In the first half of the conversation, Luke talks about his background and his journey to ordination, offering rich detail about his working-class roots and his joy at finding intellectual growth and fulfilment through the training process, seeing the rigours of academic inquiry as a gift from the Church for which he is grateful. He also talks about the doubts he had that his call would be recognised because of his background and how he presents himself and describes how at times he has a sense of non-belonging within the Church. Luke’s story includes both the significant encouragement he received and the discomfort of some encounters with those in the Church during his journey to ordination.