{{short description|Roman Catholic priest and author}} {{Infobox Christian leader | name = Donald Calloway | image = Headshot Fr. Donald Calloway.jpg | type = Priest | ordination = May 31, 2003 | church = Catholic Church | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1972|06|29}} | birth_place = Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. | birth_name = Donald H. Calloway | honorific_prefix = The Reverend Father }} '''Donald Calloway''', MIC (born 29 June 1972) is an American author and Catholic priest in the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary.<ref name="website">{{Cite web|title=Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC {{!}} fr. donald calloway, mic|url=https://www.fathercalloway.com/biography/biography.html|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.fathercalloway.com}}</ref><ref name="Father">{{Cite web|title='It Takes a Father': New Book Highlights Consecration to St. Joseph|url=https://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/it-takes-a-father-new-book-highlights-consecration-to-st.-joseph|access-date=2020-07-18|website=National Catholic Register}}</ref> He is known for his conversion story and his 2020 book, ''Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father,'' which has been translated into more than 28 languages.{{Citation needed|date=January 2026}}
== Background == Calloway was born on 29 June 1972 in Dearborn, Michigan. He spent his early years in West Virginia and grew up in southern California, in Los Angeles and San Diego.<ref name="WV">{{cite news |last1=Davis |first1=Diane |title='Surfing priest' to speak in Clarksburg Tuesday |url=https://www.wvnews.com/surfing-priest-to-speak-in-clarksburg-tuesday/article_5a196578-9e45-11e2-aa79-001a4bcf887a.html |access-date=28 February 2021 |agency=West Virginia News (WVNews)}}</ref> He has described himself as drug addicted in his teenage years and a high school dropout.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Surfer-priest shares his incredible journey: from dropout to drug-addict to priesthood|url=https://www.romereports.com/2016/07/19/surfer-priest-shares-his-incredible-journey-from-dropout-to-drug-addict-to-priesthood|access-date=2020-07-21|website=www.romereports.com|language=en}}</ref> He has said that he was using drugs by the age of 11 and was promiscuous.{{Citation needed|date=January 2026}}
While living in Japan as a teenager, Calloway became involved with the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, and served as a "drug runner", running drugs and money to casinos in Honshu.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Farrow|first=Mary|title=He was a runner for the Japanese mafia. Now he's a Catholic priest.|url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/34757/he-was-a-runner-for-the-japanese-mafia-now-hes-a-catholic-priest|access-date=2020-07-21|website=Catholic News Agency|language=en}}</ref> When he was 15 years old, Calloway was forcibly removed from the country of Japan for his criminal activity and mafia involvement.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Calloway|first=Fr Donald|title=From a Slave to Sin to My Mother's Arms: Fr. Donald Calloway's Improbable Journey to the Priesthood|date=22 April 2015 |url=https://aleteia.org/2015/04/21/from-a-slave-to-sin-to-my-mothers-arms-fr-donald-calloways-improbable-journey-to-the-priesthood/|access-date=2020-07-21|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2011-07-19|title=Father Donald Is Interviewed on ABC|url=https://www.thedivinemercy.org/articles/father-donald-interviewed-abc|access-date=2020-07-21|website=The Divine Mercy|language=en}}</ref>
Following his extradition back to the United States, Calloway was committed to two drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers in Pennsylvania: New Beginnings at Cove Forge and Charter Fairmont Institute. After his failed rehabilitations, he was imprisoned in Louisiana upon turning eighteen.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Fr. Donald Calloway "The Conversion of Fr. Don Calloway" Women's Conference 2019|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm8cCMaLRS0|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200810104101/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rm8cCMaLRS0 |archive-date=2020-08-10 |access-date=|website=YouTube}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=A Mother's Faith, a Son's Conversion|url=https://www.marian.org/news/A-Mothers-Faith-a-Sons-Conversion-3986|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.marian.org}}</ref>
