Your Diocese

ROMEOVILLE, IL — At 69, Dominican Father Chuck Dahm has distinguished his career in the church by prioritizing the vulnerable and standing up to protect the oppressed or marginalized.

A native of Elmhurst, the priest’s sense of compassion compelled him to flee a comfortable, suburban lifestyle and fight for society’s underdogs—the poor, the weak, the sick and the abused. Steeped in the essence of Catholic social teachings, this down-to-earth man from the Order of Preachers has made a habit of doing intellectual battle in a manner mirrored by the likes of Martin Luther King Jr., Mahatma Gandhi and Jesus Christ.

Educated at Immaculate Conception Elementary School in Elmhurst, he attended Fenwick High School in Chicago and graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a double major in engineering and liberal arts in 1957. In 1961, he earned a master’s degree in philosophy at Aquinas Institute, St. Louis, Mo., where he also completed coursework required for a master’s degree in theology in 1965. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1964. By 1979, Father Dahm had also earned a Ph.D in political science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

The early years of his ministry in Cochabamba and LaPaz, Bolivia, where he coordinated campus ministry activities and adult education programs while delving into social research, served as a springboard to his life’s destiny as a human rights activist. In Chicago, Father Dahm got his feet wet early by opposing economic exploitation around the globe—the outcome of which was the establishment of the nationally recognized 8th Day Center for Justice.

Over the next 12 years, Father Dahm would hone his skills in advocacy by co-founding the Chicago Religious Task Force on Central America, the Resurrection Project, The Chicago Workers Collaborative, Illinois Citizens for Better Care and the San Jose Obrero Mission. Each group is grounded in Catholic social teachings and acts on faith to thwart global economic manipulation, attract attention to elder abuse, raise awareness about the plight of day laborers and offer shelter to homeless men. In the meantime, Father Dahm has also organized efforts to push for economic development on Chicago’s West Side.

For the last 20 years of his priestly ministry, the clergyman has worked feverishly to squash domestic violence. From his Pilsen neighborhood church, St. Pius V Parish, he initiated an attitude that demonstrates a penchant for defending victims of brutality at the hands of loved ones. Having researched the issue of domestic violence, as it is unveiled in Hispanic homes, he said the macho mentality is especially destructive for women.

“Certainly” domestic violence toward Hispanic women is caustic, because “they’re more dependent than American women on their husbands. Latina women still have a mentality that they are second; they’re submissive,” he said. Generally speaking, they shy away from the idea of leaving their husbands.

Armed with the information and insights about the culture of Hispanics, the majority population at St. Pius V Parish, Father Dahm has been successful in supporting them in times of crisis. “Safety” is the key issue, he said. He also has a team of pastoral counselors to assist victims and their children. At the same time, this robust advocate is unafraid to stand up to abusers. He refuses to accept the typical reasons abusers offer for their violent behavior, including alcoholism, joblessness and stress.

“No one deserves to get hit,” he said.

A friend and supporter of Father Dahm’s efforts is Franciscan Sister Dorothy Pagosa, staff member at the 8th Day Center for Justice—a coalition of Catholic, religious congregations committed to working to diminish oppressive systems in today’s society. Reflecting on the mission of the center, which Father Dahm founded, she said, “he helped to set up what today still continues” in regard to authentic ethical changes within institutions and the business environment.

His most recent endeavor at the parish level is not unlike his previous record, she said. “It’s a natural flow for him in getting right to the point. He seems to find and tap into resources that allow” programs such as the anti-domestic violence campaign to happen, she said.

Having observed him in his work for many years, Sister Pagosa described her friend’s chief attributes as “patience and intellectual ability,” while being able to “tune into” the people he encounters. “He’s genuine and loving,” she added.