Celebrating Our Ordinandi
2021 Ordinandi (Left to right) Rev. Mr. John Howard Walter Flynn; Rev. Mr. Arthur Lee; Rev. Mr. Michel Quenneville; Rev. Mr. Andew Taylor; Rev. Mr. Patrick Salah; Rev. Mr. Christian Lindenbach; Rev. Mr. Kevin Adriano.
Despite the challenging times brought on by the ongoing global pandemic, by the grace of God, St. Augustine’s Seminary will have seven men representing various dioceses across the country ordained to the priesthood this year.
A date for the ordinations is still to be determined. The seven men to be ordained were, however, honoured on March 2, 2021 at a virtual Ordinandi Dinner, an annual celebration usually held in person and sponsored by the Serra Foundation of Canada and the six Serra Clubs of the Archdiocese of Toronto.
The program featured greetings from Cardinal Collins and from the Office of Vocations for the Archdiocese. It also featured, as per usual, the Ordinandi as they shared their vocation stories.
Each has their own unique journey.
Archdiocese of Toronto
Rev. Mr. Kevin Adriano
Rev. Mr. Kevin Adriano was born in the Philippines, whose family immigrated to Canada when he was nine years old. Growing up in Mississauga, his dream was to one-day be a star player in the NBA, even envisioning knocking down the game-winning shot at the buzzer to win the championship. God, however, had other plans. After a weekend youth retreat, Kevin started to feel called to a religious vocation. In prayer, Kevin could hear in the silence of his heart, God asking him to give his life to the Church. In 2010, after graduating from high school, Kevin entered into the seminary. He spent three years of formation at Serra House and completed his Bachelors of Thomistic Thought at St. Phillip’s seminary. He spent one year as a working guest at Madonna House Apostolate, in Combermere, ON. During this year, the Lord affirmed Kevin’s call to the priesthood.
Rev. Mr. Arthur Lee
Rev. Mr. Arthur Lee was born in Dorval, QC but moved to Oakville, ON as infant. He grew up there, before moving to Kingston, where he attended Queen's University to study Mathematics and Engineering. While he was active in his home parish when he was younger, he did not practice his Catholic faith when he was away at university. Upon returning home, a friend encouraged him to become more involved in his church. He did, at St. Andrew Kim Parish, through the Choice Weekend, Choir, Legion of Mary and bible study groups. One day, during a break between choir practice and Mass, the associate priest asked him a question: ‘Have you ever given priesthood a chance?’ While he had been told previously that he should become a priest, he would always say he wanted to get married and have a family. This time was different. He was open to God's call. He entered St. Augustine's in 2014.
Rev. Mr. Andrew Taylor
Rev. Mr. Andrew Taylor was born in Barrie and grew up in Aurora as the fourth of eight children. He was homeschooled during most of his elementary school years. His parents strongly emphasized the importance of faith, the Sacraments and prayer to him and his siblings from a young age. Starting in grade nine, he attended Brebeuf College School in Toronto. While he was in grade ten, he encountered Christ in a personal way through the Sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist. He began to hear a call to the priesthood later that year after being inspired by the example of St. John Paul II. After completing grade twelve in 2011, he began formation for the priesthood at Serra House while studying philosophy at St. Philip’s Seminary in Toronto. He spent one year at the Newman Centre in the University of Toronto, and then entered St. Augustine’s Seminary in 2015.
Diocese of Charlottetown
Rev. Mr. John Howard Walter Flynn
Rev. Mr. John Howard Walter Flynn was born in Sydney, NS, and is the oldest of two children. Growing up in the very small town of Beaver Cove, Cape Breton provided the perfect opportunity to get to know God through the lively faith of the community and the beauty of nature. From an early age, Walter was intrigued by the Church. He was an altar server for most of his childhood and “graduated” from server to lector in his teens. In 2001, he left Cape Breton and moved to Charlottetown, PEI to begin Nursing School at the University of Prince Edward Island. As a Registered Nurse, he worked for eight years in the Mental Health and Addictions field before he heard God calling him to serve others in another way – as a priest. He entered Saint Augustine’s Seminary in 2014 and discovered he was fulfilling his true call to heal the soul rather than the body.
Archdiocese of Regina
Rev. Mr. Christian Lindenbach
Rev. Mr. Christian Lindenbach was born in Saskatoon, moving to Regina in 2009. He pursued a degree in Religious Studies and Philosophy at Campion College at the University of Regina, where he discerned a call to the priesthood. After graduation, he attended St. Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto and completed the Spiritual Year, which he spent in prayer and discernment before starting theological studies. Christian discerned that he needed to take some time out of formation before he began his formal discernment to be a priest, and so he returned to Regina for three years, being part of a vibrant parish community, helping with catechesis and Sunday ministries. During this time, he discerned a call to marriage while he worked in corporate sales for a year, later returning to the UofR and completing a Master of Arts degree in Religious studies and the New Testament. Christian then discerned to re-apply to St. Augustine’s, and was accepted into the formation program.
Archdiocese of Kingston
Rev. Mr. Michel Quenneville
Rev. Mr. Michel Quenneville was born in Kingston and grew up in a French-speaking family as one of four kids (with a twin brother). He is grateful for the gift of Faith received in the home and is particularly thankful for the love witnessed in his mother. Growing up, his family was involved in the local francophone parish of St. François d’Assise in Kingston, but his mind was much more fixated on playing hockey and enjoying the outdoors. Avid for adventure and serving his country, he joined the Army as a Reservist and later entered an engineering program at Queen’s University. It was in university that he came to encounter Jesus Christ personally and first started feeling drawn to the priesthood. He graduated and moved to Calgary to work as a Chemical Engineer. There, he felt the Lord working on his heart and drawing him more and more to Himself. In 2014, he left Calgary, returning to Kingston, and was accepted at St. Augustine’s Seminary in Toronto.
Archdiocese of Halifax-Yarmouth
Rev. Mr. Patrick Salah
Rev. Mr. Patrick Salah is from Halifax, Nova Scotia. After graduating high school, he earned a Bachelor of Music Degree from Dalhousie University’s Fountain School of Performing Arts, while simultaneously working as Director of Music at Saint Benedict Parish. During this period, he found himself going through some struggles and difficulties, which led him to doubt his path in life. Finding himself alone one summer’s afternoon in Halifax’s St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica, Patrick turned to prayer. In the silence of the Cathedral, he heard God say to him, ‘You’re where you need to be for now.’ In time, Patrick heard God calling him to the priesthood. He graduated from Dalhousie in 2015 and began formation at St. Augustine’s Seminary that fall. When he left Halifax for the seminary, he thought it would mean leaving his musical life behind. But removed from the academic rigor of musical studies, Patrick fell in love with music all over again, and he shared that love with the seminary community.