Fr. Michael J. Denk is the Founder of The Prodigal Father Productions whose mission is to inspire, introduce and guide people in a deep and authentic life of prayer, leading them to an intimate, mystical, and personal relationship with God their Father, in and through Jesus Christ and the working of the Holy Spirit.
Accomplishments:
- Founder of The Prodigal Father Productions: A ministry to help people grow in their prayer life using the New Media.
- Author of the Book: Pray40Days: “The Personal Relationship With God You Have Always Wanted.” Creator of Pray40Days Web-App and parish program. Author of the upcoming book and web app “PrayAdvent: The Personal Relationship with God You’ve Always Wanted.”
- Creator and author of the App, parish mission, and parish program: The Examen Prayer
- Creator of the video series: Praying with the Mass
- Host of The Fireside Chat Live!
- He gathers over 1,000 people for his parish missions.
- Leads priests, deacons, and religious retreats and convocations.
He is a prolific writer and has been published in numerous periodicals including The Priest, Our Sunday Visitor, Emmaus, Crisis, Catholic-Link, UCatholic, Homiletics and Pastoral Review, and Shalom Tidings.
He can be heard regularly on Living Bread Radio on the Series “Faith with Father” (Covering the YouCat) and daily scripture reflections. He has done interviews with numerous local, national, and international secular and Catholic radio and TV stations including The Catholic Guy: Lino Rulli on Sirius XM. He has appeared numerous times on EWTN on Living Right with Dr. Ray as well as the Salt and Light Network as a witness interview and Liturgical Season Weekly Reflections. He also has his own blog where he publishes his homilies weekly, “Praying with Priests,” and other series.
You can see Fr. Michael every Tuesday night on his Facebook Live show which reaches over 10,000 viewers nationally and internationally. Consider it like a late-night talk show hosted by Fr. Michael. There is always a ukulele, entertainment, laughter, and above all reflection on the upcoming Sunday Mass readings!
Fr. Michael is dedicated to helping others encounter Christ through the celebration of the Eucharist, Preaching, Confession, Spiritual Direction, and Prayer.
Fr. Michael Denk is dedicated to the Right to Life cause and has presented “Lessons from Rwanda for America’s Abortion Holocaust.” He also has the “Call within the Call” of helping people grow in their spiritual life. He has presented workshops on “Spiritual Reading,” “Discernment of Spirits,” and “Christology in the Mystics.”
He is devoted to the poor especially in Africa and El Salvador where he has taken his parishioners on annual mission trips. Maintaining this bond with the poor is important so he continues to be a mentor for Catholic Relief Services: Global Fellows Parish Homily Program which allows him to continue to spread the message of coming to encounter Christ in the poor.
Current presentations are: “The Examen Prayer” and “Pray40Days.”
He served as parochial vicar and priest in residence at:
Holy Family, Stow, OH
Walsh University, Canton, OH.
St. Gabriel, Mentor, OH.
St. Joseph, Amherst, OH
St. Barnabas, Northfield, OH.
Ordained: 12 May 2007
Education:
- Saint Mary Seminary: Master of Divinity and a Master of Arts “With Honors” from St. Mary Seminary in Wickliffe, OH.
- Thesis: Christology in the Mystics: Coming to Know, Love, and Serve Christ through John the Evangelist, Teresa of Avila, and Ignatius of Loyola.
- Borromeo College Certificate – 2002
- Cleveland State University: Bachelors of Communications with a Specialization in Video and Audio Production.
- Cuyahoga Community College – Graduated 2001
- Valley Forge High School in Parma, OH – Graduated 1997
- Holy Family Grade school in Parma, OH – Graduated 1993
He was born and raised, baptized, first communion, confirmation, and first mass at Holy Family in Parma, Ohio.