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Goals of the Human and Spiritual Formation Program |
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The Human Formation Program Rationale Admission to seminary formation at Kenrick presupposes that the candidate has attained sufficient growth in the dimension known as human formation. “Sufficient human formation for admission means not only an absence of serious pathology but also a proven capacity to function competently in ordinary human situations without need to do extensive therapeutic or remedial work to be fully functioning, a psycho-sexual maturity commensurate with chronological age, a genuine empathy that enables the applicant to connect well and personally with others, a capacity for growth and conversion, and a deep desire to be a man for others in the likeness of Christ” (PPF 5 th ed., n. 37). It is understood that human formation in the seminary assumes that the candidate has the potential to move from self-preoccupation to an openness to transcendent values and a concern for the welfare of others; a history of sound and rewarding peer relationships; an ability to be honest with [himself] and with others; and an ability to trust the Church and the agents of formation (PPF 5 th ed., n. 89). Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, is the “foundation and center of all human formation” (PPF 5 th ed., n. 74). He who was taken from among men to be their eternal High Priest (see Hb 5:1) possessed a fully-developed humanity. After this model, human formation in the seminary seeks to assure that the priest’s personality is a bridge and not an obstacle for others in their encounter with Jesus Christ. “The humanity of the priest is instrumental in mediating the gifts of Christ to people today” ( PPF 5 th ed., n. 75, referencing PDV, n. 43). A Man of Communion In order to fulfill the mission of priest and to serve as a bridge and not an obstacle to the spread of the Gospel, the candidate for the priesthood must develop the identity of a “man of communion” (PPF 5 th ed., n. 76). This is the proper goal of the human formation program. The identity of such a man may be described as one who makes a gift of himself and is able to receive the gift of others. Human Formation helps to provide the candidate with an affective ability to lead in the style of Jesus, the Good Shepherd. Communion and the Life of the Virtues. Human formation in the seminary cannot be understood apart from a clear and authentic understanding of the nature and vocation of the human person, made in the image and likeness of God, a communio personarum. Thus, the goals of human formation at Kenrick assume, as philosophical, anthropological and theological underpinnings, the teachings enunciated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church relating to the nature of man, nn. 355-421, and to man’s dignity and vocation, especially nn. 1699-1948. Human formation is, to a large extent, moral formation even though moral formation extends to the whole of Man’s vocation, a life in the Spirit. On the other hand, human formation can sometimes be more remedial, especially concerning the obstacles to human freedom which inhibit authentic communion, such as duress, anxiety, habit, and other psychological and social factors. A knowledge of and growth in the moral virtues assists each man in attaining mastery of the will, and therefore, mastery over himself. Growth in the virtues gives each man a greater facility in choosing the good (CCC, n. 1803); therefore, growth in the virtues and growth in human freedom go hand in hand. Of particular importance in this growth is the virtue of prudence. Prudence is the virtue by which a man is able to discern his true good in every circumstance and to choose the right means of achieving it (CCC, n.1806). The formation in the virtues contributes to a proper ordering of the passions, the movements of the sensitive appetite that incline one to act or not to act in the face of good or evil. Passions are morally qualified to the extent they engage reason and will (CCC, nn. 1763, 1767). Satisfaction and joy are signs in the life a virtuous person who is able to achieve the good. A student who successfully pursues the program of human formation in the virtues will exhibit the qualities of truthfulness, respect for others, justice, integrity, affability, generosity, kindness, courtesy, and prudence. He will demonstrate good self-knowledge, self-discipline, and self-mastery, including emotional self-control (see PPF 5 th ed., n. 76). Communion and the Capacity to Relate. There are certain human qualities which should flow from human formation in the seminary. In order to be a “man of communion” the candidate must not “be arrogant, or quarrelsome, but affable, hospitable, sincere in his words and