EACH time Fr James Grant puts on his Capuchin habit, the great sense of honour he experienced when first clothed in St Francis’ garment is still with him.
The 37-year-old joined the Capuchin order in 2003 and last weekend after nine years of formation he was ordained to the priesthood with two confreres at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Melbourne.
Fr James, who has been in Brisbane for his diaconate, shared his feelings as he approached the ordination.
“I feel excited. I’m aware it’s a big step, stepping into the unknown,” he said.
“It’s been nine years of preparation, I’m at peace with it, I believe this is what the Lord has called me to do, and I believe He will be with me.
“It’s a feeling of excitement as well as the apprehensiveness of knowing you’re stepping into a huge mystery.”
Fr James said he’d had a “fantastic time” in Brisbane as he ministered as a deacon.
“We did supply Masses when we first got here and that was fantastic to meet different communities. They all encouraged me in my vocation as I moved toward the priesthood,” he said.
“I’ve found people very, very friendly around Brisbane.
“I’ve really found that side of it very beautiful.”
Fr James’ Capuchin habit has started many conversations with people in Brisbane.
“They ask me if I’m a monk, they just don’t understand,” he said.
“The Catholics do, and it has opened up a lot of conversations and doors for me in the past.”
Fr James said he loved wearing his Capuchin habit.
“Another beautiful part of being a Capuchin is taking up your cross each day,” he said.
The Capuchin habit provides a witness to the world that the Church is visible, alive and active, and is a sign of consecration to the Lord.
It is brown and when the brothers put on the habit each day it is a reminder to follow the Lord’s invitation to take up their cross every day and follow Him – for if a friar stretches out his arms and puts the hood on, the habit forms the shape of the cross.
“Realising that, when difficult things happen it unites you to Christ on the cross,” Fr James said.
“That’s an important part of Capuchin spirituality.”
He said when he was first clothed in the habit during his novitiate was an extraordinary day.
“It was a great joy; I didn’t want to take it off,” he said.
“I remember going out with my brothers in Pittsburgh (USA) and it was raining and we went out into the forest of the back yard.
“It was a great thrill.
“To think of all the history, of all the friars that have worn it before me, beginning with St Francis. I can’t explain it, but is something I still hold very precious.”
Fr James’ path to religious life wasn’t smooth; it was strewn with numerous obstacles.
In his first year out of high school, after a conversation with a priest, Fr James became convinced the Lord was calling him to be a priest
.
He had a strong desire to help build up the Church, yet was concerned by the fact that so many of his friends had stopped practising their faith.
He decided to first experience “the world” before joining the seminary, in the hope that this would help build bridges.
“Over the next few years I worked at a few different odd jobs and began a Bachelor of Business degree,” he said.
Fr James said the problem was that the longer he postponed the decision, the more he began to lose his original inspiration.
After years of discernment asking God what he wanted him to do, Fr James said a great inner struggle had developed.
“I was given the advice to not worry about it, that the Lord’s will is often found in the normalness of everyday life,” he said.
“I just needed to continue working at the job that I was at and remain open.
“The key for me was trusting in the Lord and it wasn’t long after that I believe I found what I was looking for.”
Fr James was on his lunch break from work, walking down a Melbourne street, when he heard his name being called out.
“I turned around and saw Fr Robert Stewart, the Capuchin vocations director, whom I had met briefly a few times before,” he said.
“Fr Robert proceeded to tell me about his own vocation story, which I could definitely relate to.
“He then told me about the Capuchin spirituality, which filled me with great joy.
“I felt like someone had read my heart and was putting into words my own spirituality and my deepest heart’s desire – to be a ‘lesser brother’ and to bring Jesus to the people in this way – to live humbly, simply and joyfully the Catholic faith, in a more radical way.
“This was me. I just hadn’t been able to work it out for myself.
“I felt a deep sense of inner peace and later, when I visited the friars in Hawthorn (Victoria), I felt a real sense of belonging.
“It was as though I had finally found my home.”
Fr James will return to Brisbane after the ordination and first Masses in Melbourne and be part of the Capuchin team caring for the parish of St Mary’s, South Brisbane.
“Fr Fernanto (Pananghat) is the parish priest and I’ll be supporting him,” he said.
“It’s not a big community, but it’s a beautiful little community.
“We’re just hoping to continue the good work of (former administrator) Fr Ken Howell.”
Fr James said the parish was still in a rebuilding phase after the turmoil of recent years, but they hoped to provide a “friendly, welcoming” environment for all former parishioners to return to.
“There’s a lot of opportunity around the area with the house for the homeless, prison ministry and if we can get involved in that, that’ll be great. It’s part of our charism,” he said.
“The people have been very positive since we joined them.”
Fr James will also take responsibility of a postulancy in Brisbane for young men considering joining the Capuchins.
“I’ll be postulancy director for the postulancy that starts here in Moorooka in March,” he said.
Fr James’ study in Spiritual Theology at the Pontificate University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in Rome will assist him with this task.
“I hope to serve well,” he said.
“I know I’m called to serve and that’s what gives me joy and my belief is that the Lord has a place for me.
“Hopefully I can grow in faith and love of the Lord and be able to give the little that I can.”
