Program of Priestly Formation 6th edition

ADMISSION INTO A FORMATION PROGRAM | 37

directors and seminaries to honor every vocational stirring. Propaedeutic programs and seminaries are responsible for ensuring the possession of adequate resources to serve the formative needs of such applicants. Formation requirements should not be lessened, but necessary adapta tions may be made to enable admission into the regular course of study. Applicants must have an adequate command of the English language to begin intellectual formation in a seminary in which English is the language of instruction. English-language studies may be undertaken in the semi nary before admission into the full, regular courses of seminary study. It is also important that applicants from other countries receive special help in gaining the necessary understanding of the religious and cultural context for priestly ministry and life in the United States. 110 Seminaries and ecclesiastical entities must draw up guidelines for psychologists and admission personnel that describe those human traits and qualities that are consonant with an authentic vocation to the priest hood as well as those counterindications that suggest that the applicant is not suitable for priestly formation. Seminaries as well as ecclesiastical entities must ensure that those who conduct psychological evaluations for them have a sound understanding and acceptance of Christian anthro pology and are well versed in and supportive of the Church’s expecta tions for men in priestly formation, especially expectations concerning celibacy, chastity, obedience, and permanence of commitment, as well as the human traits and qualities that are consonant with an authentic priestly vocation. 111 A psychological assessment is an integral part of the admission procedure. Psychological assessments must be administered using methods that do not violate the applicant’s right to privacy and confidentiality or do harm to the reputation of the applicant. Further, they “must always be carried out with the previous, explicit, informed and free consent of the candidate.” 112 The applicant has an obligation to be honest during the application process regarding any known difficulties of a psycholog ical nature he has experienced as well as any professional counseling he 69. 70.

110 For more information on assessment, acceptance, reception, and orientation of international candidates, see Guidelines for Receiving Pastoral Ministers in the United States , especially E1-E5; Guidelines for the Use of Psychology in Seminary Admissions , 6. 111 See Guidelines for the Use of Psychology in Seminary Admissions , 5-7. 112 Guidelines for the Use of Psychology in the Admission and Formation of Candidates for the Priesthood , no. 5. See CIC, c. 220; CCEO, c. 23.