A Galashiels priest-in-training has spoken to the Border Telegraph about his time in the Vatican and what it was like being filmed by the BBC for a new documentary, which is being aired this weekend.

Former Radio Borders DJ Bobby Taylor was in his fifth year at The Scots College in Rome when filming for the BBC's 'Priest School' began in September 2018. He is now coming to the end of his sixth year.

The 37-year-old, whose mother is Catholic, had always had the inclination to become a priest, even applying to train before, but for reasons-unknown never followed up on these applications.

It wasn't until going to confession in Melbourne in 2012, not long after the passing of his father two years earlier, that he started seeing a path to priesthood laid out clearly in front of him – particularly thanks to guidance from his own parish-priest in Galashiels.

When we spoke to Bobby, who is back in Galashiels, he told us: "Since filming ended, the most visible thing that's changed is that when we're in Rome now we're wearing collars. Candidacy is the final step before being admitted as a member of the clergy. So I suppose our wardrobe is the most visible change.

"When you get into sixth year especially, you start realising you're closer to the end of your time in Rome than you ever have been.

"Although seven years, when you're in your first year, feels like a very, very long time, when you realise you're a year or maybe 18 months away from finishing up, you realise just how quickly it's all gone – how little time you've got left in a beautiful city like Rome.

"You're looking even more forward than you ever were to getting back and doing what it is that you went to Rome in the first place to do, which is to become a priest."

The programme follows a group of young Scots over a year of their seven-year degree, showing the inner workings of the seminary, its history, and how the young seminarians navigate their journey to priesthood.

The college's training isn't for every student, however. The school has an approximate 70 percent drop-out rate as the young men learn more of what God is calling them to do, and as they face the sometimes hard-to-accept vows which they must take.

"Every guy is different," said Bobby. "To be honest, I'm not 100 percent sure 70 percent is the rate of drop out I've experienced over the past few years I've been there. There's only been two or three guys out of 25-30 who've left.

"Me, personally, my first year was probably my toughest year. It was a big adjustment from that freedom I had, and having gone from earning quite a healthy wage working at sea, then going to seminary in a foreign country – it was quite a challenge.

"There was a period where I did have to really, seriously, pray about it and think about what I was being called to do.

"I think everybody goes through it, and I think it's a good thing that everybody goes through because ultimately that's what seminary is about.

"Seven years isn't a number plucked out of mid-air, it's a period where you're doing a lot of study but you're also doing a lot of work to understand what it is you're being called to do, and if it's being called to priesthood because it's not a light undertaking, it's quite a serious undertaking – but a good one, and a positive one."

And the problems facing Bobby and his fellow seminarians have only grown since the COVID-19 lockdown.

He added: "From about six weeks ago being in Rome and studying in the university with my class of about 25 other guys, I'm now sitting in a dining room in a Catholic church house in Galashiels studying on my own.

"So things have changed quite a bit. But study still continues, it's not like they've stopped. There's been a couple of weeks, this week and last week, which would have been the Easter holidays anyway.

"Although we may be spread out, back to our home countries, we're still persevering with study."

And in June, Bobby hopes to sit his exams which will see him move into his seventh year at the Scots College. However, he intends to continue with a further year of study once his seven years are over to focus on his specialist course.

Priest School will be broadcast on BBC Scotland on Sunday, April 19, at 10.15pm and will later be available on BBC iPlayer.