Fr. Dave Heney grew up in Thousand Oaks, CA, and was ordained a parish priest for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 1978. In 1991 he received a Masters degree in Marriage, Family, and Child Counseling from the University of Southern California.
He is the author of “Motivating Your Parish to Change”; a book on spiritual leadership from Resource Publications, and the author of “Don’t Tell Me What to Do!” a concise Catholic view of modern moral issues, with an Imprimatur from the Los Angeles Archdiocese, published by Paulist Press in 2002. His latest book is “Luke 10 Leadership, how to succeed at parish ministry” published by Ave Maria Press.
Since 2001, Fr. Dave has been the local Ventura County Chaplain for LEGATUS, a national Catholic business leaders association.
In 2002, he founded the “University Series” a multi-parish adult education program during the Season of Lent with an annual attendance of over 15,000 people.
An amateur archaeologist, Fr. Dave has led an archeology based pilgrimage to the Holy Land every year since 2006. In 2007, he joined The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, a Vatican organization that supports the Catholic Church in the Holy land.
In 2014, He finished his 12-year term as pastor of his home parish in Thousand Oaks, and began a sabbatical year as a Visiting Research Fellow at the Center of Ethics and Culture at Notre Dame University.
He is now the pastor of St. Bruno Catholic Church in Whittier, CA, and working on expanding The University Series there and in other areas of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.
For two years, from June 2016 to January 2018, he was a Co-Host on Relevant Radio (AM 930 in Los Angeles) on the “Joe Sikorra Show with Fr. Dave” a call-in talk show on marriage and family issues, from 6pm to 7pm, Monday through Thursday.
From January 2018 to July 2020 he led the live interactive Relevant Radio program, Family Rosary Across America, Monday through Saturday, at 5pm, PST.
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A wonderful website, filled with wisdom from a very wise man of God!
Hello! Thanks for your compliments. I am humbled by them, and appreciative very much.
We miss Fr Dave on Relevant Radio.
Thank you for your kind words. I love all four and half years I was on Relevant Radio and working with the great people there. IT was my decision to step away from the program to be more available to our parish needs here, but I am still a frequent guest on some of the other Relevant Radio programs and grateful for that opportunity to speak.
MayGod bless,& thank you for your efforts/ Merry Christmas –at the great
SEEK conference//
I am glad you are there! I am sure it will be a blessing and inspiration for you.
Father Dave!! Something made me think of you today and I found you here! I went to St Genevieve’s when you were there. Glad to see you are still doing well and doing such great things! May God continue to bless you 🙏
Yes, I remember you and your family from St. Genevieve. Thanks for writing!
Will be in San Diego Nov 24 for SBL context event (see below) and then to LA for some visits.
your other email does not work – so if you pop me an email I can send you the flyer. hope all is wel. prayign for you
San Diego, CA — Nyack College and the Center for the Study
of Ancient Judaism and Christian Origins, invite you to join
us for a scholarly breakfast and private viewing focused on
the discoveries unearthed in the excavations of Magdala. The
archaeological site is one of the most important historical and
interfaith finds of the century, and is a location where experts
say Jesus likely traveled and taught. This event will feature a
private premiere West Coast viewing of an Israel Antiquities
Authority facsimile of the stone.
Hello Fr. Eamon! Sorry for my late response. I was in Notre Dame University for a month and then in Rome for a week at the Vatican Conference on the Family hosted by the CDF. Fantastic meeting. I had a nice conversation with Fr. Andrew Dalton while there. My new email is daveheney@gmail.com, which is linked to the email contact at the website as well. I am sorry to miss the SBL event. I am still amazed at how fortunate it was to discover the Magdala Synagogue on your property and in a way that is actually convenient for the rest of the project buildings. I will be there in the third week of June again, so hope to see you sometime then either in Jerusalem or Magdala. Shalom! Fr. Dave
Fr. Dave was the priest at our Engaged Encounter weekend retreat at St. Mary’s in 1989. It was a fantastic experience at that time, and we still remember Fr. Dave’s inspirational talks 25 years later! I hope Fr. Dave is planning more pilgrimages in the future so that we might attend.
