Why Did Father Gerry Become a Priest?
Looking back over my life I can see many steps along the road which led
to me lying on the floor of Saint John the Baptist Trowbridge on 22nd
June 1996 as the Litany of Saints was sung during my ordination. The
first step was my baptism in Henley on Thames on 23rd July 1962. My
next sacrament followed seven or so years later as I made my First
Confession and Holy Communion in a chapel in Oxford. I remember the
candles and the Priest a certain Father Gerard but little else. I
received Confirmation whilst at School in Reading aged 14 where the
retreat before hand made a lasting impression. My next retreat was to
be the first year weekend away with the Catholic Society at Exeter
University.
My time at Exeter University from 1980 to 1983 had a profound effect on my journey to priesthood. Not only the Catholic friends I made but also the example of the Chaplain Father Reg and some of the experiences I had whilst there. These included a religious experience at a prayer day which led to me later that day laughing until I cried. One friend wrote on the back of a Saint Richard prayer card, “Let it be mate, whatever it is. Your name is in the palm of his Hand.” Mother friend gave me a Gideon’s New Testament. Over the next four years I read something from this small dark red book with its daily reading plan which enabled one to read the whole New Testament in a year.
Leaving Exeter for London I believe the Lord guided me to a lively Catholic Church Our Lady of the Angels, Notting Hill and its Parish Priest Father Michael 1-lollings. I was involved with youth and justice and peace work in the Parish and somehow Father Michael gave me the courage to become a reader — I used to physically shake! Father Michael was an inspiring priest and a great example. I know personally of several vocations he inspired. May he Rest in Peace. It was in London that I started going to mass more regularly during the week. I also went to my first Taize European Meeting. Experiencing some 5000 16-30 year olds from various Christian denominations praying together was electric, I have since been to meetings in Paris and Vienna.
Whilst in Zambia I went to mass daily at the Cathedral in Solwezi where I was living supposedly to help two Yugoslavian missionaries learn English but my own journey of faith was leading to unexpected places and choices. For breaks I headed out into the bush on a motor bike and stayed at a Mission. People would walk from their homes for a day or more with all their food etc. and stay three days for the Easter Triduum, masses would last 2 hours at least!
Returning to England I was once again fortunate to find myself in a lively welcoming Parish, 4his tithe Saint John the Baptist Trowbridge with an excellent parish priest Father Liam 0 ‘Driscoll. Unfortunately because of work I could not go to mass everyday but I went when I could. However, some weeks, especially during Lent I would be at the Church or on Church related activities — Young adults, SVP, Legion of Mary, Confirmation Catechist or Lent Courses. It was here with the help of a young seminarian who was on placement in the Parish at the time that following the ordination of Father John Cunningham on 20th June 1992, now Parish Priest at St. George’s Taunton, I finally got sufficient courage to see the then Vocations Director for Clifton Diocese — Father, now Mg Jeremy Rigden VG. He sent me an application form just in case!
One of the things that had to be done for the application was to write down why you wanted to be a priest. There follows my explanation originally given in July 1992 and its still true today.
“The Father so loved the world that he sent His only Son Our Lord Jesus Christ true God and true man to redeem our sins. Born of the Virgin Mary, He showed us by word and example the depth of His divine and eternal love by ultimately giving His life for us. On the third day He rose again and ascended into heaven where he sits at the right hand of the Father.”
He did not however leave us. He sent the Paraclete the Holy Spirit to be with us and left Himself in. the Blessed Eucharist. His teachings were to be passed on first by Peter and the other apostles and then their successor popes, bishops and priests. This is the core of my faith.
As a lay member of an active Catholic community I practice my faith and receive the Eucharist at mass as often as time and circumstances will allow. I share my faith with others be it through the Legion of Mary or in a youth prayer group. I try to live my Christian life as a day to day example to those who do not believe. I pray. I read the Bible and other holy books. But I still thirst and desire to be closer to 1-Jim particularly in moments of deep reflective prayer.
The priest is the shepherd of his community and oh so much more. He celebrates daily the Eucharistic feast bringing Christ truly present to the community. He serves his brothers and sisters in humility, patience and love being there at life’s beginning and end. The riches of the sacraments of baptism, first communion, reconciliation and the sick are brought to the community through the priest. The priest, in short, brings Christ to the community in all the rich and wonderful ways of the church.
The priest’s work is to live for and with Christ everyday. The priest lives with Christ in many ways but particularly in prayer and his daily work. He lives for Christ to bring Christ to the community and in so doing relieving some of His last agonies. This can be done by a lay member of the community but not in the deep, rich and wonderful ways mentioned above and generally not for a similar amount of time.
Our Blessed Lady said yes to God’s plan for her. At two Marian shrines Medjugorje and Lourdes in the sacrament of reconciliation the priests both suggested I seek spiritual direction and consider my vocation. The first I more or less ignored, the second at Lourdes has led me to apply to the priesthood. Without Our Blessed Lady’s help 1 would not now want to nor could become a priest.
In summary I to be a priest to live for and with Christ and to bring Christ to the community in all the rich and wonderful ways of the church in answer to a calling enlivened b Our Blessed Lady Mary.”
I feel Jesus and his Mother Mary through many good and holy people around the world arid countless prays led me despite my reluctance to Priesthood. Thank you for sharing the journey and please pray that I may be a worthy servant of Christ.
