EVIDENT in the lives of the six new seminarians at Holy Spirit Provincial Seminary, Banyo, is a sense not only of their call to the priesthood but also a camaraderie akin to long-term friendship.
The men were formally welcomed to the seminary by rector Monsignor Tony Randazzo at a Mass last Sunday in Holy Spirit Chapel, Banyo.
Matthew Hasking, 23, Dave Hood, 22, Marty Larsen, 36, and Thomas Zaranski, 25, have only known each other since July, all accessing the discernment support of Brisbane’s Canali House with Brisbane archdiocese’s vocations director Fr Morgan Batt.
The remaining two of the six – Andrew Hogan, 30, of Rockhampton, and Stephen Hill, 37, originally from Toowoomba and then Brisbane – have only recently met each other and the four others.
An hour with the seminarians was peppered with constant joviality as they each openly shared how a calling to priesthood evolved.
The four meeting within Canali spoke of its positivity and particularly of a monthly gathering for discerning men, called “Consilium”.
“Consilium gave us the chance to meet other people thinking of priesthood,” Mr Hood said.
“Having a socialising time (after Mass and input from Fr Batt) meant we could be in a relaxed atmosphere to talk.”
Mr Hood’s roots are within The Gap parish, in Brisbane’s western suburbs.
He served on NET (National Evangelisation Teams) from 2007-08 and has studied film and worked as a sports coach.
The discernment weekend of Quo Vadis also made a significant impact for him.
Mr Larsen said Quo Vadis “sold it” for him too.
“They didn’t mince words,” he said of that experience.
Mr Larsen was particularly light-hearted about his former career choices, saying he had “done just about everything”.
“I’ve been a chef, a waiter, a security guard, a youth worker …,” he said.
His lengthiest role was as a teacher for 10 years, while he had time in the seminary previously, from 1996-98.
Daily Mass in St Stephen’s Cathedral and a time worshipping in Carina parish have seen Mr Larsen inspired to re-enter formation.
Also re-entering priestly formation is Mr Hogan, who said “the call never left”.
“Whatever I considered as a (career) option, to serve as a priest was always there,” he said.
Mr Hogan was part of formation in Brisbane’s Lanigan House from 2002-05.
Since then, he studied education and taught for five years and was part of the St Joseph’s Cathedral community in Rockhampton.
Continuing down a study and formation pathway, Mr Hill was an Anglican pastor for 15 years.
He echoed an original comment from Mr Larsen that beginning at Banyo was “surreal”.
“(Being at the seminary) has a surreal feeling for me … just a week ago I had my last day at work,” he said.
Mr Hill, an electrical engineer, has been supported on the journey to Catholicism by the Pauline Fathers community at Marian Valley, Canungra.
It was there that Brisbane archdiocese’s apostolic administrator Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett received him into the Catholic Church.
First part of the Lutheran tradition, Mr Hill “has a strong sense of the necessity of Christian unity”.
Mr Hasking began explaining his journey to the seminary with the words “I’ve come straight out of hell” – a comment met with raucous laughter.
He was referring to a former job in a pizza company with the word “hell” in its name.
“Yes, I’m the only person to find a vocation working in hell,” he said.
Mr Hasking grew up in Wavell Heights parish on Brisbane’s northside.
He has studied aviation and “was flying this time last year” but realised it was not where he “was meant to be”.
“Around the same time I began to ‘come out of the shadows’,” he said, referring to a re- turn to daily Mass and constant prayer.
“A conversation with Monsignor Tony got the cogs turning,” Mr Hasking said.
That led to Consilium, Quo Vadis and resi- dency at Banyo.
Mr Zaranski also spoke positively of dioc- esan initiatives.
“(When you are discerning priesthood) it’s hard to find someone having the same kind of thoughts,” he said.
“It’s not like you’re thinking of signing on for a footy team or talking politics.
“Consilium meant we could ‘go deeper’.”
He attended Marist schools and worked there as a boarding supervisor.
Mr Zaranski also studied economics, edu- cation and theology. He said the addition of the six new residents was God’s work.
“We are here because of what the (Holy) Spirit has done,” he said.
During last Sunday’s Mass, Msgr Randazzo also spoke of the workings of the Holy Spirit.
“The same Spirit lays a duty on you,” he said to the men gathered among 70 friends and family.
“The same Spirit puts a responsibility into your hands. (And) may the Holy Spirit’s purpose be accomplished for the People of God.”
The new seminarians spoke of the sense of welcome felt on Sunday – including various hymns from the Nigerian seminarians – and of the importance for Catholics near and far to hold them in prayer.
