The Seminary Formation program aims at personalizing the whole process of the candidate’s formation; this fosters personal, responsible assumption and integration of the Seminarian’s own insights. We must never forget that –
“the candidate himself is a necessary and irreplaceable agent in his own formation: all formation, priestly formation included, is ultimately a self-formation.”
– Pastores dabo vobis 69
Such integration can be fostered in four major ways:
- The first and main one is the constant search of an ever deeper union with Jesus the Good Shepherd, Prophet and Priest.
- The second is that of the Seminary community itself which helps the candidate to grow in the various dimensions of priestly life:
- Human Formation
- Spiritual Formation
- Intellectual Formation
- Pastoral Formation
- Spiritual Direction is meant to be the means par excellence for fostering personal integration and unity.
- Finally, the Seminarain establishes at the beginning of the year a Personal Growth Plan which outlines the particular emphasis he intends to give his spiritual and intellectual life, his community and pastoral involvement as well as specific focus for his human and vocational growth.
In accordance with the Sulpician teaching tradition, the members of the Formation Team share the life of the seminarians.
This integral Seminary formation covers a period of time (depending on the candidate): A time of formation at the Seminary with Philosophy and then Theology, followed by the full year of pastoral internship in a parish of the candidate’s diocese, and a return to the Seminary for the remaining time of formation and theology.