I am delighted to announce that Fr. Peter Walker SSC (pictured with a former curate, Fr. Stather SSC) has been Canonised in Chelmsford Cathedral. Father Peter is parish priest at S. James the Great in Colchester, (website here) It was the last parish I worshipped in as a layman and the place in which my vocation to the priesthood was nurtured and blossomed. The magnificent building, dating from the 12th Century, is pictured below:
I arrived at S. James’, a rather lax Anglican with an evangelical background, in order to teach year 4 at the local church primary school. Whilst passionate about the faith, I had never really enjoyed church, feeling it did not suit me and I did not suit it! But all of that was about to change! I still recall the first Sunday, Fr Peter was away and someone called +Edwin was covering, clouds of incense alerting me to something new. It was my first encounter with devout and orthodox Catholicism and it affected me deeply. Over the course of the following three years I was challenged, encouraged and educated…and the rest, as they say, is history! I had arrived fairly disinterested in the church, I left giving my whole life to it! Not only had the doctrine and worship lit up my soul, I was deeply moved and impressed by the utter dedication which Father Peter showed to the parish. He was an important part of my journey into the priesthood (though being humble I suspect he does not know that) and that is why I feel an especial joy that he has been recognised formally as the excellent priest that he is. Well done Fr. Peter- and thank you for all you did for the parish, and for me. Doesn’t he look good in red piping!
I offer the personal account of my journey to faith in order to flag up vocations. God is the one who calls but every potential priest needs encouragment and help from fellow Christians. Do you have a vocation? Do you know someone who might? Are you doing everything you can to foster vocations to the priesthood? Do you try and encourage people to at least consider the possibility? These are questions we should all be asking as we seek to build God’s kingdom on earth. It is also the reason that S. Barnabas is supporting ‘the Additional Curate’s Society’ this Lent. We join them in praying that God will continue to provide us with good and holy priests for his church….shame about the end product at S. Barnabas I guess, but then -if God calls me- it proves he can call anyone!
