Seminarian's Diary
We hear from another of our students for the priesthood. James Finan
gives us insight into life as a seminarian as we join him for a week in
his life.
My name is James Finan and I am coming to the end of my seven years training for the priesthood. I was ordained as a Deacon on 18 June last year in St Mary's College, Oscott. Seven years seems like a long time to train so I thought I would tell you what an average week in my life at Oscott is like.
Monday
I wake up at seven and get myself ready for community morning prayer which we say in the college chapel at 7.45 am. This is followed by breakfast and then at 8.50 am we start our lectures. Today the first period is a study period and then I have three periods of Marriage in Canon Law. At noon we leave the class and head towards the chapel for community Mass. Lunch is at one and after lunch we have manual labour which lasts from 2.00 pm to 3.50 pm. After that it is time to get on with some study and hopefully in the evening watch a bit of television or go out with a friend.
Tuesday
I have four lectures today. The first two are on Catholic Devotional Life and the other two are seminars on Religious Language. Mass again is at noon followed by lunch. At 2.00 pm I have Liturgy planning. This is where a group of the students prepare the liturgy for Mass and morning prayer for the upcoming week. It normally takes just over an hour to do this. We pick the hymns, suggest new forms in the way the liturgy can take place and in my case I make suggestions on which day I would like to preach.
At 5.00 pm I have spiritual direction. This takes place monthly and it is where I have a private conversation with a priest who is responsible for my spiritual wellbeing and general life at Oscott. He helps me prepare for my life as a priest when I leave Oscott.
That night the college comes together for the annual event of the CAFOD auction. Each year students donate items and we auction them off with the money going to CAFOD. The staff of the college attend as well and the night is always a big success with a lot of fun.
Wednesday
Today is the day off for the students. I rise early and drive to Bristol to see my family and friends. It is always good to catch up with my mates and see my family. I also pop in and see my home parish and catch up on some news.
Thursday
I only have two lectures in the morning and today with the lecturer we are going through wedding rehearsals. After the noon Mass I welcome Father Robert King, the Clifton Diocese Vocations Director. He has brought with him a graphic designer who wants to take some photos of me for an up coming vocations promotion in the Clifton Diocese. So after lunch I have photos taken of me in different places in the college to show different aspects of my life here.
I have a workshop with the Rector on priesthood. This is where a speaker usually comes in and discusses with us different aspects of priesthood and what is expected of us and what we are likely to expect as a priest. This is followed by Holy Hour, a chance to spend some time in prayer with Our Lord. In the evening I watch TV and listen to some music to relax.
Friday
Today we have community mass at 7.30 am. This replaces morning prayer which is said in private. I have two lectures today on Modern Church History. The rest of the day is quiet until late afternoon when I have a meeting with a lecturer about a forthcoming exam. At 6.30 pm the Rector or Spiritual Director of the house gives the student a house talk and then that is followed after supper by 'Friday Groups'. This is where a group of students meet to relax, pray and get to know each other. It is St Patrick's Day so my group enjoys a meal and a couple pints of Guinness.
Saturday
Today I am attending a two-day HCPT course in Bristol, so I’m up early to drive back down in order to miss the Birmingham traffic. The course is a chance for me to meet the children that I will be going to Lourdes with in a few weeks and to see the other helpers as well. This is a chance in a life time for many of the children. The day is rounded off with Mass which is the centre of our Christian faith.
Sunday
I am lucky that being in Bristol I can go to Mass in my own parish. After the 10.00 am Mass in St Patrick's I go back over to the HCPT course. Today is the medical briefing and the child protection talk. After the course has finished I pick up my bag from home and drive back to Birmingham. I climb into bed at about ten for a good nights sleep.
Life in Oscott can be very hectic; hopefully from this extract of my diary you can see that training to be priest can be very varied. It can be tiring, busy, reflective and very enjoyable. I feel very blessed to able to be where I am and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I look forward to coming back to the Clifton Diocese as a priest in the summer.
James Finan
To find out more about becoming a priest in the Clifton Diocese, please contact our Vocations Director Father Robert King on 0117 914 0003 or email robert.king@cliftondiocese.com.
