Celebrating Dcn. Sebastian Muggeridge’s Journey to Ordination
On May 24, 2025, Dcn. Sebastian Muggeridge — a proud graduate of the Ottawa Catholic School Board and a 2010 Holy Trinity Grad — will be ordained a priest with the Companions of the Cross. The ceremony will take place at 10:00 AM at Notre-Dame Cathedral Basilica in Ottawa and will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person.
An Ottawa Beginning
Sebastian grew up in Ottawa’s west end and attended OCSB schools, where he played the lead role in school plays or enjoyed “classic” jam sessions with friends after school. After high school, he studied nursing at the University of Ottawa — a path rooted in compassion and care, though not initially leading to priesthood. His faith journey began not with certainty, but with questions, campus ministry, and a transformative retreat.
A Turning Point
It was during a university retreat in 2013 that Sebastian experienced what he calls “deep joy” in confession — a moment that cracked open the door to something more. Encouraged by a campus missionary to make space for Jesus daily, he began attending Mass regularly. When some parishioners suggested priesthood, he offered a simple, honest prayer: “If this is your will, God, give me the desire to want it.” And God did.
Building Bridges, One Step at a Time
From that prayer, everything began to shift. He found himself surrounded by priests — many from the Companions of the Cross — and slowly, the idea of religious life moved from suggestion to calling. In 2016, he officially entered the order. Along the way, he served in Halifax, studied in Detroit, and continued to say yes — one step at a time — to wherever God was leading.
A Family Legacy of Faith
As the second-youngest of six, Sebastian’s faith story is also rooted in family. He is the great-grandson of Malcolm Muggeridge, a renowned English journalist whose conversion to Catholicism was influenced by St. Teresa of Calcutta. The Muggeridge family legacy of transformation and belief continues in Sebastian’s call to serve.
Nourishing New Beginnings
Sebastian’s story is a reminder that Catholic education opens doors — even unexpected ones. At OCSB, we know faith isn’t always linear. It grows in conversations, in chaplaincy spaces, in community. It takes root in our classrooms and parishes and is nurtured by people who see something in us we may not yet see in ourselves.
What Comes Next
Sebastian will soon be “Father Sebastian,” a priest ready to serve — not only in a parish, but wherever the Church needs him. His journey speaks to our collective call to Be Community, Be Well, and Be Innovative in how we support young people in discovering who they are and where God is calling them.
