VOCATIONS: Fr Justin Durai: Finding ‘a bigger world’ through the priesthood
By Catherine Sheehan
For Fr Justin Durai CP, Parish Priest at St Joseph’s Church in Hobart, the journey towards the priesthood began as a teenager when he first felt a desire to experience something more of life beyond his close family circle in India.
“After my 10th grade, when everyone was thinking about what to do about the future, I thought, ‘Why not try priesthood?’,” Fr Justin said.
“I felt it was God who was choosing me with a bigger plan, which I never understood at that stage.
“I wanted to have a life beyond my family circle. So, I thought getting into seminary and being in this formation towards priesthood would give me more exposure to a larger community, a bigger world.”
Fr Justin, who celebrated his 15th anniversary of priestly ordination last month on 18 May, was raised in a Catholic family in Bangalore, southern India.
It was his mother who influenced the early formation of his faith through her devotion to prayer and attending Mass.
One of his aunts who was a nun also helped plant the seed of a priestly vocation in his heart. She always encouraged him to think about becoming a priest and her joyful disposition impressed him.
“Her cheerfulness, her joy, inspired me,” Fr Justin said.
He entered the minor seminary of the Bangalore Seminary at the age of 16, the beginning of many years of study and formation for the priesthood.
“There were times when I had doubts about my vocation, whether to continue or not. But then I could also feel the grace, the light coming and reminding me, and also convincing me that I’m called to the priesthood.”
He was ordained a priest on 18 May 2011.
“The day of ordination also made me realise that all of the formation that I went through for 13 years, it’s not just about the ordination day, it’s just the beginning of what my life is going to be afterwards.”
He served in several parishes in the Bangalore Archdiocese as an assistant priest and a Parish Priest.
After some time, Fr Justin began to feel called to religious life. He met a Passionist in Bangalore and felt attracted to their charism of ministering to the suffering.
“They’re just looking for the crucified ones today. The Passion of Christ is the most overwhelming sign of God’s love as our founder, St Paul of the Cross would say.
“And mostly, focusing on the suffering humanity, and how to help the people to find meaning and purpose in their sufferings.”
He came to Australia in 2015 to experience life with the Passionists in Adelaide. In 2019 he arrived in Hobart to undertake his postulancy and novitiate and made his First Profession in 2021.
In 2025 Fr Justin was appointed Parish Priest at St Joseph’s.
After 15 years ministering as a priest, Fr Justin said he now considers the priesthood to be “more about deepening the faith and offering something spiritual for people who come to church”.
He also feels a greater desire to help people find healing in their lives.
“The Eucharist itself is a sacrament of healing. It heals, it nourishes our souls, it heals our inner wounds. It helps us to share in the very Passion of Christ.”
When discerning a vocation, it is important to spend time alone in prayer, seeking to hear God’s voice, he said.
“To listen to that inner voice, take time to be alone, free from distractions. Because I think today… all the media and everything, it can just cloud the voice of God.”
Fr Justin described his priestly vocation as “a great joy, with lots of ups and downs”.
“I can confidently say the grace of God was always surrounding me,” he said.
“Looking back over the last 15 years, in spite of all those challenges, the grace of God was always surrounding me.”