CCEO c.

346
SPIRITUAL FORMATION CIC cc. 244-246
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• Spiritual formation: the core which unifies and gives life to his being a priest and
his acting as a priest.

• Spiritual formation is given priority in the description of the areas of the

formation.
• CCEO c. 346 lists the main components of the spiritual formation in the major
seminary.
• Describes :
- goal of the formation
- liturgical support necessary for living and vibrant in the spiritual life
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Two directions of the spiritual growth;

 Inner one: toward a greater union and familiarity with Christ in the Holy
Spirit
 Outer one: leading to a missionary self-giving movement to gain all people for
the kingdom of God.
• In establishing the spiritual practices in a seminary, specific provisions are to
be made according to the discipline and tradition of individual Churches
sui iuris and rites.
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• Goal of the spirituality to be cultivated in the seminary:

-to form disciples of Christ filled with the spirit of the Good
Shepherd and to seek God in all things.
• §2 - Eight areas for special attention.
• All these areas are identified as sources of strength in the day-to-day
growth of the seminarians.
• CIC canon 245-246 speaks almost same. CIC rightly centers on the
celebration of the Eucharist while CCEO begins with a call for formation in
the Holy Spirit ‘as a familiar companion’.
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1. Sacred Scriptures

• Word of God is the source of strength, wisdom and insight.

• By watchful and constant meditation on the Word of God and by

means of faithful explanation of it according to the Fathers, they
should acquire the habit of configuring their lives to the life of
Christ.
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2. Divine Liturgy

• The seminarian’s spiritual life must be formed and nourished by both

Word and sacraments.
• Divine liturgy is the source and summit of the life and activity of the
seminary.
• CCEO: Regular and assiduous participation in the divine liturgy
especially Eucharist.
• CIC: daily celebration of Eucharist.
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2. Divine Liturgy

The Charter for Priestly Formation in the Syro-Malabar Church

• Eucharist is the fount of spiritual life and nourishment and should
actively participate in it.
• A seminarian has to foster a fervent devotion to the Holy Eucharist
• The silent prayer before the Blessed Sacrament shall be an important
constituent of the daily prayer life of the seminarian.
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3. Divine Praises

• Divine praises are closely linked to Eucharistic worship. It is the prayers

of the whole Church.

• CCEO: the form and pattern of the Divine Praises, their regularity and
their liturgical celebration would be governed by the liturgical traditions
and the rite of the respective Church sui iuris as well as seminary’s
directory.
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4. Spiritual Direction

• The venerable Eastern tradition of the spiritual direction is an integral and

necessary part of the Seminarian’s spiritual formation.
• There are two areas closely related to spiritual direction.
- Examination of conscience
- Sacrament of Penance

• Examination of conscience is the prerequisite for the reception of

sacrament of penance.
• Seminarians are asked to receive the sacrament of penance ‘frequently’.
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4. Spiritual Direction

Ratio fundamentalis
• Regular and frequent participation in the sacrament of penance for which
one should prepare through daily examination of conscience helps the
seminarian to grow in humility and to enjoy the joy of feeling loved and
forgiven.
• The spiritual director is to be chosen by the seminarian with complete
freedom from among the priests designated by Bishop.
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5. Veneration of Mary, Mother of God

• Veneration of Bl. Virgin Mary is the hallmark of Eastern theology and

spirituality. Origen is attributed with the first use of this term.
• Veneration of Mother of God is officially sanctioned by the third Ecumenical
Council, Ephesus in A.D. 431.
• Seminarians are urged to approach Mary as her sons with filial piety
• No one devotion or practice is specially mentioned by the canon in CCEO.
But the title ‘Mother of God’ is used here.
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5. Veneration of Mary, Mother of God

• CIC: - the term ‘Blessed Virgin Mary’ is used.

- Marian rosary is specified in particular.

The Charter for Priestly Formation in the Syro-Malabar Church

As the mother was chosen by God to educate the Eternal priest, devotion to
Mother is very important in priestly formation.
Praying the rosary is a very good means of fostering devotion to Mary.
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6. Other Devotional Practices

• Seminarians are encouraged to include other devotional practices in their

spiritual routine and development.
• Which ones in particular are to be included depends on their tradition,
spiritual development and personal preference.
Some practices which are mentioned in the CCEO:
 Spiritual retreat
 Lectures about the sacred ministry
 Exhortation about the spiritual life
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6. Other Devotional Practices

The Charter for Priestly Formation in the Syro-Malabar Church

Spiritual renewal programmes:
 Retreats
 Monthly recollections
 Days of prayer
 Reading spiritual books
 Documents of the magisterium related to priestly life and ministry
 Familiarity with lives of saints
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7. Fraternal Co-operation

• Ecclesial dimension of the vocation to the ordained ministry.

• The spiritual formation of the seminarians must cultivate a sense of
communion, service and obedience. The activities should help the
seminarians to grow:
 closer to his bishop as the sign of the unity in the local church
 fraternity which may help him to grow closer and to co-operate with
his fellow seminarians. Many of them may become his fellow
ordained ministers.
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7. Fraternal Co-operation

• CIC: Seminarians are bound by humble and filial charity to the Roman
Pontiff, the successor of Peter and they are attached to their bishop as
faithful co-workers and work together with their brothers.
• Through the common life in seminary and relationships of friendship they
are to be prepared for fraternal union with the diocesan presbyterium.
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8. Cultivating Other Virtues

• Cultivation of the virtues both evangelical and natural. This number gives
the link between spiritual formation and personal formation. This is the
summary of the teaching of Vatican II on the spiritual formation of a priest.
•
• CIC also speaks about cultivating virtues which are valued highly in
human relations.
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8. Cultivating Other Virtues

The Charter for Priestly Formation in the Syro-Malabar Church

 speaks about spirit of asceticism and evangelical counsels.
 As the leader of the community and an elder, a priest needs qualities and
virtues such as:
- faithfulness, integrity, consistency, wisdom, welcoming spirit,
friendliness, goodness of heart, decisive firmness in essentials, patience,
enthusiasm for daily tasks etc.
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§3
• is concerned that life of the seminary be permeated with a desire for piety
and silence.
• The disciplinary norms of the seminary are seen as a way of developing
among the students an appropriate appreciation for and exercise of personal
freedom.
• These norms are to be applied having regard the age and level of maturity of
the seminarians and it is necessary for regulating the common life of the
community.
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Ratio Fundamentalis
• Celibacy as a special gift from God

• The young person must also enjoy internal and external psychological
freedom, and possess the necessary degree of affective maturity, in order to
be able to experience and live celibacy as a completion of his person.

• For this purpose, a suitable sexual education is required and practice

mortification and custody of the senses also.
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Ratio Fundamentalis

• Since the priest must then evangelize all people, the candidate for the
priesthood should take care to cultivate more deeply the ability to come into
contact with people of different conditions.

• Learn the art of speaking to others in a convenient way, of listening patiently

and communicating with them, having the utmost respect for all kinds of
people, animated by humble love, in order to be able to reveal to others the
mystery of Christ living in the Church.