I am in Italy at the moment taking the opportunity for a couple of weeks study before spending time with friends in the north of the country.

A happy coincidence of these study weeks is that I was at the same school as a couple of dozen seminarians newly arrived from the United States. I have been inspired by their stories and their enthusiasm as they began this new stage of their adventure in faith. Most of them had already spent a year or two at seminaries in the US and have now been asked by their bishops to continue their seminary studies in Rome.

As I was hearing these American stories of faith and vocational call, I was even more inspired to hear this podcast from one of our own Christchurch New Zealand seminarians. Monty Bamford, who was raised in the Hurunui parish and was interviewed last week.

The full hour of conversation is worth listening to, and you might like to share this link with anyone you think might be discerning a possible call to live fully as a priest.

Thanks Monty!