Taking a chance on God: Profile of Father David Gutierrez, C.M.F.

(Photo courtesy of the Claretians)

How did people respond when you entered religious life?

No one saw it coming. People who knew me before I entered the seminary like to joke that I went from sitting in the back of the church wearing my Metallica shirt to sitting at the front wearing vestments.

What first drew you?

I was at a crossroads where I felt I was called to do something more, but I didn’t know what. Finally, my mom told me to take my uncertainty and anxiousness to the Blessed Sacrament. God answered my prayer by putting a vocation retreat within the realm of possibilities. I prayed for God’s guidance and I got it.

Tell us about your current ministry.

I’m at the Saint Paul Catholic Newman Center in Fresno. I especially enjoy sharing experiences I have gone through and how faith, prayer, community, and God helped me. Afterward people will come up and say they are going through something similar and I gave them hope. Heart speaks to heart.

What do you do for fun?

I love to exercise: running, weight lifting, biking. I love pushing myself. I also build model airplanes, cars, etc. And I still have my bass!

Your favorite way to pray?

I have learned to enjoy the holy hour. I just bring myself and let God recharge me and console me. A holy hour of silence with God can be life-changing if you are open to it.

What uplifts you about religious life?

It really is a joyful experience! I love getting together with all my brothers and sharing stories, jokes, experiences, and hardships—just being with each other in our vocation and community.