Aformer seminarian at Mount Gambier and Millicent was ordained a Catholic priest in St Francis Xavier’s Cathedral in Adelaide on Saturday.
Father James Thomson, 44, left his job with a city bank in 2018 and entered the Pope John XXIII Seminary in Boston, USA, which is for mature age candidates aged over 30 years.
His studies were interrupted when COVID forced him to return home.
After studying remotely from Adelaide, Father James was ordained a deacon last September and spent his pastoral year in parishes, including St Paul’s in Mount Gambier and St Alphonsus in Millicent.
Born and raised in the United Kingdom, Father James was 27 when he migrated to Australia.
He completed his accountancy degree and worked as a credit analyst.
A parishioner at St Martin de Porres Church at Hallett Cove in suburban Adelaide, he said he was grateful to the “many people throughout my life journey who have made big sacrifices in their own lives to get me to this point”.
“I cannot help but reflect on all the different people who have influenced and impacted my life,” he said.
“It’s an incredible feeling being able to see how God has touched my life in so many ways through His people.
“But what comes with this, is also an overwhelming sense of responsibility.”
Father James was ordained by Catholic Archbishop of Adelaide Patrick O’Regan in front of family, friends and clergy, including his formation adviser Monsignor William Fay from Boston, USA.
