Holy Cross Father David Guffey has been named national director at Family Theater Productions in Hollywood, one of the cornerstone ministries of Holy Cross Family Ministries.
As national director, Father Guffey is responsible for all activities of Family Theater Productions, including both media production activities and spiritual outreach activities.
“Hollywood Prays,” the outreach efforts to young Catholics and others in Hollywood, includes monthly Prayer and Pasta gatherings, RCIA, Going Deeper (a new evangelization initiative), Faith & Film Bible Study, and Theology of the Body workshops as well as daily Rosary and Mass and the weekly Eucharistic Holy Hour.
Before his appointment as national director, Father Guffey served as head of production and garnered numerous credits for his award-winning work in television and film. They include “Carrying On,” “You Will See,” “Finding Mary” and “Assumptions” — all with Family Theater Productions. He was also Writer, Director and Editor for the short film “Last Deal at the Mt. Carroll Gun Club.”
Born and raised in Mt. Carroll, Ill., Father Guffey was ordained a priest in the Congregation of Holy Cross in 1991. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with Master’s of Divinity and a Bachelor’s in American Studies. He also received a Master’s in Film and Television Production from Loyola Marymount University. As a student, he received the Dean’s Award for Creativity and Service at Loyola Marymount University and was nominated and inducted into Alpha Sigma Nu, the Jesuit Honor Society.
Before joining Family Theater Productions in 2008, Father Guffey served in religious formation, working with young men who were training to become priests and brothers in the Congregation of Holy Cross. He spent six years as novice director and sacramental minister at Holy Trinity Parish in Colorado Springs and two years as program director and assistant superior at Moreau Seminary at the University of Notre Dame, where he also was chaplain to Saint Mary’s College Campus Ministry. He also led Andre House, a soup kitchen in Phoenix, and developed a major center of service to the poor and homeless in the city.
Father Guffey — a priest in residence at St. Monica Church in Santa Monica — is a member of Film Independent, Catholic Academy of Communication Arts Professionals and CIMA (Catholics in Media Associates).He serves on the board of directors of Ave Maria Press and the Religious Life Commission of the Congregation of Holy Cross.
Founded by Servant of God Patrick Peyton, the “Rosary Priest” and Catholic media pioneer, Family Theater Productions evangelizes the culture by using mass media to entertain, inspire and educate families. Since 1947, it has produced more than 800 radio and TV programs featuring hundreds of celebrities with more than 10,000 broadcasts worldwide.
