Program of Priestly Formation 6th edition

88 | PROGRAM OF PRIESTLY FORMATION

NORMS FOR HUMAN FORMATION

Aim of the Human Formation Program

202. Every seminary must have a program of human formation appro priate to each stage of formation, which seeks to prepare men to be bridges for, not obstacles to, the spread of the Gospel. The identity to be fostered in the seminarian is that he becomes a man of communion, that is, someone who makes a gift of himself and is able to receive the gift of others. 259 He needs integrity and self-possession in order to make such a gift. The capacity to be fostered is the affective ability to engage in pastoral leader ship with Jesus as the model Shepherd. 260 This program must have a clear focus on the ordained priest hood as a vocation that brings the seminarians to full human and spiritual potential through love of God and service of others. Through conferences offered by the rector and others and through other formation activities, as well as by the theology taught in the academic program, the seminary should make explicit the Church’s doctrinal understanding of the ministe rial priesthood on which its programs are based. The Goals of Human Formation The qualities to be fostered in a human formation program are freedom, openness, honesty, flexibility, empathy, joy and inner peace, generosity and justice, chastity, personal maturity, interpersonal skills, common sense, aptitude for ministry, and growth “in moral integrity and public witness.” 261 Following St. Thomas Aquinas, human forma tion should be understood as education in the human virtues perfected by charity. Seminarians should give evidence of having interiorized their seminary formation. Growth in self-awareness and a sound personal 203. 204. 205.

259 See Ratio Fundamentalis , nos. 41, 52. 260 See ATS, Degree Program Standards , A 2.4.2. See CCEO, c. 346 §2, 8°: “Let them also esteem and culti vate those virtues that are most valued by people and commend the minister of Christ, among which are sincerity, a keen concern for justice, a spirit of poverty, fidelity to one’s promises, good manners, modesty in conversation joined with charity.” 261 ATS, Degree Program Standards , A 2.4.