Matthew with his parents and siblings and Archbishop Anthony Fisher at the opening of the Seminary Year at the Seminary of the Good Shepherd, Homebush
Called by Name: My Journey at the Seminary Begins By Matthew French In late January, I entered the Seminary of the Good Shepherd, as part of my discernment towards becoming a priest for the Diocese of Broken Bay. Upon starting, I hadn’t yet met any of my fellow first-year seminarians, and so I was eager to see what they’d be like; important given that many would be my companions for the best part of this decade. By God’s grace, seven seminarians started for 2021 – each coming with their own stories, charisms and eccentricities. I feel blessed to have landed myself amongst a good bunch of guys, and it’s been remarkable how quickly we’ve bonded as a group. Someone asked me just the other day how I was settling into seminary life, and as I detailed the guys with whom I’m starting, I found myself smiling, 32 /
as I could see the qualities they each possess; humility, kindness, intellect, prayerfulness; things I admire and can learn from during this seminary journey. Indeed, as I sit down to write this reflection, I’ve just come home from a day spent with my seminarian brothers, having hit the town for a celebratory dinner after our first silent retreat. We’re a tight group. As for seminary life, having had my brother Sam go through just a few years prior, I knew somewhat what to expect, and so have found settling in quite easy. We begin as first years with a special focus on prayer and developing our relationship with Jesus Christ, whilst also learning the Catechism of the Catholic Church. For me, this is something of a trip down memory lane, as every Friday morning during my years at school, Mum would require that we learn and
Matthew French
