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Father Dean Danos retires after 42 years of active ministry
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June 1, 2022Father Dean Danos, a native of Larose who was ordained to the priesthood for the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux by Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux on May 24, 1980, will be retiring June 30, 2022.
When asked what he attributes his 42 years of active ministry to, Father Danos says simply, “my love of Jesus … . I keep a crucifix at my bedside, and every night and every morning, I kiss that crucifix and tell Jesus that I love him,” says the priest.
Father Danos is the youngest of three children and has an older brother and an older sister. He was brought up in a Catholic family who practiced and lived their faith, not only on Sunday but every day of the week. He served as an altar boy for many years at Our Lady of the Rosary Church parish in Larose and says he had many good priest role models – especially Msgr. John Keller, Msgr. William Koninkx and Father Emile Fossier – whom he felt always showed an interest in the people.
He says looking back over his life as a priest, there is nothing he would do differently even if he was given the opportunity, because “it was all good.”
One aspect of being a priest that Father Danos enjoyed most was working with youth. He served as diocesan director of Youth Ministry for many years and wrote a “Spotlight on YOUth” column for the Bayou Catholic newspaper. And, he says that he has always had active youth ministries in the parishes he served. Another aspect of his priesthood that was very fruitful and rewarding for the priest was prison ministry.
One of Father Danos’ fondest memories of being a priest was working in the missions in Saltillo, Mexico. He says it was a life-changing experience. “It opened my eyes and the eyes of many youth and adults as to how we live so differently compared to the people in third world countries.”
Father Danos has had the privilege of working with all four bishops of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. He says each bishop brought their own style and gift to the position.
“It’s been a joy to work with all of them. The first three bishops allowed me to stay in Larose for 20 years – which was a long time, I thought – to care for my mother. I am very grateful to them for allowing that to happen. All four of them had an influence on my priesthood. I think every priest has a special place in his heart for the bishop who ordained him. For me, that was Bishop Boudreaux. I remember him singing The Impossible Dream, and that sort of challenged me in the sense of knowing that the impossible is made possible with God.”
He remembers Bishop Emeritus Michael Jarrell as very quiet, but loving and concerned for his priests. Bishop Emeritus Sam G. Jacobs, he says, was a father to the priests, who also brought his charismatic gifts to each priest. And, Archbishop Shelton J. Fabre was a gentle and kind shepherd to his flock.
Father Danos has served the diocese in many different capacities over the years, as dean of the South Lafourche and Upper Lafourche Deaneries, chairman of the priests’ council, member of the college of consultors, and director of several diocesan offices, to name a few. He believes the reason he was chosen for these positions was because the diocesan leadership recognized the gifts he had to lead and guide his fellow priests and parishioners, as well as the diocesan family.
“Serving in those capacities gave me a greater sense of church – that it’s not just the parish – but it’s the diocese, likewise; and that helped me to enrich my vision of church,” he says.
With regard to serving as pastor at Our Lady of the Rosary in Larose where he was raised, he says it was frightening at the beginning when Bishop Boudreaux made that assignment. “I was kind of in awe that he would do that. I think it was the first time that a priest went ‘back home,’ so that was a new concept for me. Once I got there, I had the support of my family and the larger family of the church backing me, so that was a positive thing. I think the people respected me because I was their native son and they were proud of the fact that I was from that parish.”
Father Danos also notes that he received all of his sacraments – baptism, holy Communion, confirmation and holy orders at Our Lady of the Rosary Church parish in Larose.
Throughout his 42 years as a priest, Father Danos served as an associate pastor at St. Genevieve in Thibodaux for five years, and as pastor at Our Lady of the Rosary in Larose for 20 years, St. Hilary of Poitiers in Mathews for four years, St. Genevieve for seven years, and St. Eloi in Theriot for the past six years.
He says one of his legacy’s to St. Eloi is the beautiful prayer garden featuring Stations of the Cross that was created through parishioner donations, the beautification of the grounds with flower beds, statues and benches that created a peaceful space where people come daily to pray. He also arranged for the publication of A Journey of Faith – An Oral History of St. Eloi Parish and Bayou Dularge, by Claire Rose Champagne and Anita Regira.
Father Danos says after he retires, he plans to help his brother priests by filling in for them whenever he can. Because of his love for Holy Savior Catholic School in Lockport, he plans to donate a lot of his time there to work with the school, the faculty and the students. He currently does a weekly newsletter for the school that features Scripture readings for the upcoming Sunday and the saint of the week, which is given out each Friday. The families are encouraged to sit with their children and go over it together. He has been told that when they go to Mass on Sunday they are able to correlate what was written and what they hear their parish priest saying.
He also hopes to have more time for gardening and photography, two of his favorite hobbies.
“I have had a wonderful life being a priest. I would do it all over again because it was worth every minute … every second,” says Father Danos.