The goal of the seminarys Spiritual Formation Program is to promote the formation of mature, holy and well-balanced priests and pastors for the Catholic Church today. Implied in this goal are the following objectives:

1) To deepen each seminarians experience of God as well as his relationship with God and His people;

2) To inculcate a profound trust in Gods love together with an appreciation of Gods salvation to all people in Jesus Christ as proclaimed through His Church;

3) To foster a firm commitment to service, priestly ministry, and a celibate lifestyle based on a solid and genuine prayer life;  

4) To insure a solid grounding in Catholic tradition and theology, as reflected in the Second Vatican Council;

5) To provide an understanding and experience of the developmental nature of the spiritual life;

6) To develop a keen pastoral and liturgical vision, sensitivity, and competency;

7) To awaken an awareness of the needs and circumstances of the wider community especially in matters of pluralism, respect for life, and social justice;

8) To develop the habit of healthy self-discipline;

9) To provide an awareness and appreciation of ones personal gifts and limitations as well as an appreciation of and respect for the gifts of the people of God; 

10) To provide the opportunity for integration of diverse segments of life in the seminary and priesthood, i.e. prayer, theology, community, pastoral ministry, friendship and leisure.

1) President-Rector - The President-Rector of the seminary is responsible for the formation program at Notre Dame and for the seminarians who are part of this program.

2) Faculty Council - The council consists of full-time faculty. It is responsible for formulating and approving policies, evaluation of students, and voting for their continuance in the seminary and/or recommendation for Sacred Orders. The President-Rector is the chairman of this council.

3) Formation Committee - This committee consists of the President-Rector, the Vice-Rector, the Director of Spiritual Formation or another faculty member designated by therector, the Academic Dean and the Director of Field Education. The Formation Committee is responsible for suggesting policies and practices regarding spiritual formation to the Faculty Council. This committee is also charged with the preliminary evaluation and interviews of individual students. Their recommendations are presented for deliberation to the Faculty Council. Spiritual Directors of the individual students participate neither in the discussion nor vote for the continuance and/or promotion to Orders of their directees.

4) Director of Spiritual Formation - The Director of Spiritual Formation is responsible for coordinating the formation program. He is directly responsible to the President-Rector and the Faculty Council for implementing policies and activities of the program for spiritual formation.

5) Spiritual Director - The Spiritual Director is directly concerned with providing individual spiritual direction and with looking after the overall quality of the spiritual direction program of the seminary. The Spiritual Director deals with the internal forum, and since the evaluation process functions in the external forum, the Spiritual Director does not take part in the seminarians evaluation for priestly formation.

6) Individual Spiritual Directors - The Spiritual Director of the seminary is assisted in the ministry of individual spiritual direction by a number of qualified priest personnel from the faculty as well as approved adjunct spiritual directors from outside the seminary. An approved list of available spiritual directors is made available to the students at the beginning of each year. Students should choose a spiritual director from this list. The approval of the Rector is required for a student to choose a director whose name does not appear on this list.

7) Class Advisors - The President-Rector selects certain members of the faculty and appoints them to serve as advisors for each individual class. The class advisors have a special role to play in the seminarys program of spiritual formation. In the first place they are responsible for a monthly spiritual conference based on some aspect of the yearly theme of each class as stated below. Therefore, they should strive to be available to the class throughout the academic year. This will assist them in becoming aware of particular issues and topics which are relevant to the class at a particular time. The class advisors also attend the annual class retreat and they are available to be of assistance to the classes in whatever way possible.

While daily Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours establish the fundamental rhythm of seminary life, seminary programs of spiritual formation have two focal points: the seminary community and its public life as a matrix for growth and development (involving relationships with many different groups and persons) and individual seminarians as they strive to interiorize the values of the spiritual life and integrate the lessons of intellectual and pastoral formation. The interplay between individual and community lies at the heart of spiritual formation. (PPF #272)

In order to achieve the above community objectives, the following expectations are placed on each seminarian:

1) All seminarians are expected to attend daily Mass and Morning and Evening prayer. Weekday Masses are ordinarily at 11:45 am; Morning Prayer at 7:30 am; and Evening

2) All seminarians are expected to spend time daily in personal prayer as part of their growth in relationship with God. Since such prayer is personal to each one, the seminarian should discuss with his spiritual director the type of prayer and the amount of time which will fit his spiritual growth. A daily hour of contemplative prayer is strongly encouraged and seen as essential to the spiritual life.

3) Attendance at formation Maranatha group sessions and formation conferences for individual classes and for the entire seminary is also expected. The typical monthly schedule for required formational activities is:

1^st Wednesday - Maranatha Group Sessions

2^nd Wednesday - Class Advisors Conference

3^rd Wednesday - Rectors Conference

4^th Wednesday - Community Night

4) The content of the class advisors conferences is based on the following themes:

Pre-Theology - Introduction to Spiritual Formation

1^st Theology - Community

2^nd Theology - Commitment

3^rd Theology - Integration

4^th Theology - Reflection on Ministry

Detailed outlines of the above with suggested spiritual reading lists are distributed to students at the first class conference.

5) There are three scheduled Days of Recollection for the seminarians each year: the opening of the school year, the beginning of Advent and Ash Wednesday. Communal celebration of the Sacrament of Penance is scheduled during the Lenten season. Outside confessors are available one day each month.

6) Community Nights are scheduled on the 4^th Wednesday of each month. It is a time when the whole seminary community gathers for a social and supper. Students should give priority to these evenings in planning their schedules.

