A Week in the Life of a Seminarian
In this special report he hear what a typical week – if there is such a
thing – is like for one young man, Tom Dubois, who is training to
become a priest in the Clifton Diocese.
Saturday
I take our youth group on pilgrimage to Glastonbury and Downside Abbey.
Sunday
As part of the week of prayer for Christian unity, I am preaching this morning at Holy Trinity Anglican Church.
After our evening Mass, we have the youth group meeting. Those who came on the pilgrimage have got a great deal from it.
Monday
Monday is my day off. I go to Haslemere in Surrey to see my Spiritual Director. We meet once a month to talk about my prayer life. I then meet up with a friend for coffee, before going into London for dinner with my father.
Tuesday
I'm doing the assemblies this week at St Augustine's, our secondary school. I've decided to talk about vocation to Priesthood and Religious life. I begin this morning with Year 8.
I go on to the mother and toddler group. It's a great opportunity to meet parents in a relaxed setting. From there, I go to the hospital to talk and pray with the Catholic patients.
In the afternoon, I go into our primary school to sit in on an RE lesson. I'm chosen as "special person of the week" which means that I get to answer questions ranging from "why did you want to become a Priest?" to "when's your birthday?"
After Mass, I go to the Legion of Mary group. I give a brief reflection on the Baptism of Jesus.
Wednesday
After my Year 9 assembly, I'm teaching a sixth form class on Aquinas' approach to religious language.
Next, I begin some visiting, knocking on the doors of people on our parish lists. I'm welcomed by some very friendly families.
In the evening we have our RCIA group for those wanting to become Catholics or find out more about the faith.
Thursday
We have Mass in Westbury, and I head over early to take communion to patients in Westbury hospital. After Mass I go back to Trowbridge for my year 10 class.
In the afternoon I run a session of training for new altar servers.
In the evening I'm invited out for dinner by a couple of parishioners.
Friday
My final assembly of the week, this time with Year 11. I think it's gone reasonably well. Later in the morning I go out to a few more people with communion.
After lunch, I go back to school for a class with Year 8, about being made in God's image.
After the evening Mass, I go the SVP group. From there, I go on to a jazz concert that is being put on in the school.
Tom Dubois
Tom Dubois is in his fourth year of training for the Priesthood. He is spending the year on placement at St John the Baptist Parish in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
To find out more about becoming a priest in the Clifton Diocese, please contact our Vocations Director Father Robert King in 0117 914 0003 or email robert.king@cliftondiocese.com.
Saturday
I take our youth group on pilgrimage to Glastonbury and Downside Abbey.
Sunday
As part of the week of prayer for Christian unity, I am preaching this morning at Holy Trinity Anglican Church.
After our evening Mass, we have the youth group meeting. Those who came on the pilgrimage have got a great deal from it.
Monday
Monday is my day off. I go to Haslemere in Surrey to see my Spiritual Director. We meet once a month to talk about my prayer life. I then meet up with a friend for coffee, before going into London for dinner with my father.
Tuesday
I'm doing the assemblies this week at St Augustine's, our secondary school. I've decided to talk about vocation to Priesthood and Religious life. I begin this morning with Year 8.
I go on to the mother and toddler group. It's a great opportunity to meet parents in a relaxed setting. From there, I go to the hospital to talk and pray with the Catholic patients.
In the afternoon, I go into our primary school to sit in on an RE lesson. I'm chosen as "special person of the week" which means that I get to answer questions ranging from "why did you want to become a Priest?" to "when's your birthday?"
After Mass, I go to the Legion of Mary group. I give a brief reflection on the Baptism of Jesus.
Wednesday
After my Year 9 assembly, I'm teaching a sixth form class on Aquinas' approach to religious language.
Next, I begin some visiting, knocking on the doors of people on our parish lists. I'm welcomed by some very friendly families.
In the evening we have our RCIA group for those wanting to become Catholics or find out more about the faith.
Thursday
We have Mass in Westbury, and I head over early to take communion to patients in Westbury hospital. After Mass I go back to Trowbridge for my year 10 class.
In the afternoon I run a session of training for new altar servers.
In the evening I'm invited out for dinner by a couple of parishioners.
Friday
My final assembly of the week, this time with Year 11. I think it's gone reasonably well. Later in the morning I go out to a few more people with communion.
After lunch, I go back to school for a class with Year 8, about being made in God's image.
After the evening Mass, I go the SVP group. From there, I go on to a jazz concert that is being put on in the school.
Tom Dubois
Tom Dubois is in his fourth year of training for the Priesthood. He is spending the year on placement at St John the Baptist Parish in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
To find out more about becoming a priest in the Clifton Diocese, please contact our Vocations Director Father Robert King in 0117 914 0003 or email robert.king@cliftondiocese.com.
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