I almost became a priest

Let me start at the beginning and tell you what almost happened with my life. I almost became a priest. Seriously – don’t roll on the floor laughing and don’t get chocked – it’s a fact! So how did this come about and what made me even think about a life in a Christian seminary? When I look back, I guess it was the way we were brought up. No it was not all about non- stop prayers , fasting , the bible , penance and the like but there were some things we were taught as young kids ( my cousins and myself by our Aunt Addie ) and till date I am thankful for the same . I do remember kneeling down and praying a short prayer every evening after dinner, making novenas occasionally (especially just before I was to get my report card) and going to church once a week. No, I was not the holy types ,there was never a halo shining over my head , nor was I very keen on all this religious stuff but there was no choice! My aunt was a strict lady who brooked no nonsense – when she said, “let’s say our prayers”, we said them, even though my mind was often elsewhere. One look from her was enough. Studying in a Christian ( catholic school ) St Joseph’s in Allahabad added to the religious part – there was Catechism classes ( religious teaching ) – like a Moral science every day , there was chapel once a week , there were retreats ( which were day long or week-long stay in camps which were fun because of the company ) and all this obviously got ingrained in my personality . Then there was a seminary across the road in the same campus as our school, so we often went there to see the trainee priests playing football and basketball – they were very good at both. They seemed to be leading fun lives as well – at least that is what they told us and what we saw . As a young teenager I lived just about ten minutes from our church and there was not much to do on most days , it being a small town - so a few of us were in church regularly - we helped with cleaning the church , painting and polishing the wood and the brass , assisting at the weekend mass and religious functions & helping to decorate the church on special occasions . It was fun, there were plenty of girls and boys to mix with and as teens that was definitely an added attraction. Then there was the Christmas Carol singing, where about twenty of us went around every evening for a few days in Mid-December in a school bus, visiting houses, singing carols , being offered snacks, being given a donation for the church and the like and in general having a blast . As I played the guitar I was quite in demand and I liked the attention (had to admit that). The church also had an annual fee and a dance for charity which a few of us helped organize – I am sure you see, how very gradually, and without any conscious effort , the church became part and parcel of many of our lives . You who are reading this must realize that way back then there were no pubs, no mobile phones , no malls, no TV , no internet – but life was fun ! However, there was something else – and this is the truth so read on. The parish priest – a very nice man - seemed to live an extremely comfortable life. He had a large house to stay in , within the church compound , rode a lovely scooter , had a servant and apparently had not much to do – or so we assumed and this was a big plus point! He was popular, was always invited out to parties and dinners and never seemed to have a care in the world. Whenever I looked at him, I envied his life. I somehow imagined people calling me Father Michael and that thrilled me! Now when I think back, studying was not something many of us were keen on – I for one had not thought much about the future – money or property was not something I was going to inherit and hence I made up my mind that being a priest was what I wanted to do with my life . It seemed the easiest thing in the world. However what man proposes, God disposes – sounds odd in this context though! I guess, once I grew older, I realized that priesthood was not for me by a mile and I went into teaching and life took a turn of its own. Just thought about this a short while ago – Just a Priest? After so many years I may have even become a Bishop by now! Now that would be something – Not just Father Michael but His Lordship !