heart, prudent and discreet, generous and ready to serve, capable of opening himself up to clear and brotherly relationships and of encouraging the same in others, and quick to understand, forgive and console” (PDV, n. 43). He must also have a correct sense of justice and be a lover of the truth. He must be able to be loyal, to respect every person, to be genuinely compassionate, and to be balanced in judgment and behavior. A student who successfully pursues formation in the capacity to relate will relate to others in a positive manner and will be able to get along with others and work with them in community. He will be able to demonstrate skills for leadership and collaboration with others. He will be a man engaged in the life of the community. Communion and Authentic Freedom. At creation, God endows the human person with certain inclinations, both spiritual and corporeal. These inclinations, especially the spiritual inclinations of intellect and will, give rise to freedom which itself is capable of growth and perfection as a capacity of human nature. Freedom is the capacity for self-giving. The authenticity of the living out of one’s vocation to communion depends upon the capacity for self-gift. Thus, human formation as a man of communion is also a formation in authentic human freedom. Human formation seeks to help each man understand and realize his capacity for freedom to the extent necessary for an authentic commitment to the vocation to which God calls him. In that sense, human formation is an aid to each man’s pursuit of the good in order that his freedom may grow (CCC, n. 1732). This freedom is properly characterized as a freedom for excellence in the pursuit of one’s vocation. Freedom is not indifferent to the notion of the human good; it depends on the good and is drawn to it. Formation is an education in the means to a clearer recognition of the good, as well as the means to overcome those obstacles which hinder its pursuit. Clear signs of authentic freedom include prudence, acceptance of responsibility, acceptance of ascetical simplicity, and respect for truth and for legitimate authority. A student will demonstrate his freedom, also, by his self-mastery and self-control. He will have the capacity to receive and integrate constructive criticism. Communion and Chaste Celibacy. Human formation is particularly concerned with that aspect of nature related to the person as one called to communion. In the case of the candidate for the priesthood, this communion is ecclesial and is marked by an understanding and commitment to a celibate life. The freedom with which one embraces Holy Orders is characterized by the capacity for loving others in affective maturity, possessing the ability to live a true and responsible love, modeled on Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd. The gateway to communion is self-gift in love. Chastity, which comes under the cardinal virtue of temperance, sets the heart free for genuine love, to live the “nuptial meaning” of the body in authentic communion. As the Catechism puts it, “Chastity is the school of the gift of the person” (CCC, n. 2346). Men called to the vocation of priesthood are to live chastity in continence. They are to be lovers of chastity. Human formation for celibacy aims at an affective maturity that is indispensable for the person called to celibacy. This maturity is marked by personal integrity and the integral gift of self. The elements of the teaching on celibate chastity are similar to those for all forms of chastity, as outlined in CCC, n. 2231-2359. Affective maturity is marked by prudence in relationships, by an ability to renounce anything that is a threat to chastity, by vigilance over body and spirit, and by a capacity for esteem in interpersonal relationships between men and women (see PPF 5 th ed., nn. 78, 92). In view of the priesthood, affective maturity should bring to human relationships “a strong, lively and personal love for Jesus Christ” (PPF 5 th ed., n. 79, citing PDV, n. 44). The student will demonstrate affective maturity and healthy psychosexual development. He will be clear in his sexual identity and will be able to maintain appropriate boundaries in relationships. He will have an ability to maintain wholesome friendships. Communion and Obedience. The ecclesial dimension of the commitment to authentic communion requires formation in obedience. This obedience, while dependent upon grace, requires human effort. Formation in obedience is an education in moral conscience. “Such education calls from the depths of one’s own ‘self’ obedience to moral obligations and at the same time reveals the deep meaning of such obedience. It is a conscious and free response, and therefore a loving response, to God’s demands, to God’s love” (PDV, n. 44). The obedience of the priest is made specific