Very Rev. (Dr.) Dominic Ibok

Fr. Ibok is a seasoned priest, preacher, educator, and military chaplain, with over two decades of pastoral and spiritual leadership across the U.S. and Nigeria. Born on April 7, 1976, in Lagos, Nigeria, he is the fourth of six children of Chief and Mrs. Louis Okon Ibok. Ordained a priest on May 14, 2007, Fr. Ibok has served in various pastoral roles, including Pastor of multiple parishes in the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau, Missouri, and as an Associate Pastor in both Missouri and the Archdiocese of Chicago. His work also includes correctional chaplaincy, evangelization coordination, religious formation, and theological education. He has been an online instructor at Holy Apostles College and Seminary, CT, and held leadership roles as Religious Superior and Director of Novices in religious communities in Nigeria and the U.S.

Fr. Ibok joined the Missouri Army National Guard in March 2020 as a commissioned Captain and currently serves as a full-time Support Chaplain with the Indiana Army National Guard. He has completed multiple military training programs, including the Chaplain Basic Officer Leader Course, Combat Medical Ministry Course, and the Chaplain Captain’s Career Course. Fr. Ibok’s military service includes multiple battalion chaplaincy assignments and two operational deployments, including service in Iraq, Syria, and Alaska. His distinguished service is recognized through numerous military awards, including the Army Commendation Medal (with Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster), Combat Action Badge, and the Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal.

His educational background is rooted in philosophy and theology. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from St. Joseph Major Seminary (affiliated with the Federal University of Uyo and the Pontifical Urban University, Rome), and later obtained a Master of Arts in Theology and a Master of Divinity from Kenrick School of Theology, St. Louis, Missouri. In 2022, he completed his Doctorate in Ministry in Preaching at the Aquinas Institute of Theology in St. Louis. Fr. Ibok holds two units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) from Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis and the University of Theology and Spirituality in Seattle, and he is trained in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST). He is married to Mary Ifeyinwa Ibok and continues to serve with a deep commitment to spiritual care, leadership development, and pastoral excellence in both ecclesial and military contexts.