(This story is published anonymously at the author's request.)

My father was a freemason who only went to church on Harvest festival. My mother rarely practised as an Anglican. Their reason for living was their farm. The atmosphere at home was decidedly Puritan. I sang in the choir, perhaps because I was searching for the love not found at home, and thought of becoming a vicar, but my father firmly crushed that idea.

One evening, full of guilt, I went to see our lay preacher and was soon ejected into the night. I then walked to the nearby cathedral town to find the Bishop! I came to my senses and started to walk the six miles home. I next remember gaining consciousness, not at my home but about a mile away at the driveway of a lady who regularly went to Holy Communion. It was Sunday morning and I had apparently sleep-walked through the night. I was frozen and had no idea how I got there! I lay down at her front door, with books by C.S. Lewis falling out of my pockets. When she opened the door I raised my arm pathetically and said "Is it true that Jesus Christ died for me?"  "Of course" she replied.

Some years later I was invited to a Jesuit Mission. I had never heard anything like this. I was enthralled by the beautiful liturgy of Benediction. But most of all the intense atmosphere of prayer of those good Irish people really hit me. I felt "this is it". When people attacked me for my interest in Catholicism, I was amazed I had no difficulty in standing up to them, as Our Lord promised. Soon I was  working with the local churches in collecting clothes for Oxfam.

After only a year as a Catholic, I decided I was going to be a priest! Off I went to a novitiate in a Religious Society in Ireland. I was utterly enthralled and had the happiest year of my life. I now think God was making up to me for the lack of a Catholic upbringing. Then to major seminary. Philosophy was fascinating, though a bit beyond me. Acting was great fun. But at the end of that first year, perhaps because of fear of tension with my family and home village, I began to crack up, and left for home.

I eventually trained as a teacher at St. Mary's College, Twickenham. After 3 years as head of Science in a Comprehensive school, and introducing a religious O Level, I was invited to apply for a lectureship at St. Mary's and surprised to get it. Marriage and three lovely girls followed. When I retired at 64, I started a 6 year part time Bachelor of Theology degree at Wonersh Seminary for lay people. With a break of 4 years to be father to a fatherless baby grandson (a great joy), I got the degree. The whole course was fascinating, and has helped me see my life as a continuing journey of discovery of God’s goodness.