James Martin

What did you do prior to entering seminary?
Prior to entering the seminary, I was working in the field of accounting. I completed 2 maternity leave contracts at 2 different companies. My first contract was at Pride Seeds as their Accounting Coordinator. The second one was at Guspro as the Accounting Assistant.

What influenced your decision to apply for seminary entrance?
There were many influences that guided me to St. Peters Seminary. Besides the London Diocese Shrine (Our Lady of The Rosary Shrine) which I served at on a weekly basis, the most influential reason would be Catholic priests in general. From our previous vocation’s director Fr. Patrick, the Rosarians at the shrine to hearing vocations stories from priests such as Fr. Donald Calloway.

Why do you want to be a priest?
The reason I would like to be a priest is to bring the light of Christ to our dark world. Bringing hope to those who have none. 

What are your favorite pastimes?
My favorite pass times would include playing hockey, playing certain video games, enjoying movies and reading. 

What is your favorite quote?
My favorite quote would be from the Lord of the rings. Sam proclaims this amazing speech to which Frodo asks Sam at the end of his speech “What are we holding onto Sam?”. Sam then replies with “That there’s some good left in this world, Mr. Frodo, and it’s worth fighting for”. 

Who is your favorite Saint and why?
My favorite Saint would have to be St. Therese of Lisieux. Her love for Christ from such a young age is very inspiring. Also, how she found a deep meaning for our Lord through her many sufferings is so beautiful. Offering up our own suffering to the Lord is something our world has lost and I believe St. Therese can help us find meaning within our suffering for Christ. 

What advice would you give to a young man thinking about the seminary?
Advice would be this, to trust in God and pray. Praying to our Lord, our Blessed Mother and the Saints will help to deepen and strengthen your relationship with the Father. Prayer will then lead to trusting. Trusting that God wants you to enter the seminary. Although it may seem scary to enter the seminary, if you pray and trust, the fear will diminish and joy will be what is left.