Why do young men want to be priests in a world which assumes anyone in a cassock is on a stag do The priests mistaken for yobs in a pub explain all. I said Think about the title. Do you really think that is a good idea. Truth be told, Father Doyle is fretting about whether their story has reached The Vatican. Thats our chance of ever being bishops out the window, lads, he jokes, as a group of giggling women approach them at the bar for selfies. Happily, the Archbishop of Cardiff saw the funny side. He was going on holiday the next day so I called and said Your Grace, there is something you need to know, says Father Doyle. It involves the seminarians and The City Arms pub. He said What have they done When he heard, he gave a great belly laugh. Actually, after spending a few hours in their company and seeing how the ordinary drinkers react to them, Id suggest that The Vatican should be inviting the stag do priests to Rome. For, quite inadvertently, this group of young clerics has highlighted one of the biggest problems the Catholic Church faces today that such is the problem with recruitment that, when faced with the sight of a group of young men in clerical cloth, the general public assume they must be in fancy dress. It actually costs the Catholic Church 3. Given that training lasts for seven years, it means the doorman of The City Arms tried to eject 1. The most illuminating comment of the night comes from Leanne Sandford, 2. TV and approaches them for a photo and a chat. When was the last time you spoke to a priest she says to a friend. You just dont, do youReverend Robert James with a pint. Though the four priests I meet today are somewhat embarrassed by the attention, they believe it is important to present themselves to the public. Rev Nick, 3. 8, who is a deacon and a year away from being a fully fledged priest, says that on balance, it matters. We are human. Its important we are seen as human. If we can help correct some myths about what it means to be a priest, then it is a good thing. So what sort of young man does join the priesthood these days It seems there is no typical route. The Rev Robert James decided at the age of eight it was the life for him. I used to wander around the playground marrying random couples, he recalls. Robert, 2. 8, was profoundly affected by the death of Pope John Paul II, and those around him could always see that he wasnt destined for a regular job and family life. When I was 1. 6, a girl said to me I could see you being a priest. Most teenage boys, surely, would not take that as a compliment. No, he agrees. But I did. My family were a little shocked. My mum worried about me being lonely. Is it a lonely life Not at this point, says Robert, when he is still living in the seminary, surrounded by trainees. The others become your family. We are a band of brothers. So where else does this band of brothers go To the cinema We cant afford the cinema, says Robert. Have you seen the pricesIt will come as little surprise that priests pay is pitiful. Even Father Doyle, a senior priest who acts as supervisor to the seminarians, only earns 8,0. As such, keeping an eye on outgoings is key. The priests do their own food shopping, in Aldi or Iceland but not together, wearing our cassocks, adds Father Doyle. The days of priests having housekeepers is long gone, although Father Doyle does have a cleaner. I do my own laundry, though I have to say she does the ironing. They also have more dealings with the taxman than youd imagine. The only category they have for us is self employed, so we have to do our own tax returns. Relaxation, when not in the pub, comes from watching TV. And theres no rule to say that viewing must be confined to Songs Of Praise. Father Doyle admits he has Amazon Prime. He watched the priest drama Broken recently and cringed in recognition at a lot, but is also a fan of the revamped Blind Date. Robert, a self confessed geek, says he watches Star Trek and The Big Bang Theory but confesses that he quite likes the reality TV show First Dates. The celebrating holy men pictured had gone in to The City Arms in Cardiff city centre where pints include local brew Rev James. Did anyone watch Love Island Heads shake furiously. Too vulgar Too much, agrees Father Doyle. A lot of the reality TV stuff wouldnt be my cup of tea, although I did love Big Brother at the start. Whole Veggietales: Josh And The Big Wall Cartoon Online more. It must only be a matter of time before they are offered their own reality TV show, I suggest. For one steeped in the confidentiality of the confessional, Father Doyle is hopeless at keeping a secret. We have been already he exclaims. What is abundantly clear is each priest is firmly rooted in the real world. Indeed, the Catholic Church requires recruits to have real life experience before they are accepted into the priesthood. Father Doyle was 1. They said Go and see the world. So I did. I worked in IT for years and travelled all over the country. When, ten years ago, he decided that his calling was too great to resist, his family were divided over whether it was a good thing. My grandfather was devastated because I am the only son, so it was the end of the family line. Elliot, who at 2. After all, how does a young man who hero worships James Bond end up a priestThats a difficult question, he says. My parents werent church goers but I went to Catholic school.