Sacramento, Calif., Jun 12, 2011 / 15:58 pm
Ten years ago, Dave Hanson retired from his job as a corrections officer at California's Folsom State Prison. Now the 71-year-old works full-time to create sculptures of Padre Pio, St. Francis and other figures for schools and institutions across the country.
“At one point, I began to inquire about Padre Pio,” Hanson told CNA. “I knew only that he was a saint and had displayed the Lord’s stigmata. The more I studied him, the more committed I became.”
“After completing the bust, I was able to place copies in various Catholic schools in the Sacramento area, and am currently placing one at the Padre Pio Academy in Ohio,” he explained.
Hanson's years as a corrections officer made him want to bring beauty and goodness into the world through his art. But his Catholic faith also helped him see his “day job” as a calling from God.