Master of Divinity (M.Div.) Program Goals: Seminary Program

Program goals foster priestly formation through the integration of four components: human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral.

Human Formation

The goal of human formation is to foster the continuing development of the well-integrated seminarian. Thus, this component of the program seeks to develop in seminarians:

• the inner freedom required for vocational discernment, critical study of theology, and effective pastoral collaboration and leadership;
  
  
• affective maturity marked by emotional balance, self-knowledge, a well-formed moral conscience, and self-discipline;
  
  
• the capacity for healthy human relationships marked by good communication skills, psycho-sexual maturity, and a relationship with self that respects and nurtures one's own physical and moral health;
  
  
• commitment to ongoing human development marked by a balance of study, prayer, service, and responsible use of leisure time;
  
  
• generosity and concern for others marked by simplicity of life, the spiritual and corporal works of mercy, and a willingness to contribute voluntarily to the life of the community;
  
• an ability on the part of seminarians to sustain intimacy appropriate to the celibate life.

Spiritual Formation

The goal of spiritual formation is to foster in seminarians a continuous and progressive growth in a personal relationship with God, a life of service to the Church, and a commitment to their vocational call. Thus, this component of the program seeks to develop in seminarians:

• an understanding of liturgical prayer as the foundation of the Catholic spiritual life so that immersion in the liturgy, the Church's ordinary magisterium on prayer, may provide a basis for appropriating elements of the Catholic spiritual tradition;
  
  
• a spirituality wherein the reconciling act of God in Jesus Christ through the regular celebration of Eucharist and strengthened in the Sacrament of Penance becomes the life spring for all relationships and priestly activity;
  
  
• a grasp of how daily experiences of community forms seminarians for public ministry;
  sound habits of prayer and reflection that will continue throughout the seminarian's life;
  
  
• an appropriation, on the part of seminarians, of the essential elements of priestly spirituality: prayer, simplicity of life, obedience, pastoral service, commitment to the mission of the Church, and celibate chastity; and
  
  
• a vision of the charism of celibacy that informs all dimensions of priestly spirituality.

Intellectual Formation

The goal of intellectual formation is to enable seminarians to mediate and articulate Catholic doctrine and life and to develop a commitment of lifelong theological study and learning. Thus, this component of the program seeks to develop in seminarians:

• a love of the Christian tradition as expressed in Scripture and the life of the Church;
  
  
• a theological understanding of the role of the magisterium in the life of the Church;
  
  
• a broad knowledge of the fundamental areas of biblical, historical, dogmatic/systematic, moral, sacramental/liturgical, spiritual, and pastoral areas, as well as the ability to communicate that knowledge orally and in writing;
  
  
• an ability to think theologically, enabling the seminarian to reflect on pastoral situations and interpret them systematically in light of theological knowledge;
  
  
• an ecumenical understanding of other Christian traditions, as well as respect for non-Christian religions and their relation to the Catholic Church;
  
  
• an ability to integrate contemporary theological issues and questions with the tradition of the Catholic Church.

Pastoral Formation

The goal of pastoral formation is to prepare seminarians with a comprehensive ministerial outlook who are ready to assume the duties that their service as pastors requires. Thus, this component of the program seeks to develop in seminarians:

• a vision of ministry that is ecclesially rooted in priestly identity, collaborative in nature, contextually aware, and oriented in service to Christ's mission in the world;
  
  
• an awareness of the public nature of their roles as pastoral leaders;
  
  
• an ability to integrate intellectual, human, spiritual, and pastoral formation through supervised ministry in parish settings, preaching, and Clinical Pastoral Education;
  
  
• critical knowledge and practical skills for effective pastoral leadership and service appropriate to their priestly roles;
  
  
• a habit of mature theological reflection on their ministerial experiences.