Holy Spirit Catholic Church is hosting visiting priest, Father Michael “Mike” Joly, who is one of the few blind ordained priests in the country.
Father Joly is the pastor of Saint Joan of Arc Catholic Church in Yorktown, Virginia. He was invited to Lubbock by Father Rudi Crasta as part of a mission to celebrate the second week of Advent. As someone familiar with physical obstacles, Father Joly hopes to share a message of strength and optimism with the people of West Texas, not just through the gospel, but leading through example.
“I lost my sight when I was five and a half years old. I had a brain tumor as a a little boy on my optic nerve,” said Joly, who shared that even at the young age came waves of grief, self-pity and anger. “And then fear of ‘am I going to be able to live as a blind guy in a sighted world?'”
One of 11 children, Joly shared that he grew up within a supportive family who encouraged him to be positive and work hard. He was enrolled in a public school for the blind, and attended Providence College in Rhode Island for a degree in business administration. After a few years in that field, he realized he wanted something “more fulfilling.”
In 1994, Joly was ordained a priest after having attended Saint Mary’s seminary in Baltimore, Maryland. Although blind, Father Joly can do pretty much everything any priest can do, if not more: He’s also a pianist, songwriter and recording artist.
“You are in the same world as everyone else, and our savior wants to increase. In my life and in your life — these beautiful weeks of Advent is a beautiful time to prepare for that,” said Joly. “Look, watch, step back, be a moment or two in silence and say ‘come lord Jesus, come.'”
Father Joly will leave Lubbock Wednesday morning. Tuesday night will be his last service with Holy Spirit Catholic Church, which is located at 98th Street and Frankford Avenue. It will be at 6:30 p.m.
