Fr Adi Indra is looking forward to the next Vocations Discernment Session, which will focus on the first foundational aspect of discernment – prayer. 

“God is always speaking to us, but sometimes we can be too distracted to hear his voice,” said Fr Adi. “Hopefully, we can help enrich the prayer life of participants, so they are better able to ‘hear’ the life they are being called to,” he says.

The Vocations Discernment Program was initiated to accompany young men considering the priesthood on their discernment journey. “I think it’s a great initiative,” said Fr Adi who first heard the idea floated at the Council of Priests in September last year. “We learned of young men who had been Pilgrims at World Youth Day in Lisbon and who were seriously considering the priesthood. We wanted to support them in a responsive and appropriate way,” he said.

As Pope Francis reminds us in his first of twelve Catechesis on Discernment (August 2022), discernment is ‘demanding’ and requires ‘hard work’. To accompany these men along their discernment journey, a team of young priests, Fr Nathan Verallo (Vocations Director), Fr Jackson Saunders (Shepparton) and Fr Adi Indra (Wodonga), was charged with developing and implementing a Program to accompany and support these men in a prayerful, fraternal environment.

At the first Vocations Discernment gathering held in November last year, this trio of young priests worked collaboratively with participants to develop a series of Vocations Discernment sessions. In February this year, Fr Jake Mudge assisted by facilitating a session focusing on human formation. The third session, on 26 May, will focus on the inextricable relationship between prayer and discernment, expressed by Pope Francis himself:

“Whether we are trying to discern a major life choice, or live in greater conformity to God's will, the best way to grow in that relationship and to become attuned to God's voice is to spend time in prayer. It allows God to enter into our decision making and helps us to understand what God is calling us to do.”

Catechesis On Discernment: 3. The elements of discernment. Familiarity with the Lord

Fr Adi wants young people considering a vocation to cultivate a habit of prayer and deepen their relationship with God so that they are better able to listen with open hearts – knowing when it is God speaking, or someone else. “Like St Teresa of Avila says, at the core of prayer is a friendship with God, but how do we cultivate that friendship with God? That’s what we’ll be working on,” he says.

“Many young people today have very little experience with the habit of prayer,” says Fr Adi. He agrees that prayer doesn’t have to be formal but suggests that for someone who is seriously considering applying for the seminary, committing to a habit of prayer is integral to their discernment journey. “St Paul asks us to ‘pray without seizing’, and there are beautiful rituals such as the Liturgy of the Hours which can help all of us to build a habit of prayer and hear God’s voice,” he says.

Fr Adi was ordained a Priest of Sandhurst in July 2021. As a priest who went through his vocation discernment journey not so long ago, he is well placed to share his experience with others. Fr Adi admits that discernment isn’t always “smooth sailing”. As Pope Francis writes:

“…We do not find set before us, pre-packaged, the life we are to live ... (God) created us free and wants us to exercise our freedom. Therefore, discerning is demanding.”

Catechesis on Discernment 1: What does it mean to discern?’

Discernment doesn’t always mean you’ll have all the answers easily either:

“Discernment does not claim absolute certainty; it’s not a chemically pure method … because it is about life, and life is not always logical.”

Catechesis On Discernment: 3. The elements of discernment. Familiarity with the Lord

“Every day I am maturing in my vocation, and I keep nurturing my vocation with prayer,” says Fr Adi. “That’s the way I know God wants me to live out my life, so I can love him more and love his people more. I have chosen to serve people with my whole life. At the same time, it’s not about me as a person. It’s about being a channel of God’s love; how can I pass on this love to others? Ultimately, the main vocation is to be like Jesus.”

Vocations Program:
Fr Adi, Fr Nathan and Fr Jackson invite anyone who is interested in discerning their Vocation to join them at an upcoming Vocations Information Session.

At St Kilian’s Presbytery,
161 McCrae Street Bendigo

On Sunday, 26 May 2024
at 2:00 p.m. until around dinner time.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Fr Nathan Verallo, Director of Vocations

Tel: 03 5722 1970
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Please pray for all who are seeking guidance in their vocation.

If you are interested in reading Pope Francis’ Catechesis on Discernment, please go to:

https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/audiences/2022.index.html