Father Cassian Derbes, O.P., is a priest of the Dominican Province of Saint Joseph (Eastern, USA). He is currently the director of the Catholic Center at NYU.

Father Cassian’s most recent position was as visiting professor at the University of Notre Dame in the Mendoza College of Business. He served as a professor of theology at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome from 2017-2025 and also served as vice dean. His previous teaching positions include as adjunct professor of theology at the Pontifical College Josephinum in Ohio.

Father Cassian earned his Doctorate in Sacred Theology (S.T.D.) from the Angelicum. He has a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (S.T.L.) from the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC, a Bachelor’s degree (B.A.) from New York University (NYU), and he is a graduate of Jesuit High School in New Orleans, Louisiana.

From 2014-2020, Father Cassian served as director of an initiative at the Vatican under Pope Francis to design, implement, and teach an executive leadership development program for the Cardinals, Bishops, and senior lay officials of the Roman Curia. He has had previous administrative roles at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and in the Office of Evangelization at the Archdiocese of Washington, DC.

Father Cassian has also served the Dominican Province of Saint Joseph as the Associate Executive Director of the Dominican Friars Foundation, as the Provincial Promoter of the Rosary and as the Provincial Promoter for the 800th Jubilee of the Order of Preachers.

His pastoral experience includes as parochial vicar at Saint Patrick’s Church in Columbus, Ohio, Saint Mary’s Church in New Haven, Connecticut and Saint Vincent Ferrer Church in New York City.

Father Cassian has been a member of the Governing Board of the Nostra Aetate Foundation of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue at the Holy See. Additionally, he is a Missionary of Mercy, having been appointed by Pope Francis in 2015.