We joyfully celebrate the ordination of Deacon David Gutierrez, CMF, who received the Sacrament of Holy Orders on Saturday, June 21, 2025 in a moving ceremony that marked the culmination of years of discernment, service, and faith. The celebration continued with his Mass of Thanksgiving on Sunday, June 22 at St. Paul Catholic Newman Center in Fresno, California.
David’s journey to the priesthood is a story of trust, surrender, and unexpected grace. Raised in a home where the Claretian Missionaries were regular dinner guests, David was surrounded by men of faith from a young age—but he never imagined becoming one himself.
“I wasn’t one of those kids who played Mass,” David said with a smile. “I was studying business administration. I had a Spanish rock band.”
His path seemed set in a different direction, until one simple but profound moment changed everything. Unsure of his next step, David went to his mother for advice. Her answer? “You should go pray.”
At first, he resisted. “That’s your answer to everything, Mom,” he remembers saying. But something stirred in his heart. He eventually found himself in front of the Blessed Sacrament, asking God a simple but powerful question:
“What do you want me to do?”
On his way out of the church that day, David noticed a flyer for a vocational retreat. Though he dismissed it at first, saying to himself, “I hope someone goes to that—the Church needs priests,” the idea stayed with him.
“The rest is history,” he says. “Here I am—14 years later. I had hair when I started this, believe it or not!”
Through years of formation, discernment, and commitment, David followed the call to become a Claretian Missionary—a son of the Immaculate Heart of Mary—and today he lives among some of the very same priests who once joined his family for dinner.
“When I finally asked God with an open heart, He answered in a way I never expected. And now, I can truly say—I feel fulfilled.”
We give thanks for the life and vocation of Fr. David Gutierrez, CMF, and we ask for continued prayers for him and all those being called to religious life.
Congratulations, David! May your ministry be full of joy, love, and the Spirit that first called you.
Interview with David Gutierrez, courtesy of Fresno Archdiocese.