Father Arthur O. Unachukwu was born in Nigeria and is the third of seven children: six boys and one girl. In early 2000s, he entered Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio, for college. At Franciscan, Father Unachukwu began a personal and deeper discernment of the priesthood. After his first year at Steubenville, Father Unachukwu moved to Dallas to join his extended family residing in the metroplex. He continued his college education at the University of Dallas while discerning his vocation at Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving. Father Unachukwu obtained a baccalaureate degree in philosophy and letters from the University of Dallas in 2006.
In the fall of 2006, Father Unachukwu entered St. Mary’s Seminary in Houston for his Theological Studies and Seminary formation. He did his pastoral year at St. Gabriel the Archangel Catholic Church in McKinney in the fall of 2008 and spring of 2009. He also completed his clinical pastoral education at Baylor Medical Center – Dallas during the summer of 2008. He was ordained a transitional deacon on March 13, 2010, at the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalulpe in Dallas. While at St. Mary Seminary, he obtained a baccalaureate degree in theology, master’s degrees in sacred theology, and master’s in divinity in 2011. He was ordained to the priesthood on July 16, 2011, by then-Bishop Kevin J. Farrell, bishop of Dallas.
On Aug. 1, 2011,Father Unachukwu began his appointment as the parochial vicar at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in McKinney and Holy Family Quasi-Parish in Van Alstyne. While at St. Michael, he was involved with faith formation and parish Youth Ministry. He began his appointment as the chaplain and director of Southern Methodist University Catholic Campus Ministry in July 2013. In July 2020, he began his appointment as pastoral administrator at Holy Cross Catholic Parish and St. Anthony Catholic Parish, where he served until June 30, 2023. During his tenure at Holy Cross, Father Unachukwu also served as associate vicar for clergy and director of priest personnel for the Diocese of Dallas. In July 2023, Father Unachukwu was appointed to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington D.C. as the associate director for the Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations (CCLV). On Aug. 1, 2024, Father Unachukwu began his appointment as pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish.