Pastoral FORMATION
Seminary formation in its different aspects has a fundamentally pastoral character. Its object is to make the future priests true shepherds of the people after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, teacher, priest and shepherd (OT, No. 4; PO, No. 11). Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many (Mk 10:45), that they “may have life, and have it more abundantly” (Jn 10:10), is the supreme model for priests who are called to be men for others. So the future priests should above all train themselves to undertake the ministry of the shepherd, that they may know how to represent Christ to humanity. This would require on their part more and more “putting on” the attitudes of Christ.
Learning from Christ could be usefully extended to learn from contemporary personalities, who are publicly hailed as modern prophets and saintly persons. They with their heroic commitment to the welfare of the people, working, particularly for justice and human rights, make the world of Christ close to us. Such persons could act as powerful inspirers.
Hence all courses taught in the seminary have a pastoral dimension (cf. Charter of Priestly Formation for India #3.2.4.b). Theological study attempts to relate intellectual concepts to situations and problems that exist in the region, in the country, and in theworld. As such it enables future priests to proclaim the Gospel message through the cultural modes of the age and to direct pastoral action according to an authentic theological vision. This implies that the students are convinced that the knowledge given to them is useful and applicable to the concrete situation (Code of Canon Law, 255). However, the pastoral formation develops by means of mature reflection and practical application. A future priest should be filled with pastoral zeal and so should take keen interest in all matters which are especially relevant to the priestly ministry (i particular, Catechetics, Preaching, Liturgy, Sacraments, works of charity and an active contact with people of other religions). Pastoral Theology which forms an integral part of theological studies, has such an objective in view. It is a scientific reflection on the Church as she is built up daily by the power of the Spirit, in history; on the Church as the universal sacrament of salvation, a living sign and instrument of the salvation wrought by Christ through the word, the sacraments and the service of charity. The various academies provide opportunities for further study and reflection on relevant issues (cf. Charter of Priestly Formation for India #3.2.3.g).
At every stage of their formation, the seminarians are to be in touch with the societal, cultural and religious realities in which they are to become a life-giving principle, by proclaiming Jesus Christ and the Gospel values. The pastoral involvement of the seminarians is to be harmoniously coordinated with their spiritual life and academic studies, so that they may not suffer in any way because of this involvement, but rather mature in their spiritual and intellectual formation. Hence in order to promote their pastoral knowledge and skills, seminarians are given opportunities to engage themselves in the apostolic ministry during the period of formation. These endeavors could, under the guidance of competent persons, take the form of a week-end parish/social ministry, or, as and when possible, other forms of social involvement. The seminarians are thus initiated into theologically reflecting on their ministry as a pastoral skill which they will continually need later on as priests. This pastoral experience should help them to acquire greater fitness for the exercise of the priestly ministry by making them aware of the realities of parish life and more mature in outlook and behaviour. Such reflection-action method should be given a concrete shape in maintaining a log-book, writing of which by all means requires a great amount of self-investment and a sense of discipline. Such log-books have to be presented periodically to the appointed guides. 5. Important aspects of Pastoral Formation
a) Awareness of the Church as a missionary communion will help the future priests to love and live theessential missionary dimension of the Church and her different pastoral activities. Like Paul who endeavored to be “all things to all men”, the seminarians are to take every opportunity, by word and the testimony of their life, to draw others to Christ. They are to be open and available to all the possibilities offered today for the proclamation of the Gospel, not forgetting the valuable service which can and should be given by the media. In a special way they should get trained for the ministry of the Word so that they gain an ever increasing understanding of the revealed Word of God, making it their own by meditation, and giving it expression in their speech and in their lives. It is useful to keep watch over oneself, that time spent for music does not ‘steal’ the time necessary for ministry of greater importance.
b) India being a pluralistic country and the home of many religions and cultures, the future priests, should endeavor to have a thorough knowledge of the principal religions, so that they may recognize more clearly both the divine and the human elements contained in them, and also acquire the ability to enter into dialogue with people of other faiths and ideologies.
c) Seminarians should strive to imbibe in themselves an ecumenical spirit, that is, a consciousness that through faith and Baptism all followers of Christ are bound together in a common vocation before God, and a common mission in the world. Fidelity to the Catholic Church will open them to an effective desire to promote unity of all Christians.
