Colts newest chaplain is former IMPD officer who at first resisted calling to priesthood

INDIANAPOLIS – In his new position with the Indianapolis Colts, Douglas Hunter will refer to a Bible more than a playbook.

Father Hunter is the Colts’ newest team chaplain. A former Indianapolis police officer, the 39-year-old Hunter entered the seminary at age 31, finally making the life-changing decision he had contemplated for years.

Now a Catholic priest, Hunter’s Sundays are devoted to a higher calling than NFL football. His relationship with the Colts began when he met general manager Chris Ballard last year, at the request of a friend of Ballard's who works at Catholic Athletes for Christ. At the time, Hunter knew virtually nothing about Ballard. 

Driving to the meeting, Hunter received a phone call from a friend.

“I said, ‘I’m going over to the Colts complex, I got a meeting with a guy named Chris Ballard,”’ recalled Hunter. “He’s like, Doug, that’s the GM. You should at least know who you’re meeting with.”

That meeting was the beginning of a bond between Hunter and Ballard that has grown. Beginning next season, Hunter will officially join two other Colts chaplains already on staff — pastors Ken Johnson and Eric Simpson. The Colts have long had three chaplains. One of Hunter's main roles will be to say pre-game mass, but he is also building relationships with players, and will be there to offer support at any time.

Asked about his decision to add Hunter, Ballard emailed comments that reflected how important he believed Hunter’s role would be.

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“We are honored to have Father Hunter serve as one of our team chaplains,” said Ballard. “Faith, family, and football are the three most important components of my life. Since arriving in Indianapolis last year, Father Hunter has helped me with my spiritual growth. As vital as it is to build our players on the field, it is more imperative to help them grow spiritually as men. Our roster is filled with great leaders that Father Hunter will assist to become better husbands, fathers, brothers and friends.”

Hunter has spent his entire life in Indianapolis and grew up a Colts fan. However, he won’t be making any suggestions to Ballard about personnel. Asked about his football experience, Hunter smiled.

“I only played in fifth and sixth grades,” said Hunter. “After that, I retired. It just wasn’t for me.”

However, Hunter knows plenty about running – not from would-be tacklers, but from the calling to the priesthood.

Growing up in the Catholic church, Hunter was tempted to pursue a religious career for more than 20 years, but he kept resisting. His late mother, Hattie Williams, was extremely religious as was his late father, Douglas Hunter Sr. As early as the fourth grade, when he began serving altar in church, Hunter thought about the priesthood. But he wasn’t ready to make the commitment.

“I would go to church all the time, but I was still running from that,” said Hunter. “My goal was to be rich and famous, make a lot of money. Have big houses and fancy cars. God said, ‘No. You don’t need all that.’ It was just figuring out what is it God wants me to do. Not what I want to do, but what he wants me to do.”

When Hunter was 15 years old, he was rocked by the sudden death of his father. While Hunter’s parents never married, they lived near each other and Hunter was an only child who shared a close relationship with both parents.

It was Hunter who discovered his father’s body, using his key to enter the house, unaware his father had passed away the previous day. Hunter said his father was diabetic, and he may have died from complications from the disease.

“I had a choice earlier that day (when his father died), to go bowling with my mom, or to stay with my dad,” said Hunter. “I decided I’d rather stay with him, because I had friends in his neighborhood. I walked in, and found him. He was gone.”

That traumatic experience sent Hunter into a depression. However, Hunter said his mother received plenty of support from her church, St. Joan of Arc Parish, and from people at Cardinal Ritter High School, where Hunter was a student.

“People kept me occupied, kept me busy,” said Hunter. “I eventually began to feel like myself.”

But Hunter was still not ready to pursue the priesthood.

“You have to have good grades to get into college, and I couldn’t get in with the grades I had in high school,” said Hunter. “I found out about this program for civilian volunteers with the Indianapolis police department. I’d direct traffic, help with crowd control for Pacers games, Colts games, Indians games.

“Later, I saw that the sheriff’s department had some openings and I applied and got in. That led me to being a police officer. I loved it. I only did two years on the street, the rest was inside. I worked with the explorer program, high schoolers who want to be involved with law enforcement. It gave me a chance to be a positive role model for people I still stay in touch with.”

By 2004, Hunter had a solid career in law enforcement, and outwardly he was the picture of success.

“I had a house, I had a girlfriend, I had couple of dogs, cars — things were set,” said Hunter, smiling. “I was doing what I wanted to do, staying out of trouble, everybody loved me.”

Yet, Hunter felt unfulfilled.

“I was unhappy,” said Hunter. “What am I doing with my life? I started talking with family members. I was still active with my church with youth ministry. I started thinking about becoming a monk. I was really thinking about that. But I loved my freedom. I loved jumping in the car, going to the movies, the mall, to see my friends. But in the monastic community, you have to ask for permission to go places. Could I have done it? Yes. But I love my freedom.”

At that point, Hunter was finally ready to pursue priesthood. In 2005, he enrolled at Marian University, and earned his degree in 2009. Then he entered St. Meinrad Seminary School of Theology. He was finally ready.

“I’ve never looked back,” said Hunter, who was ordained a priest in 2017.

Hunter is looking forward to his work with the Colts, as he builds relationships with the players and front office. His schedule with the Colts has not been etched in stone, but he will be a frequent presence. With his background in police work, and now as a priest, Hunter brings a unique perspective he can share with Colts players.

“The Colts have pretty much given me an open invitation to be there when I can,” said Hunter. "I’m going to try to be as present as a I can, depending on my schedule."

“I’ve learned a lot about the NFL already. It’s a brotherhood. Even players and coaches on different teams have relationships they’ve built from the past. You see families uprooted all the time. You see guys praying together.

“I’m very excited about this. Anyone who comes to me with a need, I’ll be there as best as I can be with what I have. It won’t be hard to pick out a 6-foot-4 guy with a priestly collar. I kind of stand out.”

Follow IndyStar sports writer Clifton Brown on Twitter @CliftonGBrown