One night after declining to go out with friends, Calloway began to read a book about the Blessed Virgin Mary. He credits this book, as well as praying the Rosary, with changing his life, after which he converted to Roman Catholicism.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC Pilgrimages with & 206 Tours, The Leader in Catholic Pilgrimages|url=https://www.pilgrimages.com/frcalloway|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.pilgrimages.com|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Faehnle|first=Michele|date=2019-12-27|title=An Interview with Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC|url=https://www.columbuscatholicwomen.com/an-interview-with-fr-donald-calloway-mic/|access-date=2020-07-18|website=Columbus Catholic Women's Conference|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Brandon Vogt|date=2016-09-08|title=Champions of the Rosary: An Interview with Fr. Donald Calloway|url=https://brandonvogt.com/champions-rosary-interview-fr-donald-calloway/|access-date=2020-07-18|website=Brandon Vogt|language=en-US}}</ref>
Calloway was ordained a priest on May 31, 2003 at The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. He has a B.A. (Franciscan University of Steubenville), M.Div. (Dominican House of Studies, Washington, DC), S.T.B. (Dominican House of Studies, Washington, DC) and a S.T.L. (International Marian Research Institute, Dayton). He practices with the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary.<ref name="website" />
Calloway had led pilgrimages to Marian shrines, including sites in Poland, Mexico, Italy, Spain, and France,<ref>{{cite web |title=Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC Pilgrimage |url=https://www.pilgrimages.com/frcalloway/ |website=Pilgrimages.com |access-date=28 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Fr. Donald Calloway, The Pilgrimage King! |url=https://www.206tours.com/cms/blog/fr-donald-calloway-the-pilgrimage-king/ |website=206 Tours |date=2 October 2018 |access-date=28 February 2021}}</ref> as well as to the Holy Land with actor Jim Caviezel.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jim Caviezel, Holy Land Pilgrimage |url=https://www.206tours.com/jimcaviezel/ |website=206 Tours |access-date=28 February 2021}}</ref>
== Career and recognition ==
In 2020, Calloway's authored the book ''Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father'' which sold more than one million copies worldwide. <ref>{{cite news |last1=Farrow |first1=Mary |date=8 March 2020 |title=Why a new consecration to St. Joseph is spreading like wildfire |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/43758/why-a-new-consecration-to-st-joseph-is-spreading-like-wildfire%C2%A0 |access-date=24 November 2025 |agency=Catholic New Agency}}</ref> Calloway has said that his book is modeled after the Consecration to Mary of St. Louis de Montfort.<ref>{{cite news |date=1 December 2020 |title=The Year of St. Joseph begins Dec. 8 |url=https://catholicdioceseofwichita.org/the-year-of-st-joseph-begins-dec-7/ |access-date=24 November 2025 |publisher=Catholic Diocese of Wichita}}</ref>
Calloway also published a follow-up entitled ''Consecration to St. Joseph for Children and Families'' with co-author Scott L. Smith, Jr. in 2022.<ref name="Calloway and Smith">{{citation |author=Calloway and Smith |title=Consecration to St. Joseph for Children and Families |url=https://shopmercy.org/consecration-to-st-joseph-for-children-and-families.html?fbclid=IwAR0eB4t-ShBLicGG_lnQFuU8mTdbYDRMK_4vwOChm2e7WMTT9T19IpMg-h8}}</ref>
Calloway's conversion story was made into a documentary titled ''The Testimony of Fr. Donald Calloway'', which won an Emmy award in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Testimony of Fr. Donald Calloway |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7520250/awards |website=Internet Movie Database |access-date=28 February 2021}}</ref>
A talk Calloway gave in April 2017 at Franciscan University of Steubenville, titled "The Rosary: Spiritual Sword of Our Lady", had over 2.9 million views on YouTube by October 2025.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Fr. Don Calloway, MIC: The Rosary: Spiritual Sword of Our Lady|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwVdYXyxln0|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180720042711/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dwVdYXyxln0&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=2018-07-20 |access-date=|website=YouTube}}</ref>