Hello! Thanks for remembering that Engaged Encounter. Those retreats were one of my most favorite things to do. Yes, I am still doing pilgrimages. Every year in the last two weeks of June I lead a pilgrimage to Israel and Jordan, the Holy Land. You can find more information at my website. At the top you can see the link for “Holy Land Pilgrimage.” We have about 15 spots open for this year’s trip, which has sold out the last five years. Shalom! Fr. Dave
Fr. Heney,
It was wonderful seeing you again for my grandson Joseph John’s baptism this past Saturday. Thank you for such a blessed and beautifully said sacrament!
I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with you at the celebration brunch afterwards. I was grateful after reading your bio how we both have a few similarities. The Love of Christ and his Church. One quick share I have is that I am a Eucharitic Minister for my Church as well as Little Company of Mary Hospital in San Pedro. Although for unfortunate reasons, and I’m working on it, I no longer can pray and minister at the psychiatric floor, which I loved doing and felt most comfortable! God blesses us all with ministries and I truly believe performing those ministries is our Gift back to God!
Gods Blesings Always Fr.
George Denue
Yes, I enjoyed our conversation very much. I am impressed at your knowledge of the faith and devotion to our Lord. I am sure another door at the Hospital or another place will open soon. Congratulations as well on having such a great family, and in your friend who converted from Hinduism.
Hi, this is kristy, Janet’s daughter and I’m trying to find contact info for you. Please let me know how to get in touch with you.
Thanks,
Kristy
You can always reach me at daveheney@gmail.com
Dear Fr. Heney: Hello my name is Richard Turner and i’m happy to be able to contact you. I want to tell you that i pray the Rosary evey night on your Come Pray the Rosary site. I have trouble though because it always starts off with the Rosary in progress but i found another way to pray the Rosary with you and your congregation. Thank you so much for providing me with a way to pray the Rosary like this. It’s like being in church.
I very much appreciate your comments. They affirm the very reasons why we designed the Rosary site.
Hi, Fr. Dave. I just looked you up and so glad to see you continue to do such great work as I remember you did at St. Genevieve’s. I have a photo with you from my First communion in 1978. God Bless you, Father Dave.
Yes, St. Genevieve was my first assignment as a priest back in 1978. Great memories! Thank you for your message.
Dear Father Dave,
We hope this email finds you well!
We understand that you travel to the Holy Land every year and wonder if you might offer us some guidance as we plan to (hope to!) renew our wedding vows in Jerusalem in October 2017; our 40th wedding anniversary is September 2017.
We are parishioners at St. Jude’s and have enjoyed many of your University lectures over the years. As for a St. Pascal’s connection, Pat Long is our favorite contractor!
May we take you to lunch or dinner sometime to discuss and learn about the Holy Land?
Thank you for your time.
God bless you and all your good work and service,
Rick & Kathleen Merrill
Westlake Village, CA 91361
Yes, I would be very happy to help you with your visit to the Holy Land. I look forward to our getting together over lunch. Please send me an email at daveheney@gmail.com and we can set it up.
Hi Father Dave,
I am interested in your Holy Land trip as well and hope to join you next year. I am so inspired by your University series, I spent a substantial amount of time explaining it to the NAPA INSTITUTE conferees this past weekend. I also brought up that very topic with Bishop Barron at the Cardinal Dolan Reception at the Meritage Hotel. Congratulations on the directive from Archbishop Gomez to expand the exceptional way to evangelize the entire Archdiocese. My vote is for the entire State of California. I’d enjoy hearing how involved you can remain with that expansion given your already bursting- at- the seams agenda and demands on your time. If I can help, just let me know via return email.
Thank you for your kind message, and especially your enthusiasm for the University Series! Bishop Barron is a new member of our Board and we will hear for the first time at our Board Meeting on August 19th. I hope he will take an active role.
Please feel free to write me as well at daveheney@gmail.com
Hi Fr.Dave,
How are you doing. We heard you moved to St. Bruno. Are you going to continue the University Series in our area?
Regards & God bless.
Joy & Scott Perrotty
Yes, the University Series will continue, as well as the annual Holy Land trip in June.
Thanks Fr. Dave for the info.. it was great to see you last week.
We miss having in the Conejo Valley.
Regards,
We miss having you in the Conejo Valley .. typo. 🙂
I certainly miss the Conejo Valley as well!
