“The Feast Day of St Michael and the Angels occurs on Friday, 29th September, a day to remind ourselves that we can be messengers of God by seeking to be discerning,” (The Very Rev’d Dr Peter Catt)

Reflections

Seeking the gift of discernment

“It seems to me discernment also involves seeking to ‘see’ clearly. It is hard to recognise our own blind spots. Discernment is therefore the gift I seek daily in my prayers,” says The Very Rev’d Dr Peter Catt

Reflections

What is an examining chaplain?

“Our primary purpose is not formal testing, but ensuring that God’s plan is given the best chance…there is one ministry – the ministry of Jesus Christ. Examining chaplains are part of the process that enriches that one ministry, whether ordained or lay,” says examining chaplain, Dr Helen Lancaster

Reflections

My hairdresser call to the priesthood

“Sometimes going to the hairdresser can be unexpectedly life-changing. For about a year, people in my community had been urging me to explore a calling to ordained ministry. However, when my hairdresser, who is not religious, said, ‘You know what? You should become a priest!’, I knew I had to start paying attention,” says Melissa Conway, who is soon to be ordained a deacon and appointed as assistant curate at St James’, Toowoomba

Reflections

The angry young man in the fifth row

“When I was 15 years of age, I decided that I wanted nothing more to do with the Church…The Rector of that parish would sometimes refer to me from the pulpit as ‘that angry young man in the fifth row’. Some years later I was invited to preach at Fr David’s funeral and would credit him, in part, for fostering my vocation,” says Bishop Jeremy Greaves

Reflections

The conversations that encouraged my call to ordained ministry

“I would not be where I am today without those critical vocation conversations – with the caring Society of the Sacred Advent sisters, the insightful parish priest and the wise friends. God uses ordinary people like you and me to initiate conversations of encouragement,” says The Rev’d Canon Sarah Plowman on her call to the priesthood, as Vocations Month continues