Biography of Rev. David Andrew Dufresne

Born to Bette Jo and Philip Johnson, David grew up in downtown Denver, Colorado. His parents divorced when he was four years old and is an only child. Notwithstanding great promise and potential, young David made many poor life choices. The consequences of which led him to be expelled from high school, ostensibly ran away from home and joined a gang…all before reaching sixteen years old. By the time David was 19, it was as low as he wanted to go. So, he looked up and encountered God profoundly.

At twenty years old, David was baptized and received into the Catholic Church in Denver. He felt called to become a priest. However, he was given the sage advice that he should first learn to become a Catholic before learning to become a Catholic priest. In 2003, he moved to Virginia to work in the pro-life movement.

He applied to seminary through the Diocese of Arlington in 2007. The Bishop sent him to the Josephinum seminary in Columbus Ohio where also earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy and classics. For theological studies the Bishop sent David to study in Rome. He was ordained into the priesthood of Jesus Christ June 7 th , 2014.

He has served as parochial vicar at St. Leo the Great in Fairfax (2014-2018), and the Basilica of St Mary in Alexandria (2018-2022). He is currently the parochial vicar at St. Charles Borromeo in Arlington.

Fr. David has retained a love of the outdoors from his youth in Colorado. He enjoys climbing mountains, fly-fishing, backpacking, and hunting. He is a self-professed mama’s boy who strives to take good care of his mother who has since moved to Virginia to be closer to her boy.