Dan Dury, while preparing to be ordained a Deacon

Ordained a transitional deacon June 6th, 2009 in his preparation for priesthood.

Dan Dury, Holy Cross parishioner, Columbus, will be ordained a transitional deacon on June 6, 2009.

Dan grew up in the Columbus area and attended the now closed, Our Lady of Fatima Academy in the Whitehall area. “We had a good foundation there. We prayed the Rosary, attended Mass, and it was true to the faith,” said Dan.

Dan and his brother played ‘Mass’ when they were young. His priest at that time encouraged him to consider a vocation to the priesthood.

“I had some idea that I was called when I was in high school in Reynoldsburg,” said Dan. “Then while I was in college at OSU, I attended ‘Gospel on Rye’ at a local Italian restaurant. We had speakers and talked about our faith.” Dan was at OSU for three years and majored in Business Administration.

After Dan’s second year at OSU, a seminarian from the Josephinum was assigned to Holy Cross Church for the summer. “I believe that was the first time a seminarian was ever assigned to Holy Cross,” said Dan. “I got to know him and he encouraged me to consider the priesthood. Getting to know him helped me realize that seminarians are normal people. I decided to enter seminary. Sometimes I think Lord sent that seminarian to Holy Cross just to encourage me since there hasn’t been a seminarian there before or since.”

Dan has enjoyed seminary life, and he just completed his third year of Theology at Mount St. Mary’s, Emmitsburg, Maryland. He has made many great friends and has grown spiritually. He appreciates the human, spiritual, and intellectual formation seminary provides.

“Now that I am in my third year, there is even more opportunity for a spiritual life. There is balance between spiritual an academic with daily Eucharistic Adoration,” said Dan. “It is also nice that seminary is on a college campus so we interact and evangelize the college kids.”

Dan says that his summer assignments have been extremely beneficial to discernment as well. He spent a summer with Fr. Jim Black at St. Peter’s in Chillicothe.

“The summer assignments introduce you to the life of a pastor. You see the problems they face, the counseling, the daily schedule and you experience it all first hand,” said Dan. “A pastor has a lot on his plate. And when I was in Chillicothe, there was also a mission parish in Waverly which Fr. Black supported, so it was very busy.”

Dan acknowledges that apostolic works are an important part of formation outside of seminary. He took communion to nursing homes, and while it was hard to see the circumstances of the residents, “it was so rewarding and they looked so forward to our visits.”

Dan’s favorite field assignment was helping at the Special Olympics. “The athletes were so genuine and I enjoyed getting to know them.” He also had a rotation at an insane asylum. “I just talked to people. They are people in need of love. God is love and we are all called to love,” said Dan. “We are called to the lowest, poorest, the elderly, the handicapped, and the mentally and physically challenged. We are to imitate Christ wherever we are.”

Dan talked about how he will serve when ordained as a deacon and later as a priest.
 

“I see that God has given me a desire to help those who have had a tough life – whether it is physical or verbal abuse, tough family problems, and I want to continue to be involved in the Special Olympics and to show Christ’s love to others,” said Dan.

When asked about habits he will take with him from seminary into the priesthood he says “my spiritual life.”

“We are so fortunate to have a Holy Hour each day here. That time with God is so important to build that relationship with Him,” said Dan. “When a priest stops praying, he loses his authenticity and his love doesn’t show through to others.”

Dan’s family has been very supportive of his journey through seminary, “My mom cried out of happiness when I first told her about seminary.” Dan has two brothers and two sisters.

How does he feel about his upcoming ordination to the diaconate? “Very, very excited to receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders,” said Dan. “I feel unworthy, but so excited and happy to be able to celebrate baptisms, marriage, and to preach … to preach the truth of the faith.”

Dan enjoyed taking a Homiletics class in seminary to learn to prepare and deliver homilies. “I plan to preach instructionally. I want to explain the tenets of our faith. People want to learn more and need to know how to live it out.”

Dan is assigned at St. Catherine parish this summer. Then back at school, in the fall of 2009, he will serve at local parishes in the Emmitsburg area.

His advice to seminarians who are just starting their formation: “Develop fraternity. Learn to get along well with each other while in seminary as these will be your diocesan brothers for life.” Dan and the other four Columbus seminarians at St. Mary’s, Emmitsburg, meet once a week to share a meal, pray together, and to stay close.

Dan also advises them to “Have fun! Play sports. I like to go to the movies. It is important to a break and to relieve stress,” said Dan. “I want to give God as many years as I can.”