FATHER Joey Faller, popularly known as the ‘Healing Priest,’ confessed his love for the game of basketball played into his decision to become a servant of God.
Believing the seminary is the right place for him to become a better basketball player, Faller decided to enter priesthood.
“Kaya ako pumasok ng seminary hindi dahil sa gusto kong mag pari. Gusto kong maging magaling na basketball player,” related the sought-after healer and founder of the Kamay ni Hesus Healing Church in a recent episode of the weekly late-night program Tunay na Buhay over GMA Network.
“Kasi sa seminary ang may pinaka-magandang basketbolan dito sa Quezon,” said the 56-year-old Faller, who was born in Lucban, Quezon. “Parang ginamit ng Panginoon yung bola para tawagin ako sa pagka-pari.”
Faller initially wanted to become a doctor and be like other members of the family who were in the medical profession. That includes his late father who was a doctor, his mother who was a nurse, and two siblings who became doctors, too.
But while he did take a different path, the well-known priest also did well in his vocation, graduating cum laude at the St. Francis De Sales in Lipa City, and magna cum laude at the St. Alphonsus Regional Seminary in Lucena in 1988.
He later taught as professor and spiritual director at the Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Seminary, served as assistant parish priest of St. Ferdinand Cathedral, and chaplain at the Holy Rosary School.
It was in 1993 though, that Faller discovered his gift of healing when he was able to make a paralyzed woman bound to a wheelchair walk after praying over her.

He hasn’t stopped spreading God’s healing grace from then on, raising funds for the construction of the Kamay Ni Hesus Healing Church, a popular destination in the Diocese of Lucena all-year round, but most especially during the Holy Week.
And what about his basketball?
Faller didn’t end up becoming a great player, but the priest can definitely ball.
He constructed a basketball court at the Via Dolorosa Grotto inside the Kamay ni Hesus Church to practice his shooting and play some games whenever his schedule permitted it.
And those skills were on display during the 2017 PBA All-Stars at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena when he led his team in winning the Shooting Stars side event.
The priest drained a prayer from midcourt to win the competition where he teamed up with Barangay Ginebra’s LA Tenorio and Julius Ayangco in beating their counterpart headed by then TnT stalwart Ranidel De Ocampo.
Faller, incidentally, is a self-confessed San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra fan.
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