ONE of the first things I noticed when myself and my colleague Andrea entered the Vincentian Fathers House in Grudë e Re—and briefly escaped the searing heat of an Albania summer—was a simple fledgling house plant, tied to two broom handles to assist its growth. It was an image that made me realise that this place is somewhere that is rooted in love, care and support and it’s an image that leans into the famous phrase uttered by St Vincent De Paul himself, ‘love is inventive

VERITABLY, we have both been pastoral guinea pigs this year. The majority of priestly formation takes place in the seminary structure—for us, in the Scots College in Rome. However, this year, the Bishop’s Conference of Scotland has implemented a new phase of training, taking place around the half-way point of our studies.