Priest Training and Vocations Annual Update 2022 - Final Content - 24-3-2022

Good Shepherd Sunday 2022
Priest Training and Vocations Annual Update
Message from Vocations Director – Fr Paul Kyne
The past 12 months has seen an increase in men coming forward to speak with our
Vocations Team regarding a possible calling to priesthood. It appears the lockdown of
our society afforded some time, space and perhaps silence to enable these young men
to hear the gentle voice of God speak directly to their heart. Discerning a calling to
priesthood can initially be quite daunting where a number of concerns may arise for a
variety of reasons. The Archdiocese of Southwark is blessed to have a very capable and
dedicated Vocations Team who work with these young men to gently encourage them
to discern God’s purpose for their lives. As a priest it is great privilege for me to be part
of their discernment journey.
Last year we regrettably saw the closure of St John’s seminary in Wonersh, however
this meant that our seminarians had the joy of moving into Allen Hall Seminary, located
in Chelsea and Kensington, to study with seminarians from all over England and Wales
including the Diocese of Westminster, Brighton & Arundel, Cardiff and Plymouth. They also study with seminarians from various
religious orders such as the Salesians, Vincentians and the Augustinians. In total there are currently 59 seminarians receiving
formation at Allen Hall Seminary. You can read more about Allen Hall overleaf.
In the summer we hope to ordain 3 men to the priesthood within our Archdiocese and a further man will be ordained a deacon
in preparation for priesthood next year. We give great thanks to Jesus Christ for the great gift of these men to His Church and
for their courage and generosity of heart in responding to His call. Thank you for your support and please continue to pray for
your current and future priests.
Deacon Allan McDonald, Stephen Trafford, Deacon Joseph Gulliford and Deacon Michael Etuka
Southwark Seminarians in Allen Hall Library

Message from Rector of Allen Hall - Canon John O’Leary
A great joy for Allen Hall Seminary this year was
welcoming five Southwark seminarians: three deacons
(Allan, Joseph and Michael), with us Tuesday to
Thursday, but otherwise in parishes; Stephen, who has
just begun the joint pontifical and civil degree we offer
in partnership with Mater Ecclesiae College and St
Mary’s University, Twickenham; finally, Frazer,
currently on his extended pastoral placement at
Croydon. Understandably, there was sadness at the
closure of their former seminary, St John’s, Wonersh.
However, that loss has certainly been our gain. All five
contribute splendidly to Allen Hall.
Allen Hall is in Chelsea, just off the King’s Road, close to Battersea Bridge. St Thomas More’s house once occupied this site. The
famous mulberry tree under which King Henry VIII had many conversations with St Thomas still stands in our grounds. The
presence of this great martyr remains keenly felt. As is the inspiring witness of the 158 martyrs of Douai College. We trace our
roots back to Douai, founded in northern France in 1568 by Cardinal William Allen. It formed priests to serve the dangerous mission
in England and Wales. In 1793, because of the French Revolution, the College moved to Ware in Hertfordshire. Then come 1975,
when the enclosed nuns dedicated to perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament offered their convent to Westminster Diocese,
the seminary moved here and was renamed Allen Hall.
I became Rector just last September, having for the previous two years served as Vice-Rector and Dean of Studies. It is a great and
extremely humbling responsibility. I am very much aware of my own weaknesses. Nevertheless, relying on the Lord’s strength, I
pray that my parish experience (Brook Green, Tottenham, Shepherd’s Bush, Holborn, Kingsland and Finsbury Park), so too
appointments as a university chaplain and Private Secretary to Cardinal Nichols, contribute in some way to our seminarians’
formation.
‘Formation’ is the preferred term, rather than ‘training’ or ‘studying’ for the priesthood. There are four integrated dimensions to
this formation: human (grace does not bypass, still less destroy, the seminarians’ humanity; rather in and through it, grace brings
them ever closer to Jesus’ perfect humanity); spiritual (union with the Lord through a living, loving and transforming relationship
with him); intellectual (growth in human and divine wisdom by entering more deeply into the mystery of the Word made flesh);
and pastoral (becoming one with the Good Shepherd, our servant-king who laid down his life for us). At the heart of being formed
into ‘another Christ’ is Christ’s gift of himself in the Eucharist.
In this newsletter you can discover more about this journey of formation your seminarians are undertaking. Please pray for them.
Pray, too, that there will be many more Southwark seminarians for Allen Hall to welcome joyfully. Thank you and God bless.
Seminarians in the Allen Hall Chapel
Seminarians in the classroom at Allen Hall

