1. Seminary Life and Formation under Mary’s Mantle: An Exploration of Mary’s Presence and Mission in Initial Priestly Formation
- Author
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Maroney, Fr. Simon Mary of the Cross, M. Carm.
- Subjects
- Religion, Vocational Education, Clergy, Biblical Studies, Bible, Adult Education, Canon Law, Continuing Education, Curriculum Development, Divinity, Philosophy, Religious Education, Spirituality, Teaching, Teacher Education, Theology, Priest, Seminarian, Seminary, Formation, Pastores Dabo Vobis, Ratio Fundamentalis, Gift of the Priestly Vocation, Virgin Mary, Our Lady, Christian Formation, Blessed Mother, Propaedeutic, Deacon, Pastoral, Presence, Mission, Catholic
- Abstract
The Congregation for Clergy promulgated on December 8, 2016 a new Program of Priestly Formation/Ratio Fundamentalis Institutionis Sacerdotalis entitled "The Gift of the Priestly Vocation." While maintaining the division of seminary formation into the human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral found in the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation/Pastores Dabo Vobis, the Ratio Fundamentalis distinguishes four pedagogical periods of preparation (propaedeutic, discipleship, configuration, and pastoral) ordered towards the affective maturation and preparation of candidates for priestly ordination. Since "Pastores Dabo Vobis" asserts in §82 that “[e]very aspect of priestly formation can be referred to Mary,” and the Program of Priestly Formation incorporates verbatim this selfsame text (§112), this study seeks to concretely identify Mary’s presence and mission in seminarians’ human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation during the propaedeutic, discipleship, configuration, and pastoral stages of training. Mary’s presence and mission involve the Church and all of its members, resulting from the absolute Christian mystery of the Incarnation. As members of the Church through baptism and in formation for the ministerial priesthood of Jesus Christ, Mary’s presence and mission intimately concern and can assist priestly formators, spiritual directors, and seminarians to realize the vision of priestly formation proffered in the Ratio Fundamentalis.
- Published
- 2019