From his early years in Boiling Springs, South Carolina, to his ministry today at John Paul II Catholic School, JPII Chaplain Father Daniel Perry has followed a path marked by faith, humility, and a deep desire to know and do God’s will.

Born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Father Perry grew up in a close-knit family that valued prayer and trust in God’s guidance. “My dad always told my brothers and me growing up to ask every day, ‘What is your Will, Lord?’” he recalled. “This is what I live by. If I live always asking what God’s Will is in my life, then I can know that I will always be seeking to listen to Him and come ever closer to becoming more like Him.”

After earning his undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina Upstate, Father Perry began his professional career as a Data Engineer in Durham, North Carolina. But even in the midst of professional success, he felt God stirring his heart toward something more. That gentle call led him to enter seminary, where his life took a new and transformative direction.

He spent two years in Boynton Beach, Florida, completing his first stage of seminary formation and earning a Master of Philosophy, followed by four years in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, where he received a Master of Divinity. “It was a long journey,” he said, “but well worth it!”

When the Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune assigned Father Perry to serve as chaplain of JPII, he embraced the opportunity to serve in Catholic education with enthusiasm. “I had to learn very quickly from Fr. Rafa and other priests in the Diocese of Charleston how to be a good chaplain,” he shared. “Honestly, I just love being around young people and making a fool out of myself for others. I hope that by being myself around the JPII community, people will come to see that living an authentically Catholic life is actually something that is worth giving a shot.”

At JPII, Father Perry’s pastoral mission is rooted in presence and example. “I just want to be a good example to all of the students,” he said. “I want them to see that I love Our Lord and allow that to evangelize to them.” Drawing from his home parish experience, where devotional practices were a central part of faith life, he hopes to inspire students to make those same devotions a part of their daily walk with Christ.

Among his many joys in ministry, it is the everyday moments with students that stand out most. “Walking around and seeing the students smile or make some inside joke with me are probably my favorite aspects of ministry in the school setting,” he reflected. “In the broader context of priesthood, I really enjoy saying the Mass and seeing God work real miracles through me, even though I am a sinner.”

Through humor, prayer, and genuine love for the JPII community, Father Perry embodies the joyful spirit of the priesthood. His faith and example remind everyone he encounters that holiness isn’t distant—it’s found in living authentically and trusting God’s will, one day at a time.