in the context of ecclesial communion. Priests can exercise their ministry only in dependence on the bishop and in communion with him. The promise of obedience they make to the bishop at the moment of ordination and the kiss of peace from him at the end of the ordination liturgy mean that the bishop considers them his co-workers, his sons, his brothers and his friends, and that they in return owe him love and obedience (CCC, n. 1567). In the education for obedience, students should demonstrate a spirit of joyful trust, open dialogue, and generous cooperation with those in authority. The willingness to cooperate and to be held accountable are signs of maturity in obedience. Docility or openness to direction and a whole-hearted compliance with the seminary’s policies and programs are essential. As a result of human formation the student will have mature respect for those in authority in the Church and will be able to cooperate with them, especially with his ordinary and the Holy Father. Communion and Simplicity. The student will develop a healthy asceticism demonstrated by the appropriate stewardship of resources and the avoidance of extravagance in the use and possession of material goods. In order to be in communion with the underprivileged, the poor and the weakest among us, the candidate for the priesthood must be “capable of witnessing to poverty with a simple and austere lifestyle, having learned the generous renunciation of superfluous things” (PDV, n. 30). The candidate to the priesthood should make manifest his intention to pursue the vocation to the priesthood without conditioning his “service to the Gospel and the Church upon the advantages and interests which can derive from it” (PDV, n. 30). He should be able to manifest honesty and integrity in the administration of the goods of the community. Moreover, he should be committed to an equitable distribution of goods among his fellow students and a respect for the common use of goods. Another sign of simplicity for communion is a willingness to stand in solidarity with those who pursue justice in society and with those who are most at risk, especially the unborn, the sick and disabled, and the elderly. The candidate should be prepared to understand and discern the realities involved in the economic and social aspects of life and to promote the preferential option for the poor (see PDV, n. 30). Objectives of Human Formation As a result of his engagement in the Human Formation Program, each candidate will demonstrate the following (see PPF 5 th ed., n. 280a):
The Activities of the Human Formation Program The specific components of the Human Formation Program include the twelve annual conferences and consequent formation sessions moderated by the formation advisors for each class. In the area of human formation, these conferences cover the areas of celibacy, simplicity of life, obedience, and the cardinal virtues. As part of the integration of the entire program, students meet monthly with their respective formation advisors. While human formation takes place in a variety of settings in the seminary, a key component of the program is the formation class “Priestly Identity, Celibacy, and Ethics.” From the Intellectual and Cultural Formation Program, Human Formation draws upon and integrates certain aspects of the following courses: Pastoral Counseling; Marriage and Orders; Social Ethics (Justice); and Marriage, Family and Sexuality—the latter of which is informed by a thorough introduction to the Theology of the Body. In the Pastoral Formation Program, Human Formation also benefits from theological reflection on the experiences of Supervised Ministry. Spiritual Direction and other elements of Spiritual Formation inform Human Formation especially in the reinforcement of the growth in self-reflection, self-possession, conversion and repentance, integrity, freedom, docility, serenity, obedience, simplicity, and personal maturity. The spirit of self-gift is reinforced in the understanding and celebration of the Holy Mass. Students are invited to discuss human formation issues with the members of the faculty, especially the Dean of Students, the Coordinator of Human Formation Services, and the Formation Advisors. Occasionally, students are referred to outside psychological services for more focused work. Students are afforded other individual and group opportunities for growth in human formation in formal and informal settings. These include student interaction with others in extracurricular activities such as intramural sports, and in diocesan agency meetings, parish meetings, and inter-seminary days of theological conversation. The seminary encourages attentiveness to one’s physical well-being through healthy habits of diet and exercise. The seminary encourages use of the well-furnished workout facility on campus