Fr. Michael Joyce was born and raised in the Chicagoland area. It was there that his love for God, his family, and sports was nurtured. He attended Mount Carmel High School, a Carmelite school on Chicago’s Southside, and then graduated from the University of Illinois with a BS in Kinesiology. After graduation, he worked in the finance industry for ten years and volunteered as a youth basketball and baseball coach. In 2014, he responded to God’s call to Carmel and made his solemn profession on April, 10 2021. After graduating from the Catholic University of America, he was ordained to the priesthood on May 14, 2022 at the National Shrine of Therese of Lisieux in Darien, Illinois. For his first assignments, he has been assigned part time to the Carmelite Vocations team as the assistant vocations director and part time to St. Therese of Lisieux parish as parochial vicar.