The seminarians of Holy Spirit Seminary in Harris Park travelled to Melbourne recently to participate in the annual seminary soccer tournament. The tournament brought together seminarians from different seminaries across Australia, including Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Wagga Wagga. Altogether, about 145 seminarians participated in this special gathering.
At first, the tournament, which was held on 11 September, might seem to be simply a sporting event. However, for me, it became much more than playing soccer. It was an opportunity to experience fraternity, friendship, teamwork, and the beauty of sharing our vocation with other young men who are discerning and preparing for priestly ministry.
There was a beautiful meeting among seminarians from different parts of Australia. Although we come from different backgrounds, cultures, dioceses and seminaries, we share something very important: we are all responding to God’s call and discerning how we can serve Him and His people.
We all are busy with formations such as studies, prayer, pastoral activities, responsibilities and many personal challenges. So, spending time together outside the classroom and chapel allows us to know one another in a more relaxed and natural way. This is because the deepest meaning of formation is to experience reality, not simply obey or follow the rules. Therefore, meeting one another helped us realise that vocation does not belong to one particular place or community. God continues to call people in different circumstances and from diverse backgrounds to serve His Church.
The tournament gave the seminarians the opportunity to experience friendship and teamwork. Image: Supplied
Soccer itself taught us several important lessons about priestly formation. Soccer is a team sport. No individual player can win a game alone. Every person has a different position and responsibility, but everyone works towards the same goal. This is very similar to life as experienced in the Church.
In ministry, a priest does not work alone. He works together with other priests, religious, lay people, families and the wider Christian community. Each person has different gifts, but all are called to contribute to the mission of Christ.
The tournament also revealed important virtues, such humility and healthy competition. As we are learning together with Bishop David Walker, our seminary spiritual director, every moment and every person we encounter are teaching us about the virtue of God.
Rector of Holy Spirit Seminary Fr Paul Marshall, pictured in a beanie, with seminarians during the tournament. Image: Supplied
In sport, sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. We experience moments of success, as well as disappointment. What matters is how we respond to both. Winning should not make us arrogant, and losing should not make us discouraged. Instead, both experiences can teach us to remain humble, grateful and respectful towards others.
Another is the importance of healthy competition. Competition does not necessarily mean that we are against one another. It can motivate us to give our best while still respecting our opponents. During the tournament, we competed seriously, but at the same time we were brothers. This reminded me that Christian fraternity does not mean that we always must agree or do everything together. Rather, it means that we can recognise the dignity of another person even when we are competing with them.
Most importantly, the tournament gave me an opportunity to experience the beauty of vocation in community. Seeing so many seminarians gathered together was encouraging. About 145 young men were participating in one event, each with his own story and journey, but all connected by a desire to discover and respond to God’s call. It reminded us that our vocation is personal, but it is never individualistic. God calls each of us personally, but He calls us to serve within a community.
About 145 seminarians from around the country took part in the tournament. Image: Supplied
Ultimately, the seminary soccer tournament was not only about winning a trophy. It was about building fraternity and recognising the beauty of our shared vocation. It recalled that formation happens not only in the chapel, classroom, or pastoral placement, but also through ordinary experiences of friendship and community. How are we able to transform the ordinary to the extraordinary?
The greatest lesson from the tournament is that the beauty of vocation is found not only in serving God but also in sharing that journey with others. Through friendship, fraternity, teamwork, humility and joy, we discover that God continues to form us through the people He places in our lives. It was a joyful reminder that we are brothers, we are on the same journey and together we are learning how to serve God and His people.
Flavio Soares is a seminarian at the Holy Spirit Seminary, in Harris Park.
His reflection is an example of the Diocesan Pastoral Plan priorities of Mission and Formation. Visit Synodality to learn more.