and can arrange diet counseling and personal training. The Spiritual Formation Program Rationale Human formation leads to and is completed in spiritual formation which occupies a central place in seminary life (see PDV, n. 45). Spiritual formation “introduces [the student] to a deep communion with Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd, and leads to a total submission of one’s life to the Spirit, in a filial attitude towards the Father and a trustful attachment to the Church” (PDV, n. 45). The spirituality inculcated in the seminary is specifically priestly (see PPF 5 th ed., n. 109). Communion with Jesus Christ Spiritual formation at Kenrick aims at fostering the unfolding of baptismal grace and prepares the student, intellectually and spiritually, for the reception of the sacrament of Holy Orders. In baptism God gives us, through grace, the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity which orient us towards union with him and bring to perfection the human person. It is also through grace that God gives to all the baptized the gifts of the Holy Spirit which sustain the moral life of the Christian and help the theological virtues to overcome lukewarmness and so attain his final end (see CCC, n. 1830). The Holy Spirit conforms us to Jesus Christ (see Rom 8:9); the characteristics of life in Christ are contained in the Beatitudes (see Mt 5:3-12; CCC, n. 1717). In spiritual formation, the student grows in his awareness of the profound mystery of God’s presence in himself (see Jn 14:23). As is the case for all the baptized, the student is meant to grow in communion with Christ. Growth in holiness is brought about through the free gift of God’s grace; however, every human being must cooperate by disposing himself to receiving it. In this regard, the following means of spiritual growth are of particular importance for candidates for the priesthood at Kenrick: The most important is prayer. “Those who aspire to be sent on mission as the apostles were, must first acquire the listening and learning heart of the disciples” ( PPF 5 th ed., n. 107). God desires to be in relationship with us and ceaselessly calls each person to that mysterious encounter known as prayer. Prayer is our response to God’s initiative of love (see CCC, n. 2567). It is a dialogue and personal meeting with the Father through the Son and under the action of the Spirit (see PDV, n. 47). As St. Teresa of Avila says, “Prayer in my opinion is nothing else than an intimate sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with Him who we know loves us” (Autobiography 8:5). Through prayer, students grow accustomed to being in the presence of Christ: If bearing witness to Jesus Christ before men is the task of the priesthood, then it is the presupposition of this task that the priest first know him, that the priest live and find the real center of his existence in a way of being that is in fact a being-with-him. For the man who, as priest, attempts to speak to his fellow men of Christ, there is nothing of greater importance than this: to learn what being-with-him, existing in his presence, and following him means, to hear and see him, to grasp his style of being and thinking. The actual living out of priestly existence and the attempt to prepare others for such an existence demand growth in the ability to hear him above all the static, and to see him through all the forms of this world. To do this is to live in his presence (Joseph Ratzinger, Priestly Ministry, A Search for its Meaning, 1971, p.9). Habits of daily prayer and meditation are cultivated in the student so that there is sense of increasing personal communion with Christ, on which all pastoral effectiveness ultimately depends: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (Jn 15:5). Retreats and days of recollection provide privileged occasions in which the Lord, as it were, takes us aside to be alone with him. With a listening and learning heart, the student approaches the Word of God and is brought into contact with God himself (see PDV, n. 47). He reads “the Word with a docile and prayerful heart so that it may deeply penetrate his thoughts and feelings and bring about a new outlook in him—‘the mind of Christ’” (PDV, n. 26, citing 1 Cor 2:16). Through the time-honored practice of lectio divina, the student personally assimilates the Word of God. St. Augustine said that we are only empty preachers of the Word if we are not first hearers of it (Sermon 179, 1; PL 8:966). The spirituality of the priest is profoundly Eucharistic. The student learns to approach the daily celebration of the Eucharist as the “essential moment of the day” (PDV, n. 46). John Paul II describes four dispositions which the student should acquire from his devout participation in the Eucharistic celebration: Candidates to the priesthood