Many believed that their life is not just made for them alone, they always find a way to bring people close to themselves and create maximum impact on their lives. Father Joe Carroll no doubt is one of these men who is always happy seeing others having the joy they deserve. While others choose to live their own lives as they want, Father Joe would always have the poor and needy in mind. To him, he believes that most circumstances humans pass through are not intentionally made, so to alienate this issue he takes everyone as part of his family.
Having talked about the selfless mindset of this great catholic priest, we will in a short while in this article talk about the life and times of this beloved man, how his donations made an impact in the life of many and how much is his net worth now.
Father Joe Carroll Biography
Faher Joe Caroll was born on April 12, 1941. Just like other children in his early days, Father Joe grew up in what we may refer to as a very poor neighborhood in New York City. Her mother in other to meet up with the demands of the family and daily needs have to take up two jobs to support Joe’s father who was a truck driver.
Father Joe Caroll on his own part, seeing what the family was passing through have to take up a job at a soup kitchen downtown at the age of 14 (fourteen). His stay at the soup kitchen opened his eyes to the sufferings and struggles of the homeless people living on the streets.
This was the drive for his decision to help the less privileged, not that all was going well then for his family. But then, a man on a mission is always driven by an indefinite purpose.
“I am committed to serving God and humanity,”
Father Joe Carroll
Later on, he pursued his education. He graduated from high school at age 15 and then he attended Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer, New York where he studied philosophy and theology. As a young adult, he felt called to serve God and became a Roman Catholic Priest.
He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1974 and spent the next eight years working in parishes, establishing a lot of fans who couldn’t get enough of his simplicity and lively nature.
While practicing and fulfilling his calling as a catholic priest, he also made sure that the homeless will not be abandoned. On many occasions, he was built houses for them, sent some to school on scholarships, established businesses for many, and provide succor for pregnant women.
Indeed everything that has a beginning must also have an end. Father Joe died on the 10th of July, 2021. He celebrated his 80th birthday on April 12, 2021, just a few months before his death, with the release of his published book “Father Joe: Life Stories of a Hustler Priest”.
Father Joe approved every word in the book, which he advertised as much as he could, this book was written on his behalf by Kathryn Cloward. He was also honored to appear as an illustrated character in Father Joe’s Six Golden Seeds, a children’s book and accompanying song with videos that features six principles for experiencing goodness in our everyday lives.
Father Joe Carroll’s Donations
A saying goes that great men are not measured by the amount of money in their accounts but by the impact they made on people’s life. Before his demise, Father Joe Carroll’s donations to many created so much joy in their lives which cannot be forgotten in a while.
Carroll established Father Joe’s Villages, an NGO that supported the homeless by meeting their basic needs and fulfilling their life desires. While he was at St. Vincent de Paul’s thrift store at St. Rita Catholic Church in Valencia Park. He converted a parking area beside the store into a homeless shelter and then acquired more land nearby to establish a one-stop-shop for homeless services.
Before his retirement, Father Joe Carroll had built a strong fundraising team, employing roughly 500 people and overseeing a $40 million budget.
Ever heard of the “The Annual Thanksgiving Day 5K” run in Balboa Park? This is an initiative of Carroll. He received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from San Diego State University in 2019, in recognition of his lifetime of service to the homeless.
Conclusion
Indeed, Father Joe Carroll lived a life worthy of emulation. He wrote his pen in gold ink by the great impact he made. Carroll is a man of the people and for the people and those who have benefited from his benevolence will continue to speak of his goodwill at all times.
In his free time, Carroll enjoyed going on cruises and visiting professional baseball stadiums. He continued to be involved in the Boy Scouts. It was reported that on many occasions, he will always misplace his clerical collar, to curtail this his staff has to be buying them in bulk so that he can have many at his disposal.
Father Joe Caroll was born on April 12, 1941, in Bronx, New York, NY, he died on July 11, 2021 (aged 80); in San Diego, California, US. He lived a worthy life, it is good we all learn one or two from him by providing for the needy, giving shelter to the homeless and this world will be a better place for all of us.