Born in
Foley, Alabama,
Fr. Chuck Collins was was raised along with five sisters and one brother
in the Foley/Pensacola area. He
began his journey toward priesthood through his devotion and relationship
to the Blessed Virgin Mary, growing closer to the Eucharist, and growing
in service to our Lord Jesus Christ. In 2001 after attending three
years of college at
St. Joseph's
Seminary College in St. Benedict, Louisiana, he continued his study at
Blessed John XXIII
National Seminary in Weston, Massachusetts. On May 20,
2005 he was ordained to the Priesthood by our Bishop, John H. Ricard,
S.S.J., at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Pensacola, Florida.
Fr. Chuck brings varied life-experiences
to the ministry. Previously, he served in the military and spent
over a year in Germany; he is musically inclined and played lead guitar in
several local Alabama bands; he is a knowledgeable and avid Indianapolis
Colts fan; and he worked for twenty-one years as the yard manager for a
road and driveway materials company since his honorable discharge from the
U.S. Army. He is a likable and easy going man with a listening ear
and a generous heart.
In his Boston area pastoral assignments, he was
effective in bringing Christ's presence and compassion to all he met.
With his welcoming smile and his Southern accent, people very quickly felt
comfortable and at home in speaking with him. A classmate stated,
"With a heart of gold and a mind full of questions, Chuck is an honest,
sincerely, extremely kind person. With Chuck, 'What you see is what
you get!' -- a compassionate person who will be a great priest."
All of his assignments have provided him
with increased experience and knowledge of the priestly ministry and a
confirmation of his vocational call to priesthood. He is very
appreciative of the support and encouragement he has received from pastors
and parishioners in these assignments. He also feels that the
education and training at Blessed John XXIII National Seminary has
prepared him very well to enter into priestly ministry. Father Chuck
joined the Staff of St. Dominic Parish in June 2005. We are very
lucky to have him.
