Aspects of Seminary Formation

Presented by: Br. John Michael Ocampo Dion, Sch.P.

The Purpose of Human Formation

 OUTLINE
I. OPENING PRAYER & INTRODUCTION
II. REVIEW
III. COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SEMINARY
IV. ASPECTS OF THE SEMINARY FORMATION
V. HUMAN FORMATION
A.DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS TRANSCENDENCE
B.CONDITIONS FOR MAINTENANCE OF TRANSCENDENCE
C. PROBLEMS THAT ARISE DUE TO LACK OF TRANSENDENCE
 OPENING PRAYER
Jesus Calls the First Disciples
LUKE 5:1-11
 OPENING PRAYER
Lord, we thank You for the gifts You have
bestowed on us, especially for the gift of life and
the love of our family and friends. Help us to know
ourselves better as we pray and study so that we
can make crucial decisions in our life. Help us see
and understand the path You have paved for us.
Help us choose the kind of life responsive to our
potential and to Your love for us. If you invite us to
follow You as a priest, as a brother, give us a
generous heart to respond to Your challenging call
and give us the strength to follow You wherever
You lead us. Amen.
 Review
What is
VOCATION?
 VOCATION?
which gains its meaning from it’s Latin
origin “vocare,” that is “to call.”

The harvest is abundant but the laborers

are few; so ask the master of the
harvest to send out laborers for his
harvest Luke.10:2

TO SERVE God through the People…

 Review
What are the
States of
Life?
 What are the States of Life?
1. Religious/Priestly/
Consecrated life

2. Married life

3. Single-blessedness
 Review
What are the
States of
Life?
 Question
What is a
SEMINARY?
 What is a seminary
•To the ancient
Romans a
“SEMINARIUM” was
a nursery for growing
plants from seeds
(Latin “semen-inis”
meaning “seed”).
 What is a seminary
• a seminary is a fertile
ground where priestly
vocations are being
grown and are
nourished with utmost
care and constant
attention.
 What is a seminary
• A seminarian is
formed to
become a priest
in the seminary
(SEMINARY
FORMATION).
Common Questions About the Seminary
• IS IT BORING TO LIVE IN THE SEMINARY?
• ARE THERE GIRLS/WOMEN INSIDE THE
SEMINARY?
• WHAT DO THEY (Seminarians) DO INSIDE
THE SEMINARY?
• WHAT KEEPS THEM BUSY INSIDE THE
SEMINARY?
• ARE (Seminarians) AWARE OF WHAT IS
HAPPENING AROUND THE WORLD,
PARTICULARY IN OUR COUNTRY?
Aspects of Seminary Formation

SHIP or CASA
 Aspects of Seminary Formation

S - Spiritual
H - Human
I - Intellectual
P- Pastoral
 Aspects of Seminary Formation

C- Community
A- Academics
S- Spiritual
A - Apostolate
ASPECTS OF SEMINARY FORMATION

Human
Formation
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
 What is Human Formation
The foundation of priestly
formation, life and activity must
be a sound Christian experience. It
would be inconsistent to attempt
a priestly spiritual-pastoral
formation when the human and
Christian dimension are not duly
developed. (P.117)
Philippine Program For Priestly
Formation 1980
 What is Human Formation
The purpose of Human Formation in
the Seminary is to assist the
seminarian in his task of becoming
a man of integrity with the
personality necessary for priestly
ministry in the Church and the
ability to respond to the
transencendence.
 DEVELOPMENT TOWARDS
TRANSCENDENCE
1.Intellectual Conversion
2.Moral Conversion
3.Religious Conversion
CONDITIONS FOR MAINTENANCE OF
TRANSCENDENCE
1.Poverty/Simple
Lifestyle
2.Celibacy/Chastity
3.Obedience
PROBLEMS THAT ARISE DUE TO LACK OF
TRANSCENDENCE
1.Comfortable life-style
2.Sexual Dysfunctions
3.Authority hang-ups
SEMINARY HUMAN FORMATION FOR
TRANSCENDENCE
1. From comfort to
discomfort
2. Evaluation of his basic
attitudes regarding
things, persons, and
events
3. Integration