Respect Life Radio RLR Interview with Kevin Wells: “The Memory of a Vianney-Like Priest Lay Hidden in the West Virginia Mountains”
Mar 23, 2026
Kevin Wells, award-winning Catholic author and former sports reporter, shares a hidden tale of a Vianney-like priest in the West Virginia mountains. He recounts decades of sacramental devotion, a school and bus ministry, tireless outreach to the poor, and surprising ecumenical friendships. Short, powerful anecdotes highlight perseverance, pastoral creativity, and quiet holiness.
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How Pat Whalen Brought Father Carroll's Story To Light
- Kevin Wells learned about Father Charles Carroll from Pat Whalen, an altar boy who urged Wells to write about the priest's life.
- Whalen's personal memories launched Wells's research and led to the Catholic World Report piece timed with a Father Charles Guild canonization effort.
Seeing Obstacles As Opportunities In Ministry
- Father Carroll treated obstacles as opportunities, refusing to abandon hostile parishes despite KKK rallies and rocks thrown at him.
- His bishop asked him to close parishes but Carroll asked for time and instead pursued persistent pastoral presence and outreach.
The Priest Who Became The Bus Driver
- Carroll built a school for mountain children, found an order of sisters to teach, and personally drove a beat-up bus over 90 miles to bring students from hollows.
- He became the bus driver for decades, filling the school within a year despite rough terrain and no funds.
