HOLY Spirit Provincial Seminary rector Fr Neil Muir said he was humbled by the trust of Queensland’s bishops in re-appointing him to lead the formation of the next generation of priests.

Fr Muir was re-appointed for a second three-year term.

“The first three years have been about getting a feel for the place and falling in love with the job,” Fr Muir said.

“I keep being amazed at how God’s grace works in each and every one of us.

“I see that in these young men who put their lives up for the service of the Church.”

He said he was grateful to the bishops and to the tireless work of the staff at the seminary.

Toowoomba Bishop Ken Howell, speaking as seminary liaison bishop, said the bishops were pleased with the direction Fr Muir had taken the seminary and confident in his leadership for the future.

In the same notice, the bishops also appointed Rockhampton priest Fr Matthew Moloney to the formation staff at the seminary.

“Fr Matthew has been ordained for 20 years and will bring a wealth of experience to the formation processes, especially for those students who are beginning their formation at Banyo,” Bishop Howell said.

“The bishops thank (Rockhampton) Bishop Michael McCarthy for agreeing to release Fr Matthew to undertake this new appointment.”

Fr Muir said Fr Moloney would be a great addition to the staff and would bring many gifts to the seminary.

He said he came with a wealth of pastoral experience from appointments across Rockhampton diocese.

The seminary projected its 2025 intake would be 11 men. This brought the total number of men living in-house to 16 while three more were out on pastoral placement and three served as transitional deacons.

Fr Muir was hopeful for continued high intakes in 2026 and onward.

Part of the intake was coming from outside the province too, with other archdioceses like Adelaide looking to Holy Spirit Seminary for the formation of their young men.

Fr Muir said that was a vote of confidence in the seminary and its staff.

He said he was astonished by the amount of support the seminary received from within the province too.

“Through prayers and donations – I’m just blown away by that actually,” he said.

“Before I became rector, I never really had a handle on that, and to see it – it’s just overwhelming, the support we get here at the seminary.”

Fr Muir said he was looking forward to the future of the seminary.

“It’s strengthened me, it’s challenged me, in my own priesthood and how I live it, especially as an example to others,” he said.

“In that way, they’re forming me too.

“I’m very privileged to have this role and thank the bishops for entrusting me with it.”