Living in the Parish
Throughout the time spent in seminary there are a variety of placements that typically involve some kind of pastoral experience each week. However, during the course of formation, every seminarian can expect to spend some extended period working in one of the parishes. There is a great feeling among seminarians about their work in parishes, and in many ways, this represents a significant step on the way to priesthood. After all, enthusiasm for parish life is probably what first helped many men to realise the first signs of the their vocation. For most students too, priesthood in the parish will be the main focus of their lives and work.
I am in the final year of formation, preparing for the diaconate and priesthood ordinations. Since September, I have been working in the Parish of Our Lady of Lourdes, Harpenden. As a seminarian, you always get a wonderful welcome in the parishes you visit or work in. The parishioners and other members of the community are, without doubt, tremendously supportive of their seminarians and priests. This is certainly true of Harpenden – after only eight weeks I feel welcome and part of this busy parish. Already, I have been involved in many different projects, and there is a real buzz about the place.
There is a special kind of joy in parish life, not only because parishes tend to be busy, youthful places with schools and all kinds of other activities, but also because in these places we can experience the reality of the Gospel at work, rooted in and flowing from the Eucharistic reality of the Church. In any parish, the liturgy is going to be the pulsing heart of that community, and from there, the week’s work and other activities follow through and find their meaning and success. This also helps us to understand what we are doing in these parishes ourselves - there needs to be an element of prayer about our daily work, lest we become community leaders in a way that lessens the sacred nature of who we are and what we are about.
I am very pleased to be here and working in the parish, and even these first couple of months have reminded me once again of why our parishes are so important, and what we are called to do and be among the people we serve.