About Dan
Writing and Speaking
As a junior in college, I was in a weekly faith-sharing group. After several meetings, a good friend from the group thanked me for my insights during our discussions and asked me if I ever thought about blogging. I hopped on Blogger and started The Restless Heart late in 2009, and I have been blogging ever since.
​
Though I studied theology, my writing is usually more pastoral and practical. In addition to my blog, I've been published at Grotto Network, Jesuits.org, FaithND, Vision Vocation Guide, Horizon Magazine, and more.
​
I've also prepared talks and workshops for various settings. I've given Theology on Tap talks and led discussions at various sites in the Archdiocese of Chicago, and I've facilitated workshop sessions at the National Catholic Educational Association's (NCEA) annual conference in 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2023. I'm experienced in working with young people on witness talk composition and delivery as well as preparing and delivering adult talks on retreats.
​
I have also written two professional guidebooks that were published by NCEA:
-
Cultivating Faith: A Guide for Catholic High School Campus Ministry, co-authored with Cari White Foster (2021)
-
Exploring Faith: A Guide for Retreat Ministry with Young People (2022)
​
A collection of my links, resources, and blog posts is gathered on my LinkTree.
Education and Work
For college, I studied at the University of Notre Dame. I graduated cum laude with a BA in Honors Theology in 2011.
After a few years in ministry, I began part-time graduate studies at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago as a full-tuition Bernardin Scholar. I graduated with an MA in Theology - Biblical Ministry in 2016.
​
I have worked in pastoral ministries for the Church since college, when I was a mentor-in-faith for Notre Dame Vision in 2010 and 2011. After a volunteer year with the House of Brigid in County Wexford, Ireland, I worked for seven years in Catholic high school campus ministry. Since 2019, I have been working in communications, vocation ministry, and pastoral support for the Viatorian Community.
Personal
My wife, Katherine, and I met at Notre Dame while singing in the Notre Dame Folk Choir. We got married in 2015, in the Basilica at Notre Dame, with friends from the Folk Choir doing the music ministry. Our first kiddo, Lucy, arrived in 2017, and then Cecilia followed in 2019. We have lived in apartments in Chicago and Oak Park, Illinois, and then we bought our first house in Bolingbrook, IL, which we've called home since 2019.
​
In addition to writing and editing, I really enjoy running and exercising, reading news and fiction alike, and attempting to play cruise director to my kids as a stay-at-home parent five or six days a week.
