This was one of the questions asked of Fr Anthony Denton, Director of Vocations for the Archdiocese of Melbourne, by a young child from a Primary School he visited recently.

As part of ‘nurturing a culture of vocations’, Fr Denton, together with one of the senior seminarians from Corpus Christi College, spends one morning per week going to Catholic schools to speak to students about priestly vocations.  The format usually includes both Fr Denton and the seminarian telling their “vocation story”, showing the 20 minute DVD Fishers of Men – an excellent exposé of priestly life, and answering students’ questions.

The response of the students to these visits has been extremely positive – the children are delightful, enthusiastic, eager to listen, and have some intriguing questions.  They also really enjoy the Is God Calling You? lollipops which Father distributes!

When asked “What’s it like, being a priest?” Fr Denton replied, “That’s a really good question…”, which gave him time to think.  He then went on to invite the children to consider that on the day of ordination a priest goes from being, on one day, a member of the congregation, to the next day being a priest and celebrating Mass.  He told them that this was a very humbling experience.  Coming at the end of seven years of study (which must seem an interminable time to children who have not been alive for much longer), ordination is nevertheless a dramatic transition, and being a priest is a whole new way of life.  “Unlike other jobs, being a priest is not so much about what you do, as who you are,” Fr Denton said. 

So far Fr Denton and the seminarian have visited 9 schools, with a further 16 booked throughout the year.  There are additional dates available if schools wish to contact Catholic Vocations (ph. 9926 5733) to make a time.