Calloway was born on 29 June 1972 in Dearborn, Michigan. He spent his early years in West Virginia and grew up in southern California, in Los Angeles and San Diego.[3] He has described himself as drug addicted in his teenage years and a high school dropout.[4] He has said that he was using drugs by the age of 11 and was promiscuous.[citation needed]
While living in Japan as a teenager, Calloway became involved with the Yakuza, the Japanese mafia, and served as a "drug runner", running drugs and money to casinos in Honshu.[5] When he was 15 years old, Calloway was forcibly removed from the country of Japan for his criminal activity and mafia involvement.[6][7]
Following his extradition back to the United States, Calloway was committed to two drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers in Pennsylvania: New Beginnings at Cove Forge and Charter Fairmont Institute. After his failed rehabilitations, he was imprisoned in Louisiana upon turning eighteen.[8][9]
One night after declining to go out with friends, Calloway began to read a book about the Blessed Virgin Mary. He credits this book, as well as praying the Rosary, with changing his life, after which he converted to Roman Catholicism.[10][11][12]
Calloway was ordained a priest on May 31, 2003 at The National Shrine of The Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. He has a B.A. (Franciscan University of Steubenville), M.Div. (Dominican House of Studies, Washington, DC), S.T.B. (Dominican House of Studies, Washington, DC) and a S.T.L. (International Marian Research Institute, Dayton). He practices with the Congregation of Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception of the Most Blessed Virgin Mary.[1]
In 2020, Calloway's authored the book Consecration to St. Joseph: The Wonders of Our Spiritual Father which sold more than one million copies worldwide. [16] Calloway has said that his book is modeled after the Consecration to Mary of St. Louis de Montfort.[17]
Calloway also published a follow-up entitled Consecration to St. Joseph for Children and Families with co-author Scott L. Smith, Jr. in 2022.[18]
Calloway's conversion story was made into a documentary titled The Testimony of Fr. Donald Calloway, which won an Emmy award in 2017.[19]
A talk Calloway gave in April 2017 at Franciscan University of Steubenville, titled "The Rosary: Spiritual Sword of Our Lady", had over 2.9 million views on YouTube by October 2025.[20]
Bibliography
Calloway is the author of a number of books related to Catholic Church and Roman Catholicism. His work has been covered in several mainstream Catholic Church and Roman Catholic newspapers.[2][21][22][23][24][25][26]
The Immaculate Conception in the Life of the Church (2004)
The Virgin Mary and Theology of the Body (2005)
No Turning Back: A Witness to Mercy (2007)[27][28]
Purest of All Lilies: The Virgin Mary in the Spirituality of St. Faustina (2008)[29]
Under the Mantle: Marians Thoughts from a 21st Century Priest (2013)[30]
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