My name is James Finan and I am coming to the end of my seven years training for the priesthood. I was ordained as a Deacon on 18 June last year in St Mary's College, Oscott. Seven years seems like a long time to train so I thought I would tell you what an average week in my life at Oscott is like.
Monday
I wake up at seven and get myself ready for community morning prayer which we say in the college chapel at 7.45 am. This is followed by breakfast and then at 8.50 am we start our lectures. Today the first period is a study period and then I have three periods of Marriage in Canon Law. At noon we leave the class and head towards the chapel for community Mass. Lunch is at one and after lunch we have manual labour which lasts from 2.00 pm to 3.50 pm. After that it is time to get on with some study and hopefully in the evening watch a bit of television or go out with a friend.
Tuesday
I have four lectures today. The first two are on Catholic Devotional Life and the other two are seminars on Religious Language. Mass again is at noon followed by lunch. At 2.00 pm I have Liturgy planning. This is where a group of the students prepare the liturgy for Mass and morning prayer for the upcoming week. It normally takes just over an hour to do this. We pick the hymns, suggest new forms in the way the liturgy can take place and in my case I make suggestions on which day I would like to preach.
At 5.00 pm I have spiritual direction. This takes place monthly and it is where I have a private conversation with a priest who is responsible for my spiritual wellbeing and general life at Oscott. He helps me prepare for my life as a priest when I leave Oscott.
That night the college comes together for the annual event of the CAFOD auction. Each year students donate items and we auction them off with the money going to CAFOD. The staff of the college attend as well and the night is always a big success with a lot of fun.
Wednesday
Today is the day off for the students. I rise early and drive to Bristol to see my family and friends. It is always good to catch up with my mates and see my family. I also pop in and see my home parish and catch up on some news.
Thursday
I only have two lectures in the morning and today with the lecturer we are going through wedding rehearsals. After the noon Mass I welcome Father Robert King, the Clifton Diocese Vocations Director. He has brought with him a graphic designer who wants to take some photos of me for an up coming vocations promotion in the Clifton Diocese. So after lunch I have photos taken of me in different places in the college to show different aspects of my life here.
I have a workshop with the Rector on priesthood. This is where a speaker usually comes in and discusses with us different aspects of priesthood and what is expected of us and what we are likely to expect as a priest. This is followed by Holy Hour, a chance to spend some time in prayer with Our Lord. In the evening I watch TV and listen to some music to relax.
Friday
Today we have community mass at 7.30 am. This replaces morning prayer which is said in private. I have two lectures today on Modern Church History. The rest of the day is quiet until late afternoon when I have a meeting with a lecturer about a forthcoming exam. At 6.30 pm the Rector or Spiritual Director of the house gives the student a house talk and then that is followed after supper by 'Friday Groups'. This is where a group of students meet to relax, pray and get to know each other. It is St Patrick's Day so my group enjoys a meal and a couple pints of Guinness.
Saturday
Today I am attending a two-day HCPT course in Bristol, so I’m up early to drive back down in order to miss the Birmingham traffic. The course is a chance for me to meet the children that I will be going to Lourdes with in a few weeks and to see the other helpers as well. This is a chance in a life time for many of the children. The day is rounded off with Mass which is the centre of our Christian faith.
Sunday
I am lucky that being in Bristol I can go to Mass in my own parish. After the 10.00 am Mass in St Patrick's I go back over to the HCPT course. Today is the medical briefing and the child protection talk. After the course has finished I pick up my bag from home and drive back to Birmingham. I climb into bed at about ten for a good nights sleep.
Life in Oscott can be very hectic; hopefully from this extract of my diary you can see that training to be priest can be very varied. It can be tiring, busy, reflective and very enjoyable. I feel very blessed to able to be where I am and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I look forward to coming back to the Clifton Diocese as a priest in the summer.
James Finan
To find out more about becoming a priest in the Clifton Diocese, please contact our Vocations Director Father Robert King on 0117 914 0003 or email robert.king@cliftondiocese.com.
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