will be trained to share in the intimate dispositions which the Eucharist fosters: gratitude for heavenly benefits received, because the Eucharist is thanksgiving; an attitude of self-offering, which will impel them to unite the offering of themselves to the Eucharistic offering of Christ; charity nourished by a sacrament which is a sign of unity and sharing; the yearning to contemplate and bow in adoration before Christ, who is really present under the Eucharistic species (Angelus, July 1, 1990, in L’Osservatore Romano, July 2-3, 1990). While the first task of the priest is to preach the Gospel (Presbyterorum ordinis, n. 4), the Eucharist is the summit and source of his preaching where the faithful are “invited and led to offer themselves, their works, and all creation in union with Christ”(PO, n. 5). Another vital means of spiritual growth is the Sacrament of Penance which “fosters the mature recognition of sin, continuous conversion of heart, growth in the virtues, and conformity to the mind of Christ. It is a school of compassion that teaches penitents how to live out God’s compassionate mercy in the world. The regular celebration of the Sacrament of Penance is aided by the practice of a daily examination of conscience” (PPF 5 th ed., n. 110). The quality of the priest’s spiritual and pastoral life depends on his frequent and conscientious practice of this sacrament (PDV, n. 29). In the authentic practice of frequent confession, the student acquires an “asceticism and interior discipline, a spirit of sacrifice and self-denial, the acceptance of hard work and of the cross” (PDV, n. 48) that will make him more docile to God’s will and available to his people (see PPF 5 th ed., n. 110). Another time-honored practice in the student’s growth in communion with Christ is the faithful recitation throughout the day of the Liturgy of the Hours. “The praise and thanksgiving offered in the celebration of the Eucharist is extended to the different hours of the day. They pray to God in the name of the Church for all the faithful and in fact for all the world” ( PO, n. 5). Since God chooses most often to work through people, the role of the approved spiritual director is crucial in the spiritual development of the student. Through regular meetings (at least monthly), the student is assisted in discerning God’s will, grows in the virtues (especially humility and charity), and becomes more able to make mature and free decisions (see PPF 5 th ed., n. 110; also PDV, n. 49). The Blessed Virgin Mary, “the most excellent fruit of the redemption,” is the “mother and teacher of the spiritual life” (Paul VI, Marialis cultus, n. 24). Devotion to Mary “has a great pastoral effectiveness and constitutes a force for renewing Christian living” (MC, n. 57). Marian devotion (the Rosary in particular) as well as devotions centered on the Eucharist or the saints, can greatly assist the student in sustaining an affective union with Christ and the Church (see PPF 5 th ed., n. 110). Jesus Christ, the Head, Shepherd, and Spouse of the Church “By sacramental consecration the priest is configured to Jesus Christ as head and shepherd of the Church” (PDV, n. 21). This consecration is for the sake of mission (see PDV, n. 24). The priest is entrusted with the priestly, prophetic, and royal ministry of Jesus Christ: the ministry of the Sacraments, the Word, and the pastoral care of souls. The spirituality of the priest flows from his generous living out of his consecration and mission. As he advances to ordination, the student progressively shares in the spirituality of the ministerial priesthood and comes to see every ministerial action as providing an opportunity to grow in a loving communion with Jesus Christ, the Head and Shepherd of the Church. “He who is the head of the people,” says St. Augustine, “must in the first place realize that he is to be the servant of many. And he should not disdain being such…because the Lord of Lords did not disdain to make himself our servant” (Sermo Morin Guelferbytanus, 32, 1; PL 2, 637). The student grows in his identity as a servant of the people of God. He also grows in his identification with Christ the good shepherd who goes in search of the lost and straying sheep, joyfully celebrates their return, gathers and protects them, knows each one and calls them by name, leads them to green pastures and still waters, spreads a table for them, feeding them with his own life (see PDV, n. 22). The student is led to seek Christ in people (see PDV, n. 49). Besides being configured to Jesus Christ, the Head and Shepherd of the Church, the priest represents Jesus Christ, Spouse of the Church (see PDV, n. 22). For this reason, the student comes to regard “the Church and souls [as] his first interest and with this concrete spirituality he becomes capable of loving the universal