Reflections on Faith and Prayer

“I think one of the beautiful things about ministry is that God does give you these gifts, and he allows you to use them in a different way.” Join Fr. Craig and Fr. Drew as they invite Fr. Brian Meldrum to share his vocation story. Fr. Brian grew up Catholic and served as a music minister following his college graduation. After taking classes at Sacred Heart Major Seminary as a lay student, he entered as a seminarian. Fr. Brian is now back at Sacred Heart once more as a Scripture professor. He and the hosts highlight how seminarians and priests can use their God-given talents and creativity. 

(0:04) The hosts welcome Fr. Brian Meldrum, a Sacred Heart Major Seminary Scripture professor. Fr. Brian describes teaching courses and his previous experience as a music minister. The priests discuss exercising God-given talents: “And I think one of the beautiful things about ministry is that God does give you these gifts, and he allows you to use them in a different way.” Fr. Drew shares about ministering at a hospital and saying Mass for the homebound, while Fr. Craig says that he had the opportunity to go hunting recently.

(18:21) Vocation story: Fr. Brian grew up in a Catholic family and attended Catholic school for 12 years. In college, he learned more about his faith due to questions from his non-Catholic friends. Following college, Fr. Brian worked in music ministry in his home parish. His priest was supportive of his participation in the parish and suggested that he attend seminary classes: “I love that approach that it was always just an invitation because, again, people recognize things in us that we sometimes don't see in ourselves at the time.” Fr. Brian had previously considered becoming a priest but “was so quick to talk myself out of it” at that time. 

(26:43) Fr. Brian took classes as a lay student at Sacred Heart Major Seminary: “And that was great 'cause it got me in the building, got me interacting with guys who would become brother seminarians and brother priests.” He encourages men to enter the seminary, which “is really the place where discernment has to happen.” Fr. Brian experienced peace and fraternity while in the seminary. He highlights how God uses the gifts of each priest to build up the Body of Christ. The priests discuss theatrical productions at Sacred Heart and other ways that seminarians can be creative or engage in hobbies. 

(41:45) Fr. Brian was ordained in 2015 and served his first assignment at Our Lady of the Lakes Parish. Next, he earned a degree in Scripture at the request of Archbishop Vigneron and now teaches at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. The priests discuss questions about the Book of Daniel and the subjects of Fr. Brian’s two theses: the Books of Ezra and Nehemiah and the account of the plagues in Exodus. 

(53:52) Advice to a discerning man: Fr. Brian suggests reading the Scriptural account of the call of Samuel. He also recommends “to carve out time in your day for prayer, especially in front of the Blessed Sacrament,” as well as “to know that the relationship with God grows in silence.” Fr. Brian closes the episode in prayer.