Father Albert Felice-Pace

Fr. Albert (Robert) Felice-Pace, OP

October 21, 1935 – October 21, 2025

Members of the Western Dominican Province and their friends were deeply saddened by the death on October 21, 2025 of Fr. Albert Felice-Pace, OP, on his 90th birthday. Fr. Albert was born in the town of Hamrun on the island of Malta to Salvatore and Vincenza (Bonnici) Felice-Pace. A British colony, his homeland was close to Axis shipping lanes in World War II and, as a result, was intensely bombarded between 1940-1942. 6,700 tons of bombs were dropped over a period of five months on the Grand Harbour, just two miles from his hometown. In April of 1942, King George VI of Britain awarded the St. George’s cross to all the citizens of Malta in recognition of their bravery. Fr. Albert remembered his excitement on hearing the news, imagining he, his family, and friends would each receive a medal. He was greatly disappointed to learn that instead, a medal had been placed on the flag of Malta, where it remains today.

After completing high school in Hamrun, he received the Dominican habit as a novice in 1953 in Rabat, Malta, and made his simple profession the following year. He studied philosophy and theology at St. Thomas Aquinas College in Rabat, and was ordained in Valletta, Malta, on April 2, 1960.

Hearing that the Dominicans in California needed assistance, he and his good friend, Fr. David Farrugia, OP, volunteered to go. Upon arrival in California, Fr. Albert was made the associate pastor at St. Mary Magdalen Church in Berkeley, California for a year, then served in the same role at St. Dominic’s Church in Los Angeles until 1969.

It was in Los Angeles, as a campus minister at Occidental College, that Fr. Albert first experienced ministry to university students.

After serving as Master of Students and Lecturer in Pastoral Theology of the friars in formation at the Priory of St. Albert the Great in Oakland, California, in early 1973 Fr. Albert become the co-Director and campus minister at St. Andrew’s Catholic Campus Ministry at the University of California, Riverside. He also served there as the religious superior, and as the Director of Adult Education and the Charismatic Renewal for the Diocese of Bakersfield. Having become a naturalized citizen of the US in 1973, he transfiliated from the Province of Malta to the Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus in 1979.

For over 25 years, Fr. Albert served as the director of the Catholic campus ministries at Arizona State University, the University of Arizona, the University of Oregon and UNLV. During this time, in addition to earning an MA in Religious Education from the University of San Francisco, he served as the Director of the Frank J. Lewis Institute for New Campus Ministers (1993-96), as a member of the Executive Board of the National Catholic Campus Ministry Association (1996-2002) and on the Executive Board of the National Diocesan Directors of Campus Ministry, (1998-2002). He received the Forsyth Award for Outstanding Service to Campus Ministry in 1995, and in 2012 published An Abridged History of Catholic Campus Ministry.

In addition to his ministry, Fr. Albert served his Dominican brothers as the provincial promoter for campus ministry, as a member of the provincial council, and was often appointed the local superior of their communities. He was a beloved father figure, brother, mentor, and pastor to many who fondly remember his response whenever someone asked, “Fr. Albert, how are you?”. He always smiled and said, “I am Blessed”.

He is survived by his brothers, Salvatore and Richard and sister-in-law, Gemma; his sister Carmen (Azzopardi) and brother-in-law, John; brother-in-law Alfred Pollacco and sister-in-law Josephine (Minuti) Felice-Pace, as well as many nieces and nephews.

A Vigil and viewing will be held at Guardian Angel Cathedral, Las Vegas, at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, November 2, 2025. A funeral Mass will follow at the same location on Monday, November 3, at 10:30 a.m. Fr. Albert’s body will be buried at the Dominican cemetery, in Benicia, California.

Gifts honoring Fr. Albert will be used to help build a new Catholic campus ministry center at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and can be made at https://onrealm.org/unlvnewman/give/fralbertpaceop.