Church and that part of it entrusted to him with the deep love of a husband for his wife” (PDV, n. 23). Spousal love of the Church invites the student’s self-offering of celibate chastity and will entail simplicity of life. In choosing to take on the likeness of Jesus Christ, the Spouse of the Church, the student chooses “a greater and undivided love for Christ and his Church, as a full and joyful availability in his heart for the pastoral ministry” (PDV, n. 49). The spiritual formation of the future priest assists him in growing in his knowledge, appreciation, love, and living-out of his celibate commitment in an authentic way, i.e. for evangelical, spiritual, and pastoral motives (see PDV, n. 50). The Bible says that the Lord alone is the priest’s “portion and inheritance” (Nm 18:20). Candidates for ordination are prepared to be future witnesses to God as the supreme good. Seminary formation at Kenrick is aimed at cultivating in the student a culture of simple living; the simpler one’s lifestyle, the more available one is. The witness value of such a lifestyle at this time cannot be underestimated: “A truly poor priest is indeed a specific sign of separation from, disavowal of and non-submission to the tyranny of a contemporary world which puts all its trust in money and material security” (PDV, n. 30) “‘Rabbi, where are you staying?’ He said to them, ‘Come, and you will see.’” (Jn 1:38-39). “So inexhaustible is the mystery of the imitation of Christ and the sharing in his life,” says John Paul II, “that this ‘seeking’ will also have to continue throughout the priest’s life and ministry” (PDV, n. 46). Ongoing formation and the habit of study are important elements in pastoral effectiveness. Study is an act of hope—hope in the fact that life has meaning. Study is a matter of personal curiosity borne out of an awareness that there are great riches yet to be personally discovered, and not being indifferent to finding them. The Fathers of the Second Vatican Council said, “Priests are…urged constantly to strive to attain an adequate knowledge of things divine and human. In this way they will be better equipped for dialogue with their contemporaries” ( PO, n. 19). Communion with the Church Priestly spirituality has a distinct ecclesial dimension which the student is led to understand and appreciate. “A man possesses the Holy Spirit in the measure in which he loves the Church of Christ,” says St. Augustine (Tractatus on the Gospel of St. John, 32:8). Spiritual formation introduces the student to a “trustful attachment to the Church” (PDV, n. 45). As he grows in knowledge and trust of holy Mother Church, the student acquires the sensus Ecclesiae as well as the intellectual habit of thinking with the Church (sentire cum Ecclesia). Communion with the Church also means communion with tradition and the Church’s teaching authority: “In order that he himself may possess and give to the faithful the guarantee that he is transmitting the Gospel in its fullness, the priest is called to develop a special sensitivity, love and docility to the living tradition of the Church and to her magisterium” (PDV, n. 26). The student also comes to appreciate the necessity of the priest being in communion with the Vicar of Christ, his local bishop, or his superior. Without this communion he would find himself alone. The priestly ministry, being the ministry of the Church itself, can be exercised only in the hierarchical union of the whole body of the Church. Hence pastoral charity urges priests to act within this communion and in obedience to dedicate their own wills to the service of God and their fellow Christians. They will accept and carry out in the spirit of faith the commands and suggestions of the Pope and of their bishops and other superiors. They will most gladly spend themselves and be spent in whatever office is entrusted to them, however lowly and poorly rewarded. By acting in this way, they preserve and strengthen the indispensable unity with their brothers in the ministry and especially with those whom the Lord has appointed the visible rulers of his church ( PO, n. 46). The priest gives witness to the fact that every Christian lives no longer for himself but for God and that to live for God means to fulfill his will in our lives. Therefore, the student strives, with the assistance of his formators, to acquire that disposition of mind by which he is ready not to do his own will but the will of the Father, following the example of Christ who “emptied himself, taking the form of a servant… and [who] became obedient unto death” (Phil 2:7-9). In conclusion, spiritual formation at Kenrick prepares candidates for the presbyterate for the demands of the ordained ministry which will require of them an intense spiritual life, filled with those qualities and virtues which are typical of a person who “presides over” and “leads” a community, of an “elder” in the noblest and richest sense of the word: qualities and virtues such as faithfulness, goodness of heart, decisive firmness in essentials, freedom from overly subjective viewpoints, personal disinterestedness, patience, an enthusiasm for daily tasks, confidence in the hidden workings of grace as manifested in the simple and the poor (PDV, n. 26). Objectives of Spiritual Formation As a result of his engagement in the Spiritual Formation Program, each candidate will demonstrate the following (see PPF 5 th ed., n. 280b):
