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Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst
Year in Review 2016
FORMATION & EDUCATION
Adi Indra heads to rome for
further studies
A
t the end of 2015, Bishop Les invited me to continue my studies and formation to the
priesthood at the North American College (NAC) and Pontifical Gregorian University
in Rome.
With profound gratitude and great humility I accepted his invitation. At this stage, the plan
for me is to finish my Theology degree before going into specialisation of a specific area
of theology that can benefit the Diocese upon my return. Thank you Bishop Les for your
confidence and this invitation.
I left the lovely people in Sandhurst Diocese and my brother seminarians at Corpus Christi
College in Carlton with a heavy heart. However, I trust in God and his providence for me. I’m
not the only Sandhurstian in Rome, because Fr Jake Mudge is also currently studying over
there. Thank God. Plus, I have a few other Australians who are also studying at the NAC. I
arrived in Rome in early July, 2016.
Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to do a parish placement in St Brendan’s Shepparton
before I left for Rome. I really enjoyed my time in Shepp, and three months just felt too
short. I am very grateful for the guidance of Fr Joe Taylor, my parish priest and also Fr Berny
Agustines. I was exposed to many areas of pastoral work in the parish to equip me to be a
shepherd after God’s own heart (cf. Jer 3:15).
Pope Francis once said to seminarians, “Dear seminarians, what you are preparing for is not
a profession; you are not training to work in a business or a bureaucratic organisation.” My
parish placement was certainly a great opportunity to put this into practice. We are training
to serve God and his people in the Church, to be the missionaries of God’s mercy, which the
world desperately needs.
This trip to Rome is certainly a gift from God. It is a great time to be exposed to the universal
Church at her centre in Rome, especially during the papacy of Pope Francis. I also see this
trip as a mission trip, not just my mission, but a mission for us all in the Diocese of Sandhurst
where I hope to serve in the future.
Please pray for me.
Pictured above:
Adi Indra
, right,
in Rome