Adrian O'Flynn

My name is Adrian O'Flynn and I am from Auckland. I grew up in South Auckland with my father and two brothers. I attended De La Salle College from years 7 to 13. After finishing secondary school I went to the University of Auckland where I completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Laws. After finishing university I worked as a lawyer for about 5 years mostly specialising in tax at the Inland Revenue Department down in Wellington but I also worked in Auckland at a private law firm.

I grew up in a non-Catholic but Christian home, however, I was always interested in the Catholic Church. During my time when I was living in Wellington I felt God calling me to a deeper relationship with Him. I felt God leading me to an understanding of Him that was more adult similar to what St Paul wrote about putting aside childish ways to become a man. As part of this journey I was led to St Mary of the Angles where I undertook the Rites of Christian Initiation of Adults with Fr. Thige O'Leary SM. This is where I first came into contact with the Marists.

After being received into the Church I started to have a sense that God was calling into the priesthood. At first the thought was just in the background and I didn't really think about it that often. However, the sense of God's call became stronger and I kept coming back to the idea of being a preist. At the end of 2008 I contact Fr. Pat Brophy the vocations director for the Society of Mary. I was put into contact with Fr. Neil Vaney who accompanied me in a year of discernment. During 2009 I was discerning whether my vocation was the priesthood. I met with Fr. Neil once a month and went over what it meant to be a priest and looking at the different vows.

During my year of accompaniment I was stretched and challenged to think about where God wants me. During the year I met with a number of people that helped me and, the Society of Mary, to determine whether I should come to the Seminary. Although I am in the Seminary my discernment isn't over – it's an ongoing process. However, I have a sense and a peace that God wants me here.