The Activities of the Spiritual Formation Program The goals of the Spiritual Formation Program at Kenrick School of Theology are achieved through a variety of cognitive and affective activities. Two required courses in the study of spirituality are offered, as well as occasional elective courses. The course, “Introduction to the Spiritual Life of the Priest,” introduces the first-year student to the subject of prayer and its practice, to the notion of the identity of the priest, and to the traditional elements of priestly spirituality, namely, the Eucharist, the Sacrament of Penance, lectio divina, examen, the Liturgy of the Hours, Marian devotion, and the importance of spiritual direction. All of this is considered under a firmly ecclesial heading, with particular attention to a spirituality of obedience, celibacy, and simplicity of life. A later course, “Spiritual Theology and Spiritual Direction,” examines the history and the principles of Catholic spiritual theology, as well as the role and function of the priest as a spiritual director and teacher of prayer. The regular order of the day at Kenrick School of Theology features the celebration of Morning and Evening Prayer and most importantly the Eucharist. A communal holy hour is scheduled once a week, with Exposition and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. On the other four days of the work week longer periods of Eucharistic Adoration are scheduled, with each student participating for at least a half-hour per week. All members of the community are encouraged to make periodic visits to the Blessed Sacrament. Devotion to the saints, especially to the Mother of God, is fostered in the seminary. The Rosary is recited communally for those who wish, each day of the week, with the entire community participating once weekly. The daily examination of conscience and frequent use of the Sacrament of Penance are encouraged. Confession is available at regularly scheduled times at least four days a week, and by appointment at other times. On a frequent basis, the theological reflection sessions of the Supervised Ministry Program encourage students to reflect on the spiritual dimension of their ministerial experiences. Twelve annual conferences with follow-up group discussions are activities which facilitate the integration of all four dimensions of the seminary formation program. Days of recollection are scheduled five times during the academic year, and a five-day retreat is scheduled each January—a preached retreat for Theology I and II, and a directed retreat for Theology III and IV. A crucial dimension of the Spiritual Formation Program is the practice of spiritual direction. Each year every student works on an individual basis with a spiritual director that he has chosen from a list of priests approved for this purpose. This work occurs in meetings that are scheduled on at least a monthly basis to review matters of personal and spiritual growth. These meetings are an invaluable forum for accountability, challenge, encouragement, and support. Spiritual direction is a confidential relationship, and spiritual directors may never speak in the external forum about current or past directees. V. The Intellectual Formation Program Rationale Intellectual formation presupposes that candidates have a broad knowledge of the human condition as well as both the cultural literacy and the global awareness of an educated Westerner. It works to ensure that candidates have an understanding of divine revelation as transmitted by Tradition, Scripture, and the Magisterium, a sound sense of pastoral judgment, a true sympathy for the Church and its ministries, an ability to communicate the Gospel message, and a commitment to continuing education after ordination (see PPF p. 36, 28-32). Christ the Teacher The Christian faith is most importantly a communal and individual encounter with a person, Jesus of Nazareth, the Incarnate Son of God. Everything else is derived from this—whether creeds, doctrines, propositions, or documents. Theology itself is the ongoing effort to come to know this person better. