Darrvi Calotes grew up in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Movement and has always been pro-life. When he returned to the states after living abroad for several years, he was approached by a friend who knew about a job opening at Priests for Life, then located on Staten Island.
The Manhattan native had grown up on the Island and was then living in New Jersey, about 45 minutes away but that didn’t stop him from applying for the job. The day after his interview with Chief Operating Officer Mark Valonzo, Darrvi was on the job.
The middle child of parents who emigrated from the Philippines in the 1970s, Darrvi says he was excited “to use my gifts and energy to further the pro-life cause.”
At Priests for Life, he was responsible for all of the ministry’s resources, including all products and office supplies. He was in charge of shipping out orders in a timely fashion, delegating tasks to volunteers and helping in the administration of the online store.
“I also had an unofficial role acting as Father Frank’s security detail,” he says.
Darrvi recalls long days during his time at Priests for Life.
“Working with Father Frank and Janet taught me that every task - no matter how arbitrary it may seem - was part of an overall plan and had to completed with a timely diligence and in a spirit of service.”
“We all worked very hard in our various departments under the direction of the Priests for Life administration,” he says. “The work was centered on our faith in the Lord and we all regarded one another as family.