Ep. 37 Bishop Erik Varden and Msgr. Roger Landry | Shepherd Circle Priest Podcast

In this week's episode, Msgr. Landry interviews Bishop Erik Varden of Trondheim, Norway about his own vocation fueled by his witness of a Dominican nun and his love for music. He also gives glimpses into the life of a Trappist monk and what it's like to serve as bishop in his homeland of Norway. 00:00 Introduction01:07 Meet Bishop Erik Varden02:17 Seeds of vocation 05:07 Exploring Catholicism at 19 studying in Cambridge08:20 Discovering the Church Fathers 13:30 How music moves one closer to God15:40 First monastic experiment18:30 Understanding the many orders of monks 21:10 Not about mortification but following a narrow path23:00 Becoming ordained at the age of 3324:20 Serving brother monks as a priest27:05 Becoming a spiritual father 28:45 Any aspirations about your home country of Norway? 29:42 Being appointed by Pope Francis as Bishop of Trondheim33:00 Seeds of hope germinating in Trondheim 35:36 Trying to form ambassadors with a sense of integrity37:15 The role of chastity in our calling to be saints 41:50 Learning to love with the heart of Christ