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states, It is intrinsic to faith that a believer desires to know better the One in whom he has put his faith… A more penetrating knowledge will in turn call forth a greater faith, increasingly set afire by love… In the words of St. Augustine, ‘I believe in order to understand; and I understand, the better to believe’ (n.158). The person whom we come to know in faith is no one less than the Wisdom of God and the Power of God (see 1 Cor 1:24), the pattern of all intelligibility and holiness, and the power that upholds and redeems. We know him first of all in an encounter that is mediated to us through the Church and cultivated in our own spirituality. Indeed without this basis, the study of theology cannot make sense. But precisely on this basis a whole new world of meaning opens for us. The goal of intellectual formation is a disciplined exploration of that world of meaning, always with a view towards evangelization. The Intellectual Formation Program at Kenrick School of Theology is articulated in six area specialties, which jointly contribute to the mystagogia that is the heart of the program: Scripture, Church History, Systematic Theology, Liturgical-Sacramental Theology, Moral Theology, and Pastoral Studies. Each area is constituted by a set of core required courses and a varying set of elective courses. Independent or tutorial study is also available, with the authorization of the Academic Dean. Scripture is the soul, the foundation, and the point of departure for all of theology. Church History provides a chronological framework for understanding the development of the Church through its four principal periods: the Patristic, the Medieval, the Modern, and the Contemporary. Systematic Theology provides a conceptual framework for the effort to understand and interrelate the mysteries of the faith. Liturgical and Sacramental Theology offers a comprehensive reflection on the centrality of the Paschal Mystery in the history of the human race, and on the continuation of that mystery in the liturgy—the summit and source of the Church’s life. Moral Theology offers a comprehensive reflection on the response of the Christian to the saving love of Christ, above all in the deeds of a virtuous and loving life. Pastoral Studies mark the transition in the curriculum from theory to practice. The Activities of the Intellectual Formation Program Scripture. The study of Scripture at Kenrick School of Theology is conducted in the following core courses: BBL 511 Pentateuch & Historical Literature 3 hours Church History. The study of Church History at Kenrick School of Theology is conducted in the following core courses: HST 511 Patristic Church 3 Systematic Theology. The study of Systematic Theology at Kenrick School of Theology is conducted in the following core courses: SYS 511 Fundamental Theo/Bibl Hermeneutics 3 Liturgical and Sacramental Theology. The study of Liturgical and Sacramental Theology at Kenrick School of Theology is conducted in the following core courses: LST 511 Intro Liturgical-Sacramental Theo 1 Moral Theology. The study of Moral Theology at Kenrick School of Theology is conducted in the following core courses: MTH 511 Fundamental Moral Theology 3 Pastoral Studies. The study of Pastoral Theology at Kenrick School of Theology is conducted in the following core courses: PST 511 Pastoral Theology 2 In addition to these six areas, the Intellectual Formation Program also entails two ancillary areas. Curriculum Support Courses are a specifically-directed aid to the graduate writing and summative evaluation that the Intellectual Formation Program requires. CSC 511 Graduate Research and Writing 1 Language courses are also offered as a support to graduate-level study or to pastoral ministry. These courses are generally 3-hour courses, offered at the introductory, intermediate, and advanced level. The first course in each cycle is listed here. Study in other languages can be accommodated, according to the availability of instructors. LNG 511 Hebrew The Ordination program requires 12 hours of elective courses, which are announced for each area at the time of registration. The Ordination program also requires completion of a summative evaluation exercise in the form of a comprehensive examination. Ordination program students who are also enrolled in the M.A. program may satisfy this requirement by either of the options for the M.A. summative, by the M.A. comprehensive examination or by the M.A. thesis and defense. In each semester of work, the student must maintain a grade point average of 2.75. A first failure to do so constitutes grounds for academic probation; a second failure constitutes grounds for dismissal from the program. Objectives of Intellectual Formation As a result of his engagement in the Intellectual Formation Program, each candidate will demonstrate the following (see PPF 5 th ed., n. 280c):
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