Page 11 - Padua Bruin Benefit Program 2022

fatHeR BoB stec ’79
Father Robert Stec received the honorable Mr. Paduan recognition for the Class of 1979 and continues to support the mission and value of Padua Franciscan High School. Fr. Bob is “passionate about serving the Lord and building a strong community of faith that can bring the light and hope of Christ to our world.”
Raised within the Catholic faith and a warm, supportive family in Parma, Fr. Bob experienced the love of family and the love of faith that propelled his career.
Fr. Bob was ordained as a priest in 1988, and has served as pastor of St. Ambrose Parish since 2005, leading both the active parish and the thriving school communities. Prior to his commitment to the Brunswick parish, he served the St. Gabriel and St. Richard parishes. He has also worked as the Vocation Director for the Diocese of Cleveland, supporting and encouraging young men seeking vocations within the Catholic church.
Fr. Bob’s dynamic leadership, authentic community-building, and inspiring faith guide his work in these roles.
In each role, Fr. Bob brings people into community with one another, with their greater community, and with Christ. Further, as a leader, he motivates and inspires other leaders to use their strengths.
Fr. Bob spearheaded the development of The FEST– an annual one-day event that brings people together from all regions to enjoy an inspiring day of faith, family and fun. For the past 22 years, the event has welcomed families and especially youths and teens to a celebration of faith to build community not for the day, but for the years to come.
Looking to expand his reach, Fr. Bob established Mission Possible, an outreach effort sponsoring service-based mission trips in the Dominican Republic. This program created a school, medical clinic, community center, church, and baseball field while also building necessary pieces of the infrastructure such as wells, septic systems, and electricity. For the past 15 years and with more than 600 participants, Fr. Bob’s leadership and vision allows for not only the development of a faith-filled community supporting displaced Haitians, but also the next generation of individuals working to create a better world community.
Fr. Bob’s humanitarian efforts then extended to the Greater Cleveland area with the program Alpha Village. This program supports local refugee families through community clean-up days and cold weather attire drives to improve the living conditions in this diverse area.
Recognizing the Franciscan values of these programs, Fr. Bob alongside his brother, President David Stec ’86 brought both Mission Possible and Alpha Village service experiences to Padua students. Fr. Bob continues to inspire and motivate students to act, to serve, and to lead.
This community leader has received a number of accolades including Catholic Man of the Year, the Med-Wish International Humanitarian Award, and the award for Outstanding Contributions to Catholic Education. A proud alumnus, Fr. Bob Stec supports the Padua community with his time, talent, and treasure.
Thank you, Fr. Bob, for your leadership and commitment to Padua.