by Moira Cullings
moira.cullings@theleaven.org
Deacon Will Carey’s journey to the priesthood began with hitting rock bottom.
“I passed out behind the wheel of my dad’s car drinking and driving,” he said. “In that darkness, he (God) let me fall there, be in that place.
“I cried out to him from there, and he heard my cry. I saw this little bit of light that was available if I wanted it amid that darkness.”
That experience was ultimately a gift from God, said Deacon Carey.
“My prayer became, ‘Lord, put me on your path, whatever that is,’” he said.
Deacon Carey will be ordained a priest by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann on May 24 at 10:30 a.m. at Church of the Nativity in Leawood.
He was born to Laura and Richard Carey, the oldest of three boys, and grew up in Westwood.
His dad worked for Sprint and eventually American Century Investments before he retired. His mom was a drug representative.
He was baptized Presbyterian, and when he was in high school, his family became Methodists. They went to church on Sundays and prayed before meals.
“But our faith wasn’t talked about or lived out a lot more than that,” he said.
Deacon Carey was molded by the pressure of growing up in Johnson County.
“Living in a wealthy area was part of my story,” he said, “because I saw people who had a lot, and I had more than enough.
“But the pursuit of Johnson County was like the pursuit of money. So that became my pursuit, too, to live a worldly life.”
Deacon Carey was studying at Johnson County Community College (JUCO) in Overland Park when his accident happened.
“About a year later, I was still at JUCO,” he said. “I had begun to get my life together, get certain people out of my life, bad influences.”
At that time, he met a St. Paul’s Outreach (SPO) missionary.
“I saw something different in him,” said Deacon Carey. “He wasn’t proselytizing me. He wasn’t trying to sell me anything.”
The missionary invited him to a Fan into Flame retreat.
“I went, and I had a really powerful encounter of God’s love for me when they were praying over me,” said Deacon Carey. “I knew the love of the Father after that. It was like I could see in color for the first time.
“I knew that my life was going to be different, but I didn’t know what that meant or what that looked like.”
Deacon Carey transferred to Emporia State University, where he studied accounting and was offered a job with a CPA firm after graduation.
But meeting Father Nick Blaha, who was the chaplain there at the time, attracted him to the priesthood.
“He was a normal guy — bow hunting deer and driving a Tacoma — but also very intelligent, understood the faith and could teach it, and was trying to live a life of holiness,” said Deacon Carey.
Deacon Carey ultimately turned down the job and served as an SPO missionary at Benedictine College in Atchison instead. He only spent one of his two years there before entering Kenrick Glennon Seminary in St. Louis.
“Profound moments of prayer only last a little while,” said Deacon Carey. “I began to want more and more of God.
“And I saw that the priest lives that life, and he gives that to other people.”
Deacon Carey believes God has given him the heart of a priest.
“I saw how it seemed like maybe the way he’s made me is like that of the diocesan priest,” he said, “to interact with people’s lives in many different times and places — baptisms and marriages and death.”
Deacon Carey looks forward to the adventure of the priesthood, beginning with his ordination day.
“It’s a really profound experience when all these people from all the parts of your life come to one place,” he said. “It’s kind of like heaven.
“You’re seeing all these people again for the first time in one place, and they’re there for you. It’s really amazing.”
Deacon Will Carey
• Age: 33
• Born: Jan. 28, 1992
• Raised: Westwood
• Home parish: St. Agnes, Roeland Park
• Parents: Richard and Laura Carey
• Siblings: Christopher and Spencer
• Education: Shawnee Mission East High School, Emporia State University
• Favorite food: Kale
• Least favorite food: None
• My favorite activity as a child was: riding my bike.
• Best job I’ve ever had: Working at a golf course
• The quality I admire most in people is: courage.
• Favorite musical artist: James Taylor
• Aside from Christ and his mother, the biblical character I most want to know more about is: John because he spent so much time with the Blessed Mother after the Resurrection.
• Favorite Scripture passage: “Remain in me and I in you. . . I am the vine you are the branches” (Jn 15:4-5)
• I deal with failure by: processing it with other people.
• If I have an important decision to make, I start by: going to the chapel to speak with God about it.
• When I wind up with free time and have no plans, I usually: play the guitar.
My favorite type of social event to attend is a: wedding reception.
The one thing I’ve always wanted to do but never tried: Wingsuit base-jumping
• If I hadn’t felt called to become a priest, my dream job would have been: a singer/songwriter.
