As the Rev. Joseph “Joey” Pilola counts the names of his 23 godchildren on his fingers, he finally raises just two of them. This is how many are actually related to him. “True family is not a matter of blood, but mutual love and respect in one another’s lives. Rarely do members of the same family grow up under one roof,” he says, a quote from Richard Bach’s “Illusions.”

Pilola says he found that family in southern Louisiana, and this is why he feels at home as pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas.

As a child, he moved all over the country with his parents. They were from the Philippines, and his father came to the United States after being stationed in New Jersey after World War II. His mother followed to New York in 1951 with their four children. She gave birth to Pilola Dec. 3, 1958 and his father was sent to Alaska the following year. The family remained there until 1962, when they were sent to Fort Polk near Leesville, La.

It was in Leesville that Pilola began his education as a child while battling spinal meningitis. It was also where he first began thinking about becoming a priest.

“After I got out of the hospital, I was too weak to play with the other children so I’d stay inside at recess,” he says. “I told my teacher at recess I wanted to be a priest.”

Priesthood would remain in the back of his mind all of his life, but he did not pursue it until his freshman year of college.

Coming from a family of seven nurses and three physical therapists, Pilola entered Louisiana State University in Shreveport as a pre-medicine major. It was a time of intense prayer for Pilola as he became very involved with the student Catholic center. He took a year off to pray about where he wanted to begin his ministry.

Pilola spent three months at the Mepkin Abbey Monastery, where he worked and lived as a monk. His best friends were from Houma and Bourg and eventually introduced him to their entire families – grandparents, uncles, cousins. Before long, Pilola says he felt like he knew the whole diocese.

“I’m not Cajun by blood or birth,” Pilola says. “But the people here – if you are sincere and open, you will find an open heart and home.”

As the seventh out of nine children, Pilola says he is a family man without having children. His approach to preaching is from the point of view of a son, a brother and a friend.

“As a son, I learned to be respectful to someone. As a brother, respect for someone,” he says. “As a friend, respect with someone.”

Today Pilola continues to be active and give back to his community. He tutors students with dyslexia and other learning disabilities. He is involved with the campus ministry group, which offers the opportunity for retreats, prayer and the input of the parishioners and students.

He plans to use the ministry group as a vehicle for many projects, such as the Nicaragua mission, a trip where he takes students and parishioners to bring relief and prayer to the country. Pilola hopes to continue his ministry there by holding a sabbatical in Nicaragua.

One part of his ministry Pilola enjoys is giving masses in another language. In Morgan City, he speaks Spanish at churches in Latino communities. He also uses sign languages if a parishioner is hearing impaired.

Pilola also uses his ministry to reach out to people dealing with grief and alcohol and drug addictions. He said he believes that for a person to truly heal they must heal as a whole person – body, mind and spirit.

He says those three elements are all connected and when one is affected, they all are. He tries not only to help heal from a spiritual point of view but also the mental

and physical as well.

Pilola also finds time to play racquetball, walk, play guitar, violin, percussions, and lift weights – and pray at the same time. He has even attempted to study 18 languages.

Although he is excited about this upcoming six-year stint at Nicholls, Pilola says he knows has big shoes to fill. Pilola says his predecessor, the Rev. Jim Morrison has built a great foundation for him to build upon.

Pilola says a great spirit of compassion always led Morrison and it will challenge him to be just as passionate.

He says he feels St. Thomas Aquinas is a great community that students can get involved with.

“This is a great place to make new friends,” he says. “It can be your home and family, away from your home and family.