H.E. Luigi Ventura with Father Dominic Fiore and Family

As I walked to St. Anthony’s Church on that Friday morning in mid-May, I ran through the questions I wanted to ask Fr. Fiore, and discovered that I felt slightly nervous. I had been asked to meet with Fr. Fiore to write an article that would do justice to this wonderful priest. I felt unequal to the task, until I was introduced. Fr. Fiore offered me his hand, and I received a wonderfully warm handshake, followed by a quiet, dignified smile. He led me into the church study filled with books and plants where we sat down to chat.

Dominic Fiore was born to Nicola Fiore and Maria Carmela Scardera in Montreal, Mile End, Quebec, on September 21, 1925. Nicola Fiore arrived in Italy from Sao Paolo and Rio di Janeiro. He later married Maria Carmela Scardera in 1913 in Casacalenda. They remained in Italy as they started their family, but left for Canada ten years later.

Fr. Fiore’s mother arrived in Montreal in 1923, accompanied by her son Frank, aged five years, and Teresa, aged three years. The other children were born after they settled in Montreal. Nicola worked for CN laying tracks for the railway, and was forced to be away from his family a great deal of the time. The family worked hard, and dedicated their time and energy to raising their family.

Tragically, Carmela died in child birth on March 19, 1934, leaving papa Nicola with six children. Carmela was only forty years of age, and her death occurred on the Traditional Feast Day of Saint-Joseph. Teresa, Madeleine, Micheline, Pierre, Jean and Dominic now had no mother, and their father had to return north to work on the railroad. It was a very difficult time for the family.

As the children grew, they were sent to schools in the Montreal area. Fr. Fiore spent his first school years at Saint-Philip’s and then Our Lady of Mount Carmel School. In 1938 he attended high school at the Junior Seminary in Ottawa until his graduation in 1942. He studied Philosophy at Dominican College in Ottawa from 1943 to 1946, and from there he attended Marianum Servite Faculty of Theology (formerly St. Alexis College) in Rome, Italy from 1946 to 1949.

During this time Fr. Fiore began his Servite Training:

  • 1942 Novitiate in Ottawa
  • 1943 First Profession, Ottawa
  • 1946 Solemn Profession, Ottawa, September 26
  • 1949 Priestly Ordination: S.John Lateran, Rome, April 16

In 1949, Fr. Fiore’s intention was to continue in doctoral studies at the Angelicum Faculty in Rome; however, he was asked to return to Montreal before this could come to fruition. He did serve in The Parish of Our Lady of Difesa for a few months before his return to Canada.

Holy Rosary Church on Sherbrooke Street in Winnipeg was Fr. Fiore’s first posting. He and Fr. Adrian Cimichella traveled to Winnipeg where Father Fiore was appointed Assistant to Pastor Cimichella from 1950 to 1955. At that time, Fr. Cimichella returned to Montreal as Pastor, serving The Italian Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel when Cardinal Leger consecrated him Bishop and Auxiliary Bishop of Montreal.

When Fr. Cimichella returned to Montreal, Fr. Fiore became Pastor of Holy Rosary Church for fifteen years, until 1970. He attended Dominican Institute of Saint Albert le Grand taking Renewal Pastoral Studies. He lived in Opatija, Yugoslavia for three months, where he served as translator for the General Chapter of the Order of Servants of Mary, and then returned to Universita dei Straniere in Perugia, Italy.

In 1971, Saint Anthony’s Parish in Ottawa welcomed Fr. Fiore as Assistant Pastor. In 1973 he was appointed Prior of the Ottawa Community of Saint-Anthony until 1973.

Returning to Holy Rosary Parish in Winnipeg for the third time in his career, Fr. Fiore became Assistant Pastor, while serving on the Board of Directors for Villa Cabrini (opened Sept.15/85) and Villa Nova Senior Citizen Residence Foundations (opened May 29, 1994). When he left Winnipeg for the last time, the congregation honoured Fr. Fiore with a wonderful celebration filled with anecdotes and commemorations to his spiritual guidance and friendship through the many years he served at their parish.

Saint Anthony’s Parish was grateful when Fr. Fiore returned to them in September, 1995, as a Servite Fraternity Assistant Pastor.

You can still find him at Saint Anthony’s, always willing to help in any way he can. As he humbly shared his life story with me, I felt very lucky to have been chosen to write this article, and as I walked by to the office, I felt a sense of peace.

Thank you for everything Father Dominic Fiore!