If anyone having read this article wants to know more about the joys of Priesthood or Religious Life please do not hesitate to contact me.
Father Gerard Walsh
This article was first published in the March 2004 edition of St Joseph’s Parish Magazine
Father Tom Finnegan is the Clifton Diocese Vocations Director. He can be contacted from the Vocations page of this website.
Useful URL : http://www.ukvocation.org/
My time at Exeter University from 1980 to 1983 had a profound effect on my journey to priesthood. Not only the Catholic friends I made but also the example of the Chaplain Father Reg and some of the experiences I had whilst there. These included a religious experience at a prayer day which led to me later that day laughing until I cried. One friend wrote on the back of a Saint Richard prayer card, “Let it be mate, whatever it is. Your name is in the palm of his Hand.” Mother friend gave me a Gideon’s New Testament. Over the next four years I read something from this small dark red book with its daily reading plan which enabled one to read the whole New Testament in a year.
Leaving Exeter for London I believe the Lord guided me to a lively Catholic Church Our Lady of the Angels, Notting Hill and its Parish Priest Father Michael 1-lollings. I was involved with youth and justice and peace work in the Parish and somehow Father Michael gave me the courage to become a reader — I used to physically shake! Father Michael was an inspiring priest and a great example. I know personally of several vocations he inspired. May he Rest in Peace. It was in London that I started going to mass more regularly during the week. I also went to my first Taize European Meeting. Experiencing some 5000 16-30 year olds from various Christian denominations praying together was electric, I have since been to meetings in Paris and Vienna.
Whilst in Zambia I went to mass daily at the Cathedral in Solwezi where I was living supposedly to help two Yugoslavian missionaries learn English but my own journey of faith was leading to unexpected places and choices. For breaks I headed out into the bush on a motor bike and stayed at a Mission. People would walk from their homes for a day or more with all their food etc. and stay three days for the Easter Triduum, masses would last 2 hours at least!
Returning to England I was once again fortunate to find myself in a lively welcoming Parish, 4his tithe Saint John the Baptist Trowbridge with an excellent parish priest Father Liam 0 ‘Driscoll. Unfortunately because of work I could not go to mass everyday but I went when I could. However, some weeks, especially during Lent I would be at the Church or on Church related activities — Young adults, SVP, Legion of Mary, Confirmation Catechist or Lent Courses. It was here with the help of a young seminarian who was on placement in the Parish at the time that following the ordination of Father John Cunningham on 20th June 1992, now Parish Priest at St. George’s Taunton, I finally got sufficient courage to see the then Vocations Director for Clifton Diocese — Father, now Mg Jeremy Rigden VG. He sent me an application form just in case!
One of the things that had to be done for the application was to write down why you wanted to be a priest. There follows my explanation originally given in July 1992 and its still true today.
“The Father so loved the world that he sent His only Son Our Lord Jesus Christ true God and true man to redeem our sins. Born of the Virgin Mary, He showed us by word and example the depth of His divine and eternal love by ultimately giving His life for us. On the third day He rose again and ascended into heaven where he sits at the right hand of the Father.”
He did not however leave us. He sent the Paraclete the Holy Spirit to be with us and left Himself in. the Blessed Eucharist. His teachings were to be passed on first by Peter and the other apostles and then their successor popes, bishops and priests. This is the core of my faith.
As a lay member of an active Catholic community I practice my faith and receive the Eucharist at mass as often as time and circumstances will allow. I share my faith with others be it through the Legion of Mary or in a youth prayer group. I try to live my Christian life as a day to day example to those who do not believe. I pray. I read the Bible and other holy books. But I still thirst and desire to be closer to 1-Jim particularly in moments of deep reflective prayer.
The priest is the shepherd of his community and oh so much more. He celebrates daily the Eucharistic feast bringing Christ truly present to the community. He serves his brothers and sisters in humility, patience and love being there at life’s beginning and end. The riches of the sacraments of baptism, first communion, reconciliation and the sick are brought to the community through the priest. The priest, in short, brings Christ to the community in all the rich and wonderful ways of the church.
The priest’s work is to live for and with Christ everyday. The priest lives with Christ in many ways but particularly in prayer and his daily work. He lives for Christ to bring Christ to the community and in so doing relieving some of His last agonies. This can be done by a lay member of the community but not in the deep, rich and wonderful ways mentioned above and generally not for a similar amount of time.
Our Blessed Lady said yes to God’s plan for her. At two Marian shrines Medjugorje and Lourdes in the sacrament of reconciliation the priests both suggested I seek spiritual direction and consider my vocation. The first I more or less ignored, the second at Lourdes has led me to apply to the priesthood. Without Our Blessed Lady’s help 1 would not now want to nor could become a priest.
In summary I to be a priest to live for and with Christ and to bring Christ to the community in all the rich and wonderful ways of the church in answer to a calling enlivened b Our Blessed Lady Mary.”
I feel Jesus and his Mother Mary through many good and holy people around the world arid countless prays led me despite my reluctance to Priesthood. Thank you for sharing the journey and please pray that I may be a worthy servant of Christ.
If anyone having read this article wants to know more about the joys of Priesthood or Religious Life please do not hesitate to contact me.
Father Gerard Walsh
This article was first published in the March 2004 edition of St Joseph’s Parish Magazine
Father Tom Finnegan is the Clifton Diocese Vocations Director. He can be contacted from the Vocations page of this website.
Useful URL : http://www.ukvocation.org/
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