Name: Dan R. Ebener
Age: 59
Residence: Davenport
Family: Married, 35 years to DeAnn; son Josh is married to Paula; son Zach is married to Nikki; five sisters, four brothers and 28 nieces and nephews. Mom and Dad married for 65 years.
Parish: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Davenport
How old were you when you became aware of your Catholic faith?
Youngest memories are as second grade altar boy.
How does faith impact the decisions you make?
Finding time to pray and reflect on holy Scripture is a daily practice. In those times of prayer, I reflect on the decisions I have made and those I need to make.
How do you pray?
At the corporate level, the Eucharist is at the heart of my prayer life. At the individual level, I pray when I find quiet times: In the car while listening to K-LOVE radio, I will turn to God in prayer. Working out in the pool I say the rosary: For the first decade of the rosary, I use the order of my siblings to keep track of the Hail Mary’s and I insert my wife into my slot; my folks for the Our Father’s; and my boys and their spouses for the Glory Be’s. Then I select someone from the family who needs special prayers and pray the next decade for them. It helps me reflect on the needs of others.
What Scripture passages or stories inspire you?
The beatitudes have been the central point of reflection for me recently as I have written a book entitled, “Blessings for Leaders: Leadership Wisdom from the Beatitudes.” I see them as the core part of the Sermon on the Mount, which is the core of the teachings of Jesus.
Who has been a model of the Catholic faith in your life?
Msgr. Marv Mottet has been my mentor and role model for many years.
How has your Catholic faith helped you to deal with life’s challenges?
My faith life has been particularly helpful in challenging times because as human beings, that is when we tend to turn to God the most, when we become poorer in spirit and recognize our need for God.