Merry Christmas Fr. Heney, I am a Legatus member in the Springfield MA. Chapter. While reading the legatus chapter news I saw your picture wearing a vestment adorned by the Legatus emblem. I would like to present the suggestion of gifting our Legatus chaplin with a similar set of vestments. Now the big question,where can we find these vestments? Your help is greatly appreciated. God bless you, have a Happy and holy New Year. Deacon Enzo Di Giacomo
Thanks for your message. My Legatus stole was actually handmade by one of our members. I proudly wear it at every one of our meetings. Our Masses are frequently in Hotel meeting rooms, so I usually just wear an alb and stole. Only the stole has the Legatus emblem. We do not have a Legatus chasuble. I hope you will be able to find a person who can hand sew a stole and/or chasuble for your Chaplain!
Father Dave, best of wishes to you. I had a wonderful, life changing encounter after 6:30 a.m. Mass at St Paschael morning. I came back behind the altar, I was weeping, I shared with you that I had not gone to church for 25 years, mad ar God after an abusive marriage, etc. you took my two hands and you said “welcome back”. Your kindness changed my life. I hope your ministry is doing very fine. Thank you, I am 82, near the end of my life journey. I talked to Kathy Knox yesterday.Thanks for all the lives you have touched. Mary Ann Dolan
I am deeply humbled and honored by your message. God bless you always!
Fr. Dave I wish I was closer to you geographically & can enjoy some of your homilies.I live in Columbus, Indiana & was told about you by a childhood friend, Bob Greschl who has lived in Thousand Oaks, Cal. for several years Bob & I attended grade school together in Dayton, ohio. I really enjoy your words of wisdom & weekly emails. Your calming, easy going attitude speaks to us through your emails. Thanks a million. Dolores M. Lorenz.
Fr. Dave I was told about you by a childhood friend who has lived in Thousand Oaks, Cal. for years. Your homilies are very enjoyable. Your kind easy ways speak to us through your emails. Thanks a million. Matilda Dolores Lorenz.
Thank you! I am deeply honored by your words.
Thank you for your very kind words!
You are welcome!
can i come ro your university series next time
All are welcome in the University Series.
Fr Dave,
My mother and I prayed the rosary together each night for over 10 years. It carried us through many of life’s lessons. The rosary is so powerful and never fails to calm and help. When my mother passed away at age 93 in July of 2017 I was truly lost. I searched online for rosary prayers, and finally found your version at comepraytherosary.org. It was the exact same rosary that we had prayed including the Hail Holy Queen. I’ve been praying with you now for almost two years and finally decided to “look” you up to say thank you. I’m glad to read of all the good works and writing you have done, but wanted to let you know that you are still helping people with those recordings of the rosary at St Paschal. I wish you all the best for your future endeavors, and again, thank you so much for your past works.
Sincerely,
Carolyn Palmer
Memphis, TN
Thank you so much for your heartfelt message! I really appreciate it. I am so glad that you have found the rosary projects so helpful, both on Come Pray the rosary website and the relevant radio broadcast. Please be assurred of my prayers for you!
Hi Fr Dave,
I am trying to figure out why catholics in the Los Angeles diocese need to be evangelized. In the non-catholic world, we “evangelize” NON CHRISTians to help them come to know and accept Christ as savior. Thanks.
Both groups can receive evangelical outreach. Catholics can certainly benefit from further understanding and non-Catholics can benefit from meeting Jesus in the most authentic way.
Father Dave,
I’ve been praying the rosary with the inspiration of comepraytherosary.com, recently (the last week or so) I keep getting a different format that does not allow me the option of praying with your congregation or praying with scenes of the Holy Land. but only displays the Holy Land.
Was there a reason for this change and will the old style format be restored any time soon
Thank you and God Bless you,
Peter
The internet platform for the old site expired. The new platform is temporary until we can find a full time tech person to monitor it.
Thank you Father,
I had a tool bar that was obstructing the classic rosary that I have been using for years.
So anyone that enjoys the original come pray the rosary look at the bottom of the site when you first enter and click on classic.
Thanks for the tip!
I’m so glad that I found this. Motivational!
Welcome aboard!
I was one of your alter boys at Holy Angeles from 93-96. You were absolutely the only priest their that inspired me to continue that service to church and God. I don’t expect you remember me but I wanted to say thank you for you wisdom and insights you would share with us when we would be preparing for mass. I would be a much different person had I not been gifted that from you. I hope I can thank you in person and attend a service of yours in Whittier. Thank you again for everything and God bless.
Brian Kellogg
I am deeply honored by your kind words. Much appreciated. Looking forward to seeing you at St. Bruno!