== Bibliography == Calloway is the author of a number of books related to Catholic Church and Roman Catholicism. His work has been covered in several mainstream Catholic Church and Roman Catholic newspapers.<ref name="Father" /><ref>{{Cite web|last=Service|first=Catholic News|date=2020-03-19|title=Church, world need St. Joseph's spiritual care in tough times, says priest|url=https://www.catholicsun.org/2020/03/19/church-world-need-st-josephs-spiritual-care-in-tough-times-says-priest/|access-date=2020-07-18|website=The Catholic Sun|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Farrow|first=Mary|title=Why a new consecration to St. Joseph is spreading like wildfire|url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/why-a-new-consecration-to-st-joseph-is-spreading-like-wildfire-24417|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200311052156/https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/why-a-new-consecration-to-st-joseph-is-spreading-like-wildfire-24417|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 11, 2020|access-date=2020-07-18|website=Catholic News Agency|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Kosloski|first=Philip|title=How the Consecration to St. Joseph can change your life|date=13 February 2020 |url=https://aleteia.org/2020/02/13/how-the-consecration-to-st-joseph-can-change-your-life/|access-date=2020-07-18|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Telegraph|first=The Catholic|title=Save the Date: 2020 E6 CATHOLIC MEN'S CONFERENCE Armor Up! 2/22/20|url=https://www.thecatholictelegraph.com/save-the-date-2020-e6-catholic-mens-conference-armor-up-2-22-20/62534|access-date=2020-07-18|website=Catholic Telegraph|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Contributor|first=Guest|date=2020-03-18|title=Stephen Buhagiar: Men, it is time! Let us go to Joseph|url=https://www.catholicweekly.com.au/stephen-buhagiar-men-it-is-time-let-us-go-to-joseph/|access-date=2020-07-18|website=The Catholic Weekly|language=en-AU}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Fr. Donald Calloway {{!}} EWTN Religious Catalogue|url=https://www.ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com/Books-by-Fr-Donald-Calloway|access-date=2020-07-21|website=www.ewtnreligiouscatalogue.com}}</ref>
* ''The Immaculate Conception in the Life of the Church'' (2004) * ''The Virgin Mary and Theology of the Body'' (2005) * ''No Turning Back: A Witness to Mercy'' (2007)<ref>{{Cite web|title=No Turning Back|url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/10137509-no-turning-back|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Fr. Donald Calloway: An Episcopalian Who Became Catholic - The Journey Home (7-23-2007)|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE_0-D2F8Wc|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150121152226/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE_0-D2F8Wc&gl=US&hl=en |archive-date=2015-01-21 |access-date=|website=YouTube}}</ref> * ''Purest of All Lilies: The Virgin Mary in the Spirituality of St. Faustina'' (2008)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Purest of All Lilies|url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/4512017-purest-of-all-lilies-the-virgin-mary-in-the-spirituality-of-st-faustin|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref> * ''Under the Mantle: Marians Thoughts from a 21st Century Priest'' (2013)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Under the Mantle|url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/24468409-under-the-mantle-marians-thoughts-from-a-21st-century-priest|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref> * ''Marian Gems: Daily Wisdom on Our Lady'' (2014)<ref>{{Cite book|last=Calloway|first=Donald H.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7sf_oAEACAAJ|title=Marian Gems: Daily Wisdom on Our Lady|date=May 2014|publisher=Marian Press|isbn=978-1-59614-305-0|language=en}}</ref> * ''Mary of Nazareth: The Life of Our Lady in Pictures'' (2014)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Mary of Nazareth|url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/42882735-mary-of-nazareth-the-life-of-our-lady-in-pictures|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref> * ''Eucharistic Gems: Daily Wisdom on the Most Blessed Sacrament'' (2023) * ''30 Day Eucharistic Revival: A Retreat with St. Peter Julian Eymard'' (2024) * ''Sacred Heart Gems: Daily Wisdom on the Heart of Jesus'' (2024) * ''Bible Gems: Scripture Verses of God’s Mercy and Overcoming Fear'' (2024) * ''Passion Gems: Daily Wisdom on the Suffering, Cross, and Death of Jesus'' (2025) * ''Virtues of the Saints: 15 Heavenly Habits for Children'' (2025) * ''33 Days to the Holy Family: Consecration to Jesus, Mary, and Joseph'' with co-author Scott L. Smith Jr. (2025) * ''The Lamb of God: The Story of Our Lady of Knock'' (forthcoming 2026)
