YOUNGSTOWN — The Rev. Jonah Pollock, O.P., has been appointed chaplain and director of campus ministry at Youngstown State University.

Bishop David J. Bonnar of the Diocese of Youngstown appointed Pollock to the post and expressed his gratitude to the Rev. Allan Moran, O.P., provincial prior of the Dominican Province of St. Joseph, for presenting Pollock for this ministry, and to the Dominican Friars for their ongoing ministry in the diocese.

Officials said the Dominicans, or Order of Preachers, are a worldwide religious order of friars dedicated to preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Province of St. Joseph, or Eastern Province, is one of four Dominican provinces in the United States. In addition to campus ministry at Youngstown State University, the Dominicans have been entrusted with the parishes of St. Dominic (Youngstown) and St. Rose (Girard) and also serve in parish and Hispanic ministry at St. Paul (Salem) and St. Patrick (Leetonia), as well as in campus ministry at Walsh University in North Canton.

Pollock was raised in central New York State and completed a bachelor’s degree from Franciscan University of Steubenville in 2001. He professed simple vows as a Dominican friar in 2004 and, after completing his master of divinity and baccalaureate of sacred theology at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, D.C., was ordained to the priesthood in 2009.

Pollock completed a Licentiate Degree in Sacred Theology in theology in 2010.

Among his pastoral assignments, Pollock has served as a parochial vicar at the Church of St. Mary in New Haven, Connecticut, and at the Church of St. Catherine of Siena in New York, as a hospital chaplain for the Dominican Healthcare Ministry in New York City and then as director of that ministry.

He succeeds the Rev. Norbert Keliher, O.P., who has served as chaplain and director of campus ministry at YSU since 2021, and who has accepted a new assignment by his Dominican community.

During his time as director, Keliher has successfully led a rebranding of the “Catholic Penguins” campus ministry at YSU, which is housed at the St. John Henry Newman Center and serves all Catholic students at YSU.

In the last two years, the ministry has grown under the leadership of Keliher and the Dominican Friars, including five Bible studies held each year, students participating in individual discipleship formation, Mass at the Newman Center six days a week, a weekly night of catechetical teaching and Eucharistic adoration and weekly service projects in the community.

Officials said in the past two years, thanks to the enthusiasm and generosity of alumni and donors, the staff has grown from one full-time person to four in order to keep pace with the number of students.

The Newman Center also has undergone extensive renovations to make it a more welcoming place for all students.

Reflecting on his time at YSU, Keliher said “Through events held both on-campus and at the Newman Center, students come together in a community centered on knowing Christ and loving their neighbors.”

Bonnar said “I am deeply grateful to Father Norbert and the Dominican Friars for the extraordinary development of campus ministry at YSU. The Catholic Penguins are a source of joy and inspiration for me and for Youngstown, and I am looking forward to what happens next under Father Jonah’s leadership.”

Pollock said, “I am excited to be assigned here in Youngstown and excited to undertake the ministry of Jesus Christ at Youngstown State University.”