7) Yearly class retreats are required of all seminarians. The Director of Spiritual Formation finalizes all arrangements for retreat masters and locations after consultation with other members of the Formation Committee. Retreat directors are approved and appointed by the President-Rector of the seminary. The group retreats are conducted in an atmosphere of silence. (See Retreat Policy below for more details.)

8) Liturgical preparations for daily Mass are made on a scheduled basis by the presiding celebrant and the students assigned as ministers. Detailed instructions for these preparations are handled by the Director of Liturgy along with the Director of Music.

9) Faith-Sharing Group Sessions are held monthly. Known as Maranatha Groups, these group experiences aim at providing the opportunity to articulate and share ones faith experience in a small group setting.

As priest, a person calls the assembly to an ever deeper faith by witnessing and sharing his own faith with the worshiping community. Surely we cannot help speaking of what we have heard and seen (Acts 4:20). Like the apostles, the priest is expected to share what he has heard and felt in his own life for the edification of the Body of Christ, the Church.

  Just as a persons life is expected to grow as the person grows to adulthood, so a persons ability and capacity to share that faith with others must be cultivated and developed in order for it to grow. The seminary faith-sharing groups aim at providing the opportunity for the practice of this skill, art, and ministry.

  These small groups are known as Maranatha Groups. Maranatha is a grouping of Aramaic words meaning Come, our Lord or Our Lord has come. It is found in 1 Corinthians 16:22. A similar form, Come, Lord Jesus, is found in Revelation 22:20. Thus the groups goal is to enable the seminarian to know Jesus more deeply; to see how he comes to us in the Scriptures, in ones own life and heart, and in the lives of others. Thus he will be better prepared to share this with others.

Attendance is required at all scheduled Maranatha Group sessions.

Workshops and a Day of Recollection are scheduled for those preparing for the ministries of Reader and Acolyte. 

Those eligible for the Ministry of Reader are those in 1^st Theology and those who have been in formation at least one year and are in their final year of Pre-Theology. 

Those eligible for the Ministry of Acolyte must have received the Ministry of Reader; Ministry of Acolyte is usually offered to 2^nd theology seminarians. Admission to Candidacy for Holy Orders is offered ordinarily to 3^rd theology seminarians.

All seminarians are expected to make an annual retreat as directed by the Code of Canon Law (c. 246, #5). As determined by the Seminarys Program of Spiritual Formation, this retreat is to be a silent retreat. The annual retreats for the various academic levels will be conducted according to the following schema:

4^th Theology will make a class retreat in the Holy Land in January of their 4^th year. A preached Priesthood retreat will be scheduled at the end of the spring semester.

3^rd Theology will make individually directed retreats in preparation for the Diaconate.

2^nd Theology will have a five-day preached retreat as determined by the Director of Spiritual Formation.

1^st Theology will make a five-day individually directed retreat.

Pre-Theology Class will make a separate silent, preached retreat at the same time the theology classes are making their retreat.

The Program of Priestly Formation states: Candidates for the priesthood should be taught the importance and the necessity of sustained personal prayer. A necessary precondition in our society is an education in the deep human meaning and religious value of silence as the spiritual atmosphere vital for perceiving Gods presence. By discovering in quiet the Lord who sustains their lives and their commitment to serve, members of the seminary community also discover in a special way their own deepest source of unity. (PPF #279)

Spiritual Direction

Although every spiritual journey is personal and individual, it requires personal guidance. Accordingly, every seminarian should have a priest spiritual director whose task is to guide him in his path of personal conversion and his growth to the priesthood. (PPF #280)

In order to promote a mature spiritual life which will continue after ordination, the following expectations are made:

1) Each student must choose a spiritual director whom he is to see at least once a month and with whom he can be completely open and honest. The spiritual director is a guide, a listener and a motivator in order to assist the seminarian in developing a personal relationship with God. The format for the regular visits should include the students own agenda and at appropriate times discussion of class conferences, personal journal, academic, pastoral and spiritual development, spiritual reading, relationships to the community and personal friends, vocation discernment, priestly lifestyle, celibacy, and the annual self-evaluation required by the Formation Committee. Times for spiritual direction sessions are to be negotiated by the director and the student. Sacramental reconciliation can be a regular part of the sessions.

Within his first month at Notre Dame Seminary, the student should visit with a number of approved spiritual directors before he makes a choice of a director, with the normal expectation that he will continue with that spiritual director throughout his formation. Therefore, students who wish to change directors are asked to discuss this with their current director and the seminarys spiritual director and may change with the permission of the rector.

2) Each students spiritual director assists him in the evaluation process and in the completion of the written self-evaluation. It is expected that the spiritual director will have read the entire completed document and sign it before it is submitted to the Rector. Likewise the seminarian should review the written report of his evaluation with his personal spiritual director.

3) Self-evaluation is an important part of the seminarys annual evaluation process and a necessary component of growth in self-knowledge. The student is expected to take this task seriously. He must appropriate to himself the responsibility of evaluating his progress humbly and honestly and for setting growth goals that are realistic yet challenging. He should see this process as an opportunity to enter into dialogue with the faculty about growth, integration, use of talents, successes and failures, vocation discernment and readiness to proceed in the seminary program.

Other Resources

A student is always free to meet with his class advisor or any other faculty member for assistance, guidance, advice, etc. 

Counseling resources are available at the seminary. Persons responsible for the students formation may suggest counseling to him if it is deemed necessary. The Admissions Board or the Formation Committee may at times require a student to seek short term counseling as part of his formation program.

Seven areas are addressed in the self-evaluation of seminarians:

a) Personal Maturity

b) Spiritual Life

c) Academics

d) Pastoral

e) Social Life

f