The Kid Who Talked Funny

By: Missionary Team

I was born with a cleft palate. A cleft palate is essentially a hole in the roof of the mouth. I am told that it was somewhat repaired within the first week of my birth. However, even with the repair, I was unable to completely close off my nose which gave me a very nasal voice as a child.

It did not really mean much to me until I went off to grade school. In the younger grades, kids might have mentioned that I talked funny, but that was the end of it. Overall, my class through grade school was pretty good about it. Neighborhood kids were a different story. Outside of a few friends on my own street, kids from other areas would bully me for my speech any chance they had.

High School also was an issue at first. I went to a Catholic Prep school and unfortunately, some classmates, and especially upperclassmen, would be quite mean, mocking the nasal tone of my voice. By senior year, however, my classmates were pretty good and accepting after having gotten to know me.

But the story gets better and shows how God works through the most unlikely persons. First, when I was 21, I was able to have surgery to complete the maximum possible repair on my palate. Though my voice is still slightly nasal, it is far clearer. Subsequent visits to doctors who examine my mouth and throat, for whatever reason, often comment that the surgeon who did the repair did an exceptional job.

Second, and prior to the operation, I joined my parish folk group at the same time I started college. While in that group, someone heard me singing along and said I had a very nice voice! Little by little my courage grew to the point where I sang solos and harmonies and was often complimented on my singing. To this day I cantor for mass at my present parish and continue at times to be complimented on my singing. But point number one is God has used someone like me to sing His praises and to lead others to do so.

But God did not stop there! Over the next many years, I earned an advanced degree in Theology and began to teach. Here again, using a voice that was mocked to educate the faithful (and not so faithful) about the truths of Catholic doctrine.

And God has yet to stop! I currently am a candidate for the Permanent Diaconate for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. If the Lord sees me through to ordination, it will mean that I will use my (not so) “funny talk” to proclaim His Word and preach His Gospel.

I am not so unique in the history of salvation. Recall, for example, that God promised Abraham, an old man married to Sarah, who was equally aged, that Abraham would have “descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky.” (Gen 26:4). Abraham and Sarah actually laugh at this, but when their son was born, they named him “Laughter” (Isaac).

If you had told my teenage self that one day I would sing in public, teach college courses and perhaps preach the Gospel, I would have said, “How can someone with a speech problem ever do that?” God seems to like a challenge and to confound us as to what we think is possible. Don’t let your self-perceived disabilities limit what the Lord can do with your life – if you let Him!