Thank you for your prayers.

This year’s Diocesan Discernment Conference was very fruitful and I thank Canon Gerard Flynn and Fr. John Cooke for their work, and thanks to the panel who oversaw the process. The outcomes depend on some final work yet to be done, but for now, I ask your prayers for four men who will, God willing, go forward to seminary in the autumn:
• John Aburn, who will go the Royal English College, Valladolid in Spain;
• Aloysius Atkinson, who will go to Allen Hall in London;
• Owen Dugan, who will go to St Mary’s College, Oscott; and
• Farvin Gonsalves, who will go to Allen Hall in London.

They will join nine other men currently in formation for the sacred priesthood in our Diocese of Portsmouth.

Here is a prayer to say: “Loving God, your Son, Jesus, has shown us that an open heart finds the way. Help me to find my way in this world. Keep my heart open to following Jesus’ way of serving others in love. Give me the courage to accept the guidance you offer me through my family, my friends, and my parish community. Through the Holy Spirit, you call me to a particular way of life. If it is the way of a priest, sister, brother or deacon, then help me to walk it in joyful service to your people. With you, my God, I know I can find my way. Amen.”