Program of Priestly Formation 6th edition

SEMINARY FORMATION: STRUCTURAL ELEMENTS | 57

PROPAEDEUTIC STAGE

119. The propaedeutic stage seeks to provide seminarians with the basic groundwork they need to engage in priestly formation. Through no fault of their own, the requisite qualities for formation are often missing in new seminarians. A significant imbalance is present between the life style promoted by contemporary society and priestly formation. There are many generous young men open to a priestly call who nevertheless need more intensive preparation before they are ready to enter into the discipleship stage of formation; thus, a propaedeutic stage prior to the discipleship stage is essential. Indeed, even men who have benefited from stronger formation from family and parish life can still profit from a period of consolidation and growth in prayer, trust, and fraternity. Given that men discern a priestly vocation and apply to a formation program for an ecclesiastical entity from a variety of life circumstances, the propaedeutic stage satisfies the “need to dedicate a period of time to preparation of an introductory nature, in view of the priestly formation to follow or, alterna tively, of the decision to follow a different path in life.” 171 While the way in which the propaedeutic stage is accomplished in ecclesiastical entities will vary, 172 nonetheless, the stage is mandatory for all men in initial formation. Formation is a lifelong journey. It is important to lay a solid foun dation for this journey in the propaedeutic stage, especially in the human and spiritual dimensions, such that the seminarian can thrive in the disci pleship, configuration, and vocational synthesis stages of formation. Thus “the propaedeutic stage is an indispensable phase of formation with its own specific character.” 173 This stage allows the seminarian to lay a foun dation for a new way of life by developing a life of prayer, study, fraternity, and appropriate docility to formation. “In the formation that is offered, emphasis should be placed on communion with one’s Bishop, with the presbyterate and with the entire particular Church.” 174 Gaining a greater understanding of the local Church and an awareness of the pastoral situations present in one’s 120. 121.

171 Ratio Fundamentalis , no. 59. 172 For example, in an institute of consecrated life or society of apostolic life, the propaedeutic stage is accomplished during the postulancy and/or novitiate.

173 Ratio Fundamentalis , no. 59. 174 Ratio Fundamentalis , no. 60.