Program of Priestly Formation (Ascension)

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Program of Priestly Formation

In the seminary program, intellectual formation culminates in a deepened understanding of the mysteries of faith that is pastorally oriented toward effective priestly ministry, especially preaching, which is “the touchstone for judging a pastor’s closeness and ability to communicate to his people.” 334 This understanding, however, requires previous intellectual formation and academic integrity as foundational. The overall goal of every stage of seminary formation is to prepare a seminarian who is widely knowledgeable about the human condition, deeply engaged in a process of understanding Divine Revelation, and adequately skilled in communicating his knowledge to as many people as possible. Moreover, continuing education after ordination is a necessity for effective ministry. Intellectual formation must be directed to the ecclesial dimensions of priestly formation, namely, the teaching office ( munus docendi ) of the priesthood. The doctrinal, educational, catechetical, and apologetical aspects of training are to prepare the seminarian to be a faithful, loyal, and authentic teacher of the Gospel. As a man of the Church, the priest preaches and teaches in fidelity to the Magisterium, particularly the Holy Father and the diocesan bishop. The intellectual formation program must emphasize the intrinsic relationship between the knowledge gained in theological preparation and the ecclesial dimensions of priestly service, since the education of a priest is never seen in isolation from the Tradition of the Church. The context of intellectual formation in the United States during the twenty-first century is important to note, because it highlights the specific challenges that both seminaries and seminarians face in the process of intellectual formation. Among the elements of context are the following: a. Many men approach the seminary with a significant educational background. They are, however, often narrowly educated; that is,

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334 Evangelii Gaudium , no. 135.

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