The series of interviews will be a string of light-hearted questions for men of the faith to hopefully shine a light on them as people. This interview is with Fr Ian Hellyer MA who is a converted church of England priest.
When did you decide to become a priest?
My sense of being called to be a priest really began in earnest when I was a university student in my early twenties. I was then taking part in spiritual exercises in the tradition of St Ignatius of Loyola. It seemed to come out quite clearly that God wanted me to offer myself to the church for sacred ministry.
Why did you become a priest?
Well I initially thought I was being ordained priest as an Anglican back in 1996. However, as we know, the Catholic Church declared Anglican Orders to be null and void, I was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood in
2011. However, my motivation was common throughout, I believed I was called by God to serve Him in this way. I believed that pleasing God was more important than anything else.
What is one of your favourite things about being a priest?
It is certainly offering the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.
What is one thing that most people do not know about being a priest that would surprise them?
It might be how exhausting or draining offering the mass is. It was certainly a surprise to me.
What is your favourite drink?
Beer. And not the weak pale stuff people call Lager! Proper English beer at room temperature!!
What is your favourite meal?
Indian cuisine.
What is something that you are passionate about outside of church and faith?
I love the natural world. I can spend hours looking at birds or animals etc.
Which Saint has inspired you?
As a young man it was St Francis of Assisi. I liked how resolute he was. Later it was St Anthony the Great.
What book would you recommend people to read?
The Holy Bible of course, because by the Holy Spirit one can hear the very Word of God. I think people should read and meditate on the Book of Psalms in particular.
What is one of your favourite books?
Amongst novels it would be The Lord of the Rings.
What was one of the hardest issues in your conversion?
Well it was very hard searching my heart over the various theological differences between the Catholic Church’s magisterial teaching and the Anglican Church. This was agony! It took nearly 10 years working through that. Until the Ordinariate was proposed, I also found it difficult to imagine letting go of what I perceived to be the good and faithful things about being Anglican. Once the idea of the Ordinariate was presented that difficulty was overcome (thanks to Pope Benedict XVI). The very practical difficulty was that I was married with a large family and by converting I would lose both home and income.
What made you convert?
I converted because I no longer believed all that Anglicanism stood for and I came to believe the truth that the Catholic Church teaches. Some of the issues that I saw was problematic in Anglicanism was moral teaching especially the life issues, but also ecclesiology and opening holy orders to women.
When did you decide to become a Catholic priest?
I offered myself for Holy Orders as part of the conversion process from Anglicanism to the Catholic Church in the Ordinariate. Of course, the Church did not have to accept me! However, after prayer,
scrutiny, and passing a faculties exam, I was accepted by the CDF and a dispensation from clerical celibacy was granted by the Pope. I also had to make a whole raft of solemn promises and in particular as a married man, I solemnly promised that if my wife died, I would not seek marriage again.
What is the best piece of advice you would give to someone on the fence about converting?
First, seek the truth. Second, pray much. Third, I would try to convey how joyful it is be a Catholic. I have never for one moment regretted it.
RC