Seminarian Profile: Dan Gifford

Do your family and friends think it is a good idea that you're becoming a priest?
The vast majority of my family and friends are very supportive of my discernment of the priesthood. Some of them are unsure what to think, mostly due to faith differences, but they can see the happiness and peace I have about where the Lord is leading me. This helps them a lot because ultimately the people who love me simply want me to be happy. I've even been pleasantly surprised that some of my friends who are not Catholic are very supportive and happy for me. Some even trust that this is God's will for me.

Do you ever have any fun? What do you do in your free time?
I have lots of fun. I truly have the most fun simply being with other people, whether going out to eat, watching a movie, going to a concert (I have a great love for music), or some other activity. I enjoy myself the most when I am with people I love, knowing that they are enjoying themselves.

If you were not a priest, what do you think you would be?
I was a special education major for two years before entering seminary and I believe that I would probably still be pursuing teaching if I did not feel called to the priesthood.

How many brothers and sisters do you have?
I have three older brothers, three stepbrothers, one stepsister, and three sisters-in-law.

What is your favorite TV program?
I don't really watch much TV, so it's hard to answer this question. There are no programs that I watch all the time, but I enjoy the Law and Order series and Lost. Also, when I was younger, I absolutely loved Full House, as well as Saved By The Bell, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Mad About You, The Simpsons, and although I didn't watch it always a child, I'm always up for a good Cosby Show rerun.

Who is your favorite singer or music group?
I really have way too many to list, so I'll just name a few to show how many different styles I enjoy: Jennifer Knapp, Jars of Clay, Lifehouse, Dave Matthews Band, Five Iron Frenzy, Thousand Foot Krutch, U2, Toby Mac, John Reuben, Matchbox Twenty, Fr. Stan Fortuna, Sarah McLachlan, Plumb, Pearl Jam, and Creed ... 15 isn't too many favorites, is it?

Do you ever get bored while studying to be a priest?
No, I already passed Latin.

How is a seminary different than a regular school?
Well, first of all, the seminary isn't the school where we take classes. At IHM, we take our classes at St. Mary's University and our classes are not really much different than any other small, private school. But, the seminary life is full of more scheduled times for community prayer, conferences (which are usually once a week), and eating at least half of our meals together as a community in the seminary. Also, the spirit of fraternity that builds in the seminary is most unique and allows us to form strong bonds with our brother seminarians, which we may one day continue to share as brother priests, God willing.

How often do you see your family?
I see my family during the majority of my breaks, which are frequent. During the school year, there is a break every month or two months. Two months is the longest amount of time I have gone without seeing my family. There is also a family weekend at IHM in the fall of every year, at which time many of us have family visit.

Can you really be happy as a priest since priests don't make much money?
Absolutely. As if it isn't said enough, money has nothing to do with happiness. Happiness to me is about living in love with God and being completely His. This does not mean my life will always be peachy-keen. Life will always be challenging and I will still face temptation to seek material wealth, glamour, and passing pleasures. But, God can give me with humility enough to realize that I do not yet know what true happiness is and hold out for the precious prize that awaits me!

How often do you pray?
I try to pray several times a day. This helps me to carry a sense of Christ's presence with me all throughout the day and share this gift with others. It is the quiet times of prayer when I rest in the knowledge that I am His that fuels me and allows me to live in Christ, both in rest and activity. My prayer is that, by the time I die, I will be able to honestly say that I pray as often as I breathe.

Who helped you decide to become a priest?
Many people have influenced my decision. I have had priests who have had a profound effect on me simply by the way they live their vocation happily. It's like when you see a couple who has been happily married for many years and it makes you desire the happiness they have in their vocation. Also, I have been encouraged by multiple of my guy friends who show we what it means to strive to live as a holy man of God. They helped me to see that an essential of that life is to offer my life completely to God and pray for the grace to do His will alone, even if that means priesthood. They helped me to see that discernment is simply a part of the life of every faithful Catholic man.

When did you decide to study to be a priest? How did you know God was calling you to be a priest?
I first felt that I might be called when I was on retreat, shortly after graduating from high school, listening to a priest speak about his vocation to the priesthood and I felt drawn to his story. I can't really explain how, but I truly felt that I was supposed to be listening and giving this some serious thought and prayer. I ignored this for a long time. I was confirmed into the Church at the end of my freshman year of college. By early in my sophomore year, it became more and more obvious that the grace of this sacrament was working in my life and I finally began to honestly discern, with the help of many of the guy friends who taught me that discernment is part of striving to live as a holy Catholic man of God. The more time I spent with Him in prayer and with friends who shared my desire to live entirely for Christ, the more I felt drawn to the seminary. I still lacked peace about the decision for a long time. But, throughout the spring and summer of my sophomore year, God placed me in countless situations that showed me that, if I took steps of faith in the direction that I knew He was calling me, the peace would come. He was teaching me that peace comes with surrender. Ultimately, He was teaching me that I could trust Him. So, I applied to seminary and entered in the fall of 2005. After I began to take these steps of faith, the peace started to come almost immediately. By the end of my first semester, through surrendering to Christ in prayer, my desire to be a priest had begun to blossom. Now, I confidently feel that God is calling me to be priest because, over time, I have come to realize that it is what I have really desired all along. I just didn't know it.

What do you think the best thing will be about being a priest?
I think the best thing about being a priest will be the chance to help other people to fall more deeply in love with Christ and to watch that love grow in them and spring forth new life!