Program of Priestly Formation 6th edition

INTELLECTUAL DIMENSION | 115

moved through the seminarian program quickly, or that they be given a program that has been reduced in expectations. This lat ter trend, however, is to be resisted. c. Men with an international background may arrive at the semi nary with a limited knowledge of the English language as well as a limited understanding of US culture. These limitations present significant challenges for teaching and learning. Unless the sem inarian has sufficient familiarity with language and culture, his study of theology will be severely impeded. 335 d. Men coming from a US cultural context, even though they may be young and have had exposure to the liberal arts in college, may bring with them the limitations of the culture’s understanding of the human person as well as the limitations of a philosophi cal milieu that is suspicious of or even rejects enduring, absolute moral values and objective truths. Unless these men are grounded in an adequate philosophical and theological anthropology, they will struggle to make sense of their theological studies and their application in pastoral practice. e. Men apply to seminary programs with backgrounds of varied reli gious experiences and varied levels of catechetical formation. “Intellectual formation is a part of the integral formation of the priest. Moreover, it serves his pastoral ministry and has an impact upon his human and spiritual formation, which draw rich nourishment from it.” 336 Intellectual formation applies not only to a comprehensive understanding of the mysteries of the Catholic faith, but also to an ability to explain and even defend the reasoning that supports those truths. In this way, intel lectual formation provides those who are being formed spiritually with a knowledge of the Lord and his ways, which they embrace in faith. Finally, intellectual formation through the study of theology enables priests to contemplate, share, and communicate the mysteries of faith with others. In this way, it has an essentially pastoral orientation. 267.

335 See Guidelines for Receiving Pastoral Ministers in the United States cited earlier in the propaedeutic stage section for more information on reception and orientation of men from international backgrounds. 336 Ratio Fundamentalis , no. 117.