d) As theology enriches itself by drawing on the customs, traditions and wisdom of the local community, future priests should learn to appreciate the cultural heritage of the country – its philosophy, religion, art, science and symbolism – in order to enable to reinterpret critically the Christian and cultural traditions and to articulate the same in the symbols and language of the people. Since language represents a particular culture, and is the medium of conversation, preaching and writing, one should try to be proficient in the local languages to make oneself understood (EIA, No. 44).
e) The so called ‘laity’ in the Church, must be rather seen as the People of God, individually enjoying equal dignity with the clergy, due to their baptism. As the ministry of priests mainly consists in facilitating the ministry of the common priesthood of the faithful, in their style of life, priests need to keep themselves close to the faithful. This truth would call for corresponding virtues and priorities during formation. They should be willing to listen to lay people, give brotherly consideration to their wishes and recognize their experience and competence in the different fields of human activity. They should also learn to propose and introduce thelay faithful, the young especially, to the different vocations, especially their specific vocation to be present in and to transform the world with the light of the Gospel.
f) As the Church is committed to promote social justice, a future priest should learn the right and best ways of defending the rights and dignity of man. Already in the seminary they should accustom themselves to hard work, including manual work, learn to restrict their needs to a minimum, and put up with hardships and inconveniences of the poor. Let them, however, take care to see that these exercises do not become merely a lip service, or that they themselves become a party to the social injustices prevalent around them.
g) To be a witness of the charity of Christ himself who went about doing good (Acts 10:38), and a visible sign of the solicitude of the Church who is mother and teacher, seminarians should be glad to be available for various services, like visiting the sick, engaging in social work, whenever such opportunities call for. For reasons of prudence, however, they should follow the guidance of superiors.
h) Since vacation periods too are part of the priestly formation, the holiday programmes organized by the respective dioceses are to be participated in willingly and seriously. Regency, which is ordinarily done before the study of Theology, is understood as a period of at least one year in duration when theseminarian lives outside the seminary, in order that he may acquire a greater maturity, and thus be enabled to make a definitive option for the priesthood.
This is the many-sided and unifying scope of the theological study indicated by the Second Vatican Council (OT, No. 16). “To be pastorally effective, intellectual formation is to be integrated with a spirituality marked by a personal experience of God. In this way a purely abstract approach to knowledge is overcome in favor of that intelligence of heart which knows how to look beyond, and then in his position to communicate the mystery of God to the people” (Instrumentum Laboris, 39). Thus the seminary formation is meant to ensure scientific, pastoral competence and practical skill, but also and especially a way of being in communion with the very sentiments and behaviour of Christ the Good Shepherd: “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). In sum, it prepares the future priest to be a man of God equipped for every good work (2 Tim 3:17).
In view of making one’s priestly formation a fruitful venture, the following practical guidelines may be helpful: “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Prov 9:10). Jesus, the good teacher, the very Word became flesh, considered it fitting to grow in wisdom and in favour before God and man. So aseminarian should devote himself heart and soul to study, rejecting any temptation to take things lightly. Such devotion is also a responsibility and obligation towards the Church and towards benefactors who make great sacrifices to help the seminarians for the mission of Christ.
a) In order to get the best out of one’s work and also to give God the highest glory, the student will do well to invoke the Holy Spirit’s enlightenment and the intercession of the Blessed Mary, the Seat of Wisdom. In his private devotion too he ought to pray for success in his studies, always having in view the service of God and of the people.
b) Though one can pursue other interests with regard to the acquisition of knowledge connected with priesthood, the choice should be guided by the right intention and have in view the end of their education in the seminary. Matters in no way connected with seminary life or with priesthood, are best not taken up as they might prove distractions or take away the time and energy due to more important tasks.
c) From time to time the student will conduct an evaluation of the various activities he is involved in and share his insights with the respective directors/ guides. This will enable the seminarian to learn to do things in a systematic way.
d) In order to keep oneself informed of what is going on in the world, one is encouraged to read the newspapers and the periodicals provided by the seminary.