Books on the Rosary: * ''How to Pray the Rosary'' (2017)<ref>{{Cite web|title=How to Pray the Rosary|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35242039-how-to-pray-the-rosary|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref> * ''26 Champions of the Rosary: The Essential Guide to the Greatest Heroes of the Rosary'' (2017)<ref>{{Cite web|title=26 Champions of the Rosary|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35642254-26-champions-of-the-rosary|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2016-10-07|title=Champion the Rosary, Save the World?|url=https://www.nationalreview.com/2016/10/catholic-rosary-father-donald-calloway-discusses-new-book/|access-date=2020-07-21|website=National Review|language=en-US}}</ref> * ''10 Wonders of the Rosary'' (2019)<ref>{{Cite book|last1=MIC|first1=Donald H. Calloway|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1pO5vQEACAAJ|title=10 Wonders of the Rosary|last2=Calloway|first2=Donald H.|date=2019|publisher=Marian Press|isbn=978-1-59614-486-6|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Outstanding New Look at 10 Wonders of the Rosary|url=https://www.ncregister.com/blog/joseph-pronechen/outstanding-new-look-at-10-wonders-of-the-rosary|access-date=2020-07-18|website=National Catholic Register}}</ref> * ''Rosary Gems: Daily Wisdom on the Holy Rosary'' (2015)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Rosary Gems|url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/45121897-rosary-gems-daily-wisdom-on-the-holy-rosary|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref> * ''Champions of the Rosary'' (2016)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Champions of the Rosary|url=https://www.goodreads.com/work/best_book/50020576-champions-of-the-rosary-the-history-and-heroes-of-a-spiritual-weapon|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref>
Books on St. Joseph: * ''St. Joseph Gems: Daily Wisdom on Our Spiritual Father'' (2018)<ref>{{Cite book|last1=MIC|first1=Donald H. Calloway|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ttzoswEACAAJ|title=St. Joseph Gems: Daily Wisdom on Our Spiritual Father|last2=Calloway|first2=Donald H.|date=February 2018|publisher=Marian Press|isbn=978-1-59614-420-0|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=St Joseph Gems Are a True Treasure|url=https://www.ncregister.com/blog/joseph-pronechen/st-joseph-gems-are-a-true-treasure|access-date=2020-07-18|website=National Catholic Register}}</ref> * ''Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father'' (2020)<ref>{{Cite web|title=Consecration to St. Joseph|url=https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/50221561-consecration-to-st-joseph|access-date=2020-07-18|website=www.goodreads.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=St. Joseph and Father's Day: An interview with Fr. Donald Calloway |url=https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2020/06/20/st-joseph-and-fathers-day-an-interview-with-fr-donald-calloway/|access-date=2020-07-21|website=www.catholicworldreport.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=St. Joseph and Father's Day: An interview with Fr. Donald Calloway |last=Connolly|first=Father Seán|date=2020-06-21 |url=https://www.catholicanada.com/2020/06/st-joseph-and-fathers-day-an-interview-with-fr-donald-calloway/ |access-date=2020-07-21|website=Catholic Canada|language=en-US}}</ref> * ''Consecration to St. Joseph for Children and Families'' with co-author Scott L. Smith, Jr.<ref name="Calloway and Smith"/> (2022) * ''The Chaste Heart of St. Joseph: A Graphic Novel'' (2023) * ''Litany of St. Joseph Coloring Book'' (2024) * ''Chaste Heart Gems: Daily Wisdom on the Heart of St. Joseph'' (Marian Press, 2025)
== References == <references />
== External links == {{wikiquote}} *{{official website|https://www.fathercalloway.com}} *[http://www.consecrationtostjoseph.org www.consecrationtostjoseph.org]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calloway, Donald}} Category:1972 births Category:Living people Category:21st-century American male writers Category:21st-century American non-fiction writers Category:21st-century American Roman Catholic priests Category:21st-century American Roman Catholic theologians Category:American male non-fiction writers Category:American Roman Catholic writers Category:Catholics from Michigan Category:Converts to Roman Catholicism from Anglicanism Category:Franciscan University of Steubenville alumni Category:People from Dearborn, Michigan