Program of Priestly Formation (Ascension)

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Spiritual Dimension

rubrically approved liturgical expressions of cultural diversity as well as the Church’s ancient liturgical patrimony. 315 Seminaries in the Latin Church should include in their liturgies Gregorian chant, as the chant proper to the Roman Liturgy, as well as the forms of chant in the particular Churches. 316 Priests should always be aware that they have a particular and serious responsibility to model for seminarians the proper way to preside at the sacraments, especially the Eucharist, including concelebration. All other teachers of the liturgy as well as coordinators of music at the seminary are to be supportive of this norm. Meditation on Sacred Scripture holds pride of place in the personal prayer regimen of each seminarian, traditionally experienced as lectio divina . Deepening one’s friendship with Jesus Christ necessarily involves daily meditation on the Word of God, in addition to the public prayer and liturgy in the seminary and other forms of private prayer and devotions. 317 Instruction is to be given concerning the meaning and proper celebration of the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours (or the Divine Praises, in the Eastern Catholic Churches) as well as their benefits for spiritual growth in the seminary and for the communities that seminarians later will serve. Seminarians must be instructed to incorporate progressively all of the hours of the Liturgy of the Hours or the Divine Praises, beginning with Morning Prayer and Evening Prayer, the Office of Readings, and finally the Daytime Hour and Night Prayer. This entire cycle should be a regular practice of each seminarian for at least a year prior to his diaconate ordination.

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Catechesis must be given concerning the Sacrament of Penance and its importance for priestly ministry and life. Communal celebrations of

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315 See Ecclesia de Eucharistia , nos. 49-51; General Instruction of the Roman Missal , no. 41. 316 See Sacramentum Caritatis , no. 62. 317 See Ratio Fundamentalis , no. 103.

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