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    A Letter from the Archbishop


    The Archbishop of Brisbane
    The Most Reverend Dr Phillip Aspinall

    8 September 2006

    Mr Matthew Smith
    (My Address)

    Dear Matthew,

    Thank you for attending the Vocational Discernment weekend recently and for Stephanie’s involvement as well.

    I am pleased to inform you that my Examining Chaplains have affirmed your sense of call to the office of priest, working in a stipendiary capacity, and I write now to invite you to proceed to the next stage of formation

    ...

    Yep you heard it here first! I’m in! Though the letter goes on to explain that acceptance into formation doesn’t mean that I’ll be ordained and even if I am ordained, I might not be assigned to a parish so it’s not all finalised.

    Actually I have at least three years of theology study to get through and various formation activities including working 10 hours a week in a parish and attending workshops. And what’s more, I have to fund the whole lot myself. So I’ll need to find a part time job, or we can load Sol into daycare full time and Steph can be the primary income earner or I can burn the candle at both ends and try to do it all and hold down a full time job! I’m not feeling very optimistic about making this work financially.

    On the other hand, I’ll probably be working with the same kinds of problems all the time as a priest so I’ll have to learn to budget and improvise and make the most of what I’ve got.

    Related Posts:  »Archbishop reveals that he was once a teenager »Melbourne has New Archbishop »Brother Roger

    Posted: September 12th, 2006 under Formation.
    Comments: 5

    Comments

    Comment from Nathan
    Time: 15/9/2006, 11:23 am

    Hey Matt,

    What excellent news. Those who are in the know, of course realise that this is not a done deal, rather an invitation to continue in your process of discernment to the priesthood, as you rightly point out. I think it is good that you have been affirmed in this continuing process and will continue to hold you in my thoughts and prayers. Yes, times might now get tough with trying to fit in everything around the formation program, and yes, perhaps juggling all of this will give you some skills and abilities to the realities of the juggling lives of priest who have to manage many things and pick up the pieces when no one else will. But I pray also that the church continue to stress the importance of the formation and training of ordained ministries and work out ways to increase their support so those, like you and many others, do not have to stuggle more than is necessary.

    Pax

    Nathan

    Comment from Anonymous
    Time: 3/10/2006, 4:08 pm

    You wrote:
    “I’m not feeling very optimistic about making this work financially.”

    John 14:14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

    John 16:23 & 24 In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. 24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

    Why don’t you have a lamington drive at church?

    Comment from djfoobarmatt
    Time: 3/10/2006, 8:28 pm

    > John 14:14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

    I want to be rich, irresistible and really cool…

    UPDATE: I’m feeling a lot better about the finances now that I know BCT has Fee-Help and my workplace has indicated that they will (likely) let me stay on part time.

    Comment from Brandon
    Time: 8/10/2006, 2:36 pm

    I’ve been a lurker on your blog for a while so this is a nice surprise to see this post. Hope that your continuing formation process helps you to discern whether a vocation to the priesthood is what God’s will is for you in your life. I somewhat know the feeling as I’m currently in my own process of discernment about going down that road towards ministry as well as becoming a Benedictine oblate to the Benedictine abbey in Victoria.

    I wish you all the best and my prayers for God’s guidance in this.

    Pax,
    Brandon (one of your lurking readers)

    Comment from djfoobarmatt
    Time: 8/10/2006, 7:08 pm

    Hey thanks Brandon! It’s nice to know I have lurkers!

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