless our priests!

Name: Fr. Fabio Faiola

Position/parish: Pastor, Our Lady of Guadalupe, Santa Rita

Birthdate:  July 1, 1970

Place of birth: Rome, Italy

Ordained: Nov. 8, 2008 Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral Basilica

Pastimes/hobbies: Playing soccer and going to watch soccer every Sunday at the Stadium (in younger days).

Favorite saint: St. Therese of the Child Jesus and Saint Francis

As a young man, Fabio Faiola made a major leap of faith and traveled thousands of miles across the ocean from his home in Rome, Italy to become one of the first seminarians to study at the newly established Redemptoris Mater Archdiocesan Seminary of Guam. Just 28 years old when he arrived here October of 1999, he was one of 12 “pioneer” seminarians to begin formation in the seminary established by Archbishop Anthony Sablan Apuron in the Archdiocese of Agana. It was the first major seminary planted in the 300-plus year history of Catholicism in our area and today, Fr. Fabio stands as one of the blessed fruits of many people’s devoted labor of faith and love.

Now 39 years old, Fr. Fabio Faiola was one of the first members of the Redemptoris Mater Seminary ordained a priest. He was ordained Nov. 8, 2008 at the Dulce Nombre de Maria Cathedral-Basilica alongside Fr. Jason Granado and Fr. Antonino Caminiti. They followed the very first of their brothers to be ordained, Fr. Jose Alberto Rodriguez Salamanca, who became a priest May 21, 2005.

A joyful Fr. Fabio Faiola receives help from mom Pacina Adelina to remove the maniturgium, a linen cloth used during the Anointing of Hands with Sacred Chrism and tying of the hands which were part of his ordination Nov. 8, 2008 at the Cathedral-Basilica. (File photo of late Eduardo C. Siguenza)

Traveling here a virtual stranger, Fr. Fabio heeded the words of the late Pope John Paul II who implored our youth, “Do not be afraid!” In fact, the late Holy Father has been a major source of strength and inspiration for this young Italian.

“The person in absolute that has touched me deeply and has been an inspiration for my conversion is John Paul II,” said Fr. Fabio. “Was not for him and his witness and his love for the Church and the youth, today I would not be here.”

The saints have also inspired Fr. Fabio to be a steadfast servant of God. His two favorite saints are St. Therese of the Child Jesus and St. Francis of Assisi. “They always touched me for their simplicity and abandonment to the will of God,” he said. “St. Francis has been for a long time the only connection that I have with the Church when I was far from the Church. St. Therese of the Child Jesus adopted me after my conversion for her being patroness of the missionary priest.”

Fr. Fabio has been touched by God’s mercy during his conversion from a sinner to a follower and then his formation to the priesthood.

“God has never judged me when I was not doing his will. He rebuilt my life and the sufferings and even my sins were an occasion to meet his inexhaustible mercy,” said Fr. Fabio. “This love that I have experienced needs to be announced. This has been has convinced me to leave everything and to come to Guam.”

As pastor of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Santa Rita, the young Italian priests finds himself in the midst of one of the island’s most dedicated group of parishioners.

“That they are a gift to me,” said Fr. Fabio of Santa Rita’s faithful.

“In my first homily as a pastor, I have said that my past life was a preparation for this mission here in Santa Rita. We have very serious tasks, many problems with the buildings, but my major concern is how to bring the youth to Jesus Christ.  I see a tremendous need and the danger the youth are facing nowadays, we need to help them.”