By Emilie Ng
QUEENSLAND seminarians are in hard training, not just for the priesthood, but also for scoring goals at this time of the year as they strive for victory in the coveted Inter-seminary soccer tournament cup.
Queensland’s Holy Spirit Provincial Seminary soccer team prepared months ahead of the August 2 tournament hosted in Brisbane.
The tournament brings more than 100 of Australia’s seminarians to test their physical, mental and spiritual wits.
Queensland’s goalkeeper and this year’s national tournament co-ordinator Matthew Hasking said the “huge benefit” of the tournament was the opportunity to meet fellow future priests from around Australia.
“It’s so rare you’d get an opportunity to do that, which makes these events pivotal in that area of networking,” Mr Hasking said.
Seminarian John Obalum, originally from Nigeria, said the “game of friendliness” would show “the high marks of communion” among seminarians, priests and Catholic lay people.
The passionate player, who could play as an attacker or defender for the Queensland team, joined the minor seminary in Nigeria at 11 years old.
Now, the 28-year-old is completing his seminary studies in Australia where he said he had grown in “that apostolic zeal” to go on mission “not just for my own soul but also for the souls of others”.
Townsville’s Emene Kelemete said the tournament provided a solid environment for “prayer, and a good time for us to know each other and learn from each other”.
Watch the Seminarian War Cry below:
