Fr. Scott Murray

diocesan priest

Scott grew up in Tramore, ON. He went to St. Andrew's school and Church in Killaloe, then MVDHS in Barry's Bay. He completed the 3 year certificate of Catholic Studies at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy, Barry's Bay before entering seminary for the Diocese of Pembroke. He began seminary at St. Philip's Oratory, Toronto, where he completed a degree in philosophy. Then he went to Rome, where he completed his formal theological studies (STB at the Angelicum and STL at the Alfonsiana). He was ordained July 12, 2014 at St. Columbkille Cathedral by Bishop Michael Mulhall.

Vocation Story

Faith and religion were important in my family when I was young, maybe not the most important things, but they were definitely essential to our daily and weekly schedule. We went to church every Sunday, we prayed before bed, we said grace before some meals, and we were thankful for what we had. It was a peaceful, loving home, which cultivated many virtues. Of course, we had our difficulties, like every family, but we worked through them.

I first remember thinking about the priesthood as a possible path for my life when I was preparing for Confirmation in grade 7. I chose Paul as my confirmation name, because I wanted to travel and be an evangelist like him. That year I also remember doing a “careers” project on the priesthood. Every student had to give a presentation on a career of their choice. I chose the priesthood, which isn’t actually a career, but that wasn’t important to me at the time. At the time I saw it as a career, and I was very concerned with how much money priests make, vacation time, possibility for advancement, and so on. At the end of the presentation the teacher asked me if I wanted to be a priest. For some reason I was very embarrassed by the question and said, “no,” which was a lie.

It was around that time that I also began taking a more personal interest in my faith and religion. I would go up to the church by myself sometimes to pray the rosary. I didn’t know all of the prayers, but they were probably some of the most devout rosaries I’ve ever prayed. I rarely talked about my desire to be a priest. Those years seemed so long at the time, but looking back the process of me realizing my vocation was quite fast. By the end of high school I was convinced that God wanted me to be a priest, but I wasn’t ready to accept His call.

My compromise with God was that, even though I wasn’t going to enter seminary, I would go to Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Academy. A brief discussion with, now priest, Fr. Anthony Burchat at a fundraiser for our World Youth Day pilgrimage convinced me that it was the place I needed to be. I had my struggles and doubts while I was at OLSWA; however, the more I lived the Sacraments, eventually committing to daily Mass and weekly confession, strove to give myself to the duties of the life I was in, and developed a regular prayer life, the easier it became to accept God’s call. By the time I graduated I no longer had any doubts about where God wanted me.

That spring I signed up to be a seminarian for the Diocese of Pembroke, and in the fall of 2008 I entered St. Philip’s Seminary in Toronto. My story has been moving forward steadily ever since. For me seminary wasn’t a time to “discern”. It was a time to grow in the virtues that would allow me to live the life that I knew God was calling me to. It’s an incredible life, and now I’m just at the start.