Path to the Priesthood: Fr. Seth Phipps

Fr. Seth Phipps grew up in Bath in the United Kingdom, located in the rolling countryside of southwest England.

As a child he had three passions: soccer, music and Latin. Since Manchester United failed to notice his ‎soccer talent, he hoped first to become an orchestral musician, but eventually settled on studying Classics at Oxford University. Ten years later, he had completed a doctorate in obscure Greek poetry, but that didn’t seem like enough study, so he went for seven more years at seminary…

Entry into seminary wasn’t a straightforward affair, because Fr. Phipps did not convert to the Catholic Faith until his fourth year at university, and even then, he was not familiar with the ancient Roman Mass. When the priesthood was suggested to him a couple of times, he laughed it off, but witnessing his mother receive the Last Rites made it clear that being a priest would be the best way to help people. About this time, he discovered the Traditional Latin Mass, and after meeting a holy Fraternity priest, knew this was the way he must go. By the grace of God, he entered seminary in September 2011, and was ordained a priest on June 9th, 2018 at St. Mary’s Shrine in Warrington, England, by His Grace the Most Reverend Malcolm McMahon, Archbishop of Liverpool.

In your kindness, please keep Fr. Phipps in your prayers as he embarks on his priestly ministry.

Fr. Phipps is currently serving as assistant pastor of St. John Fisher Parish, our apostolate in Reading, England. You can watch the video of his ordination in Warrington below.