XXIX SEMINARY FORMATORS COURSE

Programme

The responsibility of formators is to accompany the discernment, growing and maturity of seminarians so that their hearts and lives can conform to the Lord Jesus. This course is aimed at developing competences in order to help formators to carry out their mission.

It is therefore desirable that, at the end of the process, participants have developed the following competences:

• Accompany seminarians in their discernment, growing and maturity as future ministries of Jesus Christ with the spirit of shepherds and real spiritual fathers;
• Develop comprehensive formation programmes and assess the attaining of the objectives expected for the formation of future priests;
• Efficiently organise seminary life to create the right environment and tools for the formation of future priests.

 Modules

The course is organised in a modular form and contains four modules:

 Basic Module

Objective: this module aims at referring to and further developing the fundamental principles which allow to efficiently organise the formation of priests.

• Theology of the priesthood: identity and spirituality of the diocesan priest;
• The seminary, ecclesial educational community;
• Formation: social and cultural context, concept, principles, agents, etc.
• The formators team: profile, mission, different types of formators, forums, etc.
• Accompaniment, the formator’s task.

Specific module

 Objective: this module aims at helping formators develop some specific competencies for the attaining of their mission.

• Formation programme and adaptation to the various stages of life;
• Dimensions of priest integral formation:

1. Spiritual dimension: prayer and the following of Christ;
2. Human dimension: human development of the seminarian;
3. Intellectual dimension: intellectual development and academic formation;
4. Pastoral dimension: pastoral charity and its means;
5. Community dimension; education for Church communion and liturgical formation.

• The art of accompaniment to vocational discernment and priest formation:

1. Vocational pastoral ministry; importance and vocational promotion;
2. Minor seminaries;
3. Vocational discernment criteria.

• The contribution of psychology to formation and discernment processes.

 Additional Module

 Objective: this module aims at helping develop competencies which help in the management of such a complex environment as a seminary, which is a centre for the formation of future priests.

• Key principles for the direction and management of a seminary, aimed at the attainment of the specific mission;
• Administrative management.

Complementary module

Objective: this module contributes to providing formators with permanent formation, which will help them carry out their mission.

• Specialized course on church life issues;
• Extracurricular activities: cultural visits, pilgrimages, spiritual exercises, meetings with ecclesiastical authorities.

Methodology

The course follows a theoretical and practical methodology which iimplies: doctrinal information from experts and activities aimed at developing and sharing experiences between formators, as well as well as applying theory to the practical cases participants deal with during their mission.

Some Members of the Academic Staff

• Alex Yeung, LC  Formation in Communion
• Mons. Esquerda Bifet Diocesan Priestly Identity
• Edward McNamara, LC Liturgical Formation
• Michael Ryan, LC The Human Development of the Seminarian
• Josè Oyarzún, LC Intellectual Formation
• Mons. Jorge Carlos Patrón Wong  Pastoral Formation