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Program of Priestly Formation Program of Priestly Formation The document Program of Priestly Formation (fifth edition) was developed by the Committee on Priestly Formation of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). It was approved by the full body of bishops at its June 2005 General Meeting, received the subsequent approbatio of the Holy See, and has been authorized for publication by the undersigned. Msgr. David J. Malloy, STD General Secretary, USCCB In 2001 the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) and United States Catholic Conference (USCC) became the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). Scripture texts used in this work are taken from the New American Bible, copyright © 1991, 1986, and 1970 by the Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, DC 20017 and are used by permission of the copyright owner. All rights reserved. Excerpts from the Catechism of the Catholic Church, second edition, copyright © 2000, Libreria Editrice Vaticana-United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. Used with permission. All rights reserved. Excerpts from Vatican Council II: The Conciliar and Post Conciliar Documents, New Revised Edition, edited by Austin Flannery, OP, copyright © 1996, Costello Publishing Company, Inc., Northport, N.Y. are used with permission of the publisher, all rights reserved. No part of these excerpts may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, pho- tocopying, recording, or otherwise—without express written permission of Costello Publishing Company. Pastores dabo vobis © 1992, Libreria Editrice Vaticana (LEV); Novo millenio ineunte © 2001, Ecclesia de Eucharistia © 2003, LEV; Ecclesia in America © 1999, LEV; Rosarium Virginis Mariae © 2002, LEV; Fides et ratio © 1998, LEV; Study of Philosophy in Seminaries © 1972, LEV; Directives Regarding the Formation of Seminarians for Ministry to Marriage and Family © 1995, LEV; Catechesi tradendae © 1979, LEV; Directory for the Application of Principles and Norms for Ecumenism © 1992, LEV; Instruction on the Ecclesial Vocation of the Theologian © 1990, LEV. Used with permission. Copyright © 2006, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright holder. Program of Priestly Formation Fifth Edition UNITED STATES CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS Washington, D.C. Contents Decree of Promulgation ....................................................................... vii Statement from the Conference of Major Superiors of Men ...................................................................... viii Foreword ................................................................................................ ix Preface ..................................................................................................... 1 Introduction ............................................................................................ 4 The Nature and Mission of the Ministerial Priesthood ...................... 8 The Life of Priests ................................................................................ 11 Priestly Vocations in the Church’s Pastoral Work and the Admission of Candidates............................................................... 15 Norms for the Admission of Candidates .................................. 21 The Formation of Candidates for Priesthood .................................... 28 I. Human Formation ....................................................................... 29 Norms for Human Formation ................................................ 36 II. Spiritual Formation .................................................................... 42 Norms for Spiritual Formation ............................................... 48 III. Intellectual formation ............................................................... 53 Norms for Intellectual Formation .......................................... 65 IV. Pastoral Formation..................................................................... 76 Norms for Pastoral Formation ................................................ 82 V. Community ................................................................................. 85 Norms for Community .......................................................... 87 VI. The Continuing Evaluation of Seminarians ............................. 89 Norms for the Continuing Evaluation of Seminarians .............. 89 vi | PROGRAM OF PRIESTLY FORMATION Seminaries: Governance, Administration, and Faculty Governance ............................................................................. 97 Administration .................................................................................... 102 The Ongoing Formation of Priests ................................................... 113 Conclusion .......................................................................................... 116 Addendum A. Norms Concerning Applications for Priestly Formation from Those Previously Enrolled in a Formation Program ......................................................................... 117 Index ................................................................................................... 125 Decree of Promulgation On June 16, 2005, the members of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops approved the Program of Priestly Formation (fifth edition) as the Ratio institutionis sacerdotalis for the United States to be observed in seminaries for the formation of priests. This action of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, made in accord with canon 242 §1 of the Code of Canon Law, was approved ad quinquennium by the Congregation for Catholic Education by a decree of November 15, 2005 (Prot. N. 1370/2003), signed by His Eminence, Zenon Cardinal Grocholewski, Prefect of the Congregation, and the Most Reverend J. Michael Miller, CSB, Secretary of the same Congregation. As President of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, I therefore decree the promulgation of the Program of Priestly Formation (fifth edition), which is to be observed in all seminaries, whether diocesan or interdiocesan, from the date of this same decree. Given at the offices of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, the District of Columbia, on the 4th day of August, in the year of our Lord 2006, the Memorial of St. John Vianney. • William S. Skylstad Bishop of Spokane President United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Monsignor David J. Malloy General Secretary Statement from the Conference of Major Superiors of Men The Conference of Major Superiors of Men, recognizing its obligations to help ensure quality training and education for the ordained ministry, has over the past few years collaborated with the Bishops’ Committee on Priestly Formation in revising the Program of Priestly Formation. We are pleased that the committee which drafted this revision of the document has included sections dealing with ordained ministry within the context of religious life. Although academic requirements may be similar for both religious and diocesan priests, the religious priest will understand the ordained role and ministry as reflecting the charism and spiritual tradi- tions of his religious institute. The Conference of Major Superiors of Men adopts the Program of Priestly Formation Fifth Edition as applicable to all religious seminaries in the United States. We do this at the invitation of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, preserving the rights and privileges granted religious in church law, especially regarding the religious and spiri- tual formation of their own candidates. Foreword Bishop George H. Niederauer, Chair of the Bishops’ Committee on Priestly Formation (1999-2002), asked Bishop John C. Nienstedt in December 2001 to chair a subcommittee overseeing the first phase of the revision of the Program of Priestly Formation. Bishop Niederauer also asked bish- ops, major superiors, and seminary rectors to consult with others in their administration and to offer suggestions about a new edition of the Program of Priestly Formation. The long process of gathering these comments and suggestions produced a wealth of insights based on both experience and expertise, which helped to fashion the current fifth edition of theProgram of Priestly Formation. This edition was also greatly influenced by the Apostolic Exhortation of John Paul II, Pastores dabo vobis (1992). It is with great joy that we present this document, which is the result of much con- sultation and collaboration and has involved the work of three bishops’ committees on priestly formation. It is truly a witness to the importance of priestly formation in the Church. The drafting committee for the Program of Priestly Formation included Bishop John C. Nienstedt, Chair; Archbishop Timothy Dolan; Bishop Gregory Aymond; Bishop Earl Boyea; Bishop Curtis Guillory, SVD; Bishop Kevin Rhoades; Fr. William J. Baer; Fr. Louis J. Cameli; Fr. Robert E. Manning, SJ; Fr. Daniel McLellan, OFM; Fr. Mark O’Keefe, OSB; and Abbot Nathan Zodrow, OSB. They were ably assisted by Msgr. Edward J. Burns, Mr. Jason Straczewski, and Mr. Jamie Blosser. The members of the Bishops’ Committee on Priestly Formation who brought the project to completion are Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted,
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