|
|
|
WHAT IS A PRIEST?
A priest is inseparably one with Christ and with the Church. By baptism he shares in the priesthood of all believers. By ordination he is given a new relationship to Christ and to the community―he becomes configured to Christ, shepherd, head, and high priest, and represents Christ to the Church and to the world.
He also represents the Church in her mission to be the sacrament of salvation to the world. The priest reminds the entire community of the baptized of its call to service in the name of Christ; prophet, priest, and servant of the kingdom of God. A priest is a servant leader in the Catholic Christian community; he is called to minister in the manner of Christ who “came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
A priest represents the Church’s teaching and tradition, sensitive to God’s presence in His people and His movement in their history. A priest serves the local community for which he is ordained and the universal Church of Christ, one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.
The mission of St. Patrick’s Seminary & University is to prepare priests according to the mind of Christ and the needs of the Church in our present day. There are many aspects to this formation: personal, social, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral. The priest must ever see himself dependent on God for his life and existence, for his vocation and his priestly ministry in Christ. The Latin phrase of Fr. Olier, founder of the Society of St. Sulpice, expresses what must be an essential part of the priest’s life: Vivere summe Deo in Christo Iesu, “To live above all for God in Christ Jesus.”
PRIESTLY FORMATION
St. Patrick’s Seminary & University seeks to accomplish the task of priestly formation. This formation begins with a two-year pre-theology program for those who are lacking the primary prerequisite courses in Philosophy and Theology. Following the Pre-Theology program, for those who need it, the formation program includes four years of spiritual, academic, and pastoral formation in residence at the seminary. In addition, the seminary offers a year of intensive supervised pastoral experience following the second year of theological studies. Ordinarily, students are called to the Order of Deacon by the Bishops in the fall semester of their last year in the seminary program.The first two years of the program also introduce the student to the seminary community and the spiritual life, assist him in formulating spiritual goals and the means to attain them, and involve him in an informed, responsible discernment process aimed at a solid commitment to pursue the advanced level of preparation for ordained ministry.
The academic curriculum lays the foundations for serious theological study and provides basic pastoral skills to enable the student to function in full-time ministry during his pastoral year. Field education during these first two years of Theology is limited in its objectives and seeks to introduce the student gradually to the tasks and skills of effective parish ministry. The pastoral year, generally after the second year of theology, is intended to help the student concentrate on the development of pastoral skills in an intensive way under the guidance of a trained supervisor, normally the pastor. It also introduces the seminarian to rectory living and the annual cycle of parish life.
The third and fourth years of the theology program are meant to solidify a strong set of spiritual values and practices, an intellectual competence in theology and allied pastoral disciplines, and a specific set of personal skills and attitudes emerging from continuing supervised field education placements. A sequential core curriculum sets the tone for these two years. The integration of spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral concerns is the goal of this final phase of the program.
St. Patrick’s Seminary & University pursues a vision commensurate with the Program of Priestly Formation (5th ed. [2006] #110), which has been mandated by the American Bishops, in its goals of providing students with a Christocentric spirituality nourished by prayer, worship, and commitment to the Church, of fostering priestly identity rooted in faith, celibacy, obedience, and service, for forming effective pastors through spiritual growth, social and cultural awareness, understanding of the sacramental priesthood, and theological integrations, and of developing responsible leaders and builders of community.
St. Patrick’s Seminary & University follows a Sulpician approach to formation, which sees the community as the focal point for various dimensions of growth toward priestly ministry. Central among these dimensions is the experience of daily celebration of the Eucharist and gathering for morning and evening prayer from the Liturgy of the Hours. Attendance is required of all spiritual exercises because of the significant priority of spiritual formation. Liturgical celebrations and devotions are provided throughout the year in order to introduce the seminarian more deeply to the liturgical life of the Church. For example, Penance Services are celebrated on a regular basis, and special devotions such as Benediction, Stations of the Cross, and communal Rosary are conducted throughout the year.
The student community also gathers weekly for a conference with the Rector or the Director of Spiritual Life Programs. These presentations develop themes relating to the seminarian’s growth toward ministry. Another important communal dimension of formation occurs in the social, cultural, and governmental realities of student life at St. Patrick’s Seminary & University. There are regular opportunities for social interaction at meals, recreation and athletics, choir and music practice, and community service. The multicultural community at St. Patrick’s Seminary & University occasions celebrations of the ethnic, racial, and linguistic diversity of the student body. Student government provides an excellent opportunity for students to learn the meaning of dialogue, leadership, and collegiality.
Recently introduced at St. Patrick’s Seminary & University formation program are “Priestly Formation Groups” (2006-2007). It is a three-stage process of small-group formation. The Pre-Theologians have as a primary focus the theme of Discernment for Diocesan Priesthood. The First, Second, and Third Year theologians have as their primary focus the development of Group Support. Seminarians are recommended to join “support groups,” each having 5 to 6 members. They can choose from a variety of methodologies, such as Jesus Caritas, the “Casitas,” or any number of already existing approaches such as the concept of “Base Community,” which is popular worldwide. The Fourth Year seminarians have as their primary focus Transitioning into Priesthood, which is facilitated by an experienced priest in pastoral work.