Stories from our Seminarians
Stephen Trafford, Third Year Seminarian
We all have our own stories of how we have come to discover our vocation and we should be
grateful for the different ways in which the Lord Jesus reveals Himself to us. I grew up in
Sittingbourne, Kent, within a non-practicing Christian family. One night, aged fourteen, I read
the story of C.S Lewis’ conversion to Christianity and it had a profound impact upon me. It was
then that I started to pray, accepting the gift of my baptism. I was received into the Roman
Catholic Church (from Anglicanism) at the age of 21, before starting what would be a six-year
career teaching Religion and Philosophy in Catholic schools. I can certainly say that my life was
changed by the recognition that I am a child of God and we are all called to holiness, despite our
own failings and brokenness.
My journey to seminary had much to do with my home parish in Sittingbourne. It was through
my involvement in this community, to whom I owe so much, and through experiences of prayer
before the Blessed Sacrament, that I came to realise that Christ may be calling me to serve His
people as a priest. I now find myself in my third year of formation at Allen Hall Seminary in London.
Formation has not always been easy; you are
consistently challenged and come to know yourself in a
way which you haven’t before. You also become very
much aware of the sacrifices that need to be made in
the life of a priest. I have found particular joy and
strength this year in my pastoral placement at St
Joseph’s Pastoral Centre, Hendon, (LEFT) which
supports people with intellectual disabilities. It is a
purposeful and joyful community, and the people I help
have also helped me to appreciate my gifts and talents.
A place such as St Joseph’s helps you to see concretely
the worth and dignity of every human being.
Stephen Trafford teaching pottery at St Joseph’s
Pastoral Centre
Deacon Joseph Gulliford, Sixth year seminarian
It took until my late teens and early twenties before I started to think about
having a Priestly vocation. It was then that it grew and burnt like a flame in
my heart, catching me unaware at times. I considered doing many other
things, taking different paths but it was as if I could never find rest. I met a
beautiful woman and for all intents and purposes planned on marrying her,
but I had this itching hole in my heart that would not leave me a moment’s
peace. In surrendering to God’s plans and entering Seminary, there has been
a deep and abiding peace that has not left me, despite many ups and downs.
Seminary life is not easy and the discipline of it has not always suited
someone like me, feeling like a threat to my spontaneity and creativity, but
there is no doubt that God has used it to fashion me into the Priest He has
called me to be. Since becoming a Deacon, I have felt great joy assisting at
Mass, preaching and being so close to Jesus at the altar. I cannot wait to be
able to help people encounter Jesus and experience His healing and
deliverance as a Priest.

Frazer Bellfield, Fourth Year Seminarian
I can’t quite believe that I’ve now spent four years in formation for the priesthood,
ordination is getting nearer, but there is still much prayer, work and study to achieve first.
I’m currently on my extended pastoral placement, this is when we leave the academic
study of the priesthood to experience the practical study of being immersed into the daily
life of a parish for the period of one year. I’ve been very fortunate to be sent to a very
busy and vibrant city parish with seven Sunday masses, and 2,000 active parishioners! It
is a great joy and a daily reminder of my vocation to work alongside a team of dedicated
and hardworking priests assisting at baptisms, marriages, and funerals. One of the
greatest challenges
has been to learn so
many names and try
my best to get them
right! The parish
placement has not
only reminded me that God is calling me to the priesthood, but
enforced that deep sense of vocation. It has given me a taste of
what is sweet, and also bitter about the life and work of the
priest, one moment I will be preparing children for first Holy
Communion, the next praying with a dying person in the
hospital chaplaincy, and then helping the sacristan lift
something high above the sanctuary.
Frazer interpreting for His Holiness Pope Francis
Is God is calling you?
“Each one of us is called – whether to the lay life in marriage, to the priestly life in the ordained ministry, or to a life of
special consecration; in order to become a witness of the Lord, here and now” Pope Francis
If you have a calling to the Catholic Priesthood or the Diaconate please contact Fr Paul Kyne on vocations@rcaos.org.uk.
You can also find information on the Archdiocese of Southwark website https://www.rcsouthwark.co.uk/vocations
Upcoming Events and News
You are welcome to join us for the following events, it would be great to share these experiences with you.
Archdiocese of Southwark Ordinations 2022 – Three of our men will be ordained by Archbishop Wilson on Saturday
16 th July at 12.30pm, and one man on the 1 st October at 11:30am, all will take place at St George’s Cathedral. These
ordinations are open to all to join, and we suggest arriving early for a seat.
‘Here I am, Send Me’ Tuesday 24 th May from 7pm – 8pm. God has a definite plan and purpose for all of our lives. Some
men receive a unique call to be a Catholic priest or deacon, and some women are also called to religious life. Join Fr
Paul Kyne, seminarian Stephen Trafford, Sister Aelred and Fr Stephen Morrison to hear about vocations and following a
religious life. Please RSVP to Laura Dudhee if you would like to attend lauradudhee@rcaos.org.uk
Donate online via: rcaos.org.uk/donate/PTF or scan QR code
Website: www.rcaos.org.uk/donate/PTF
Priest Training Fund, Bowen House
59 Westminster Bridge Road, London. SE1 7JE
Email: fundriasing@rcaos.org.uk Tel: 020 7960 2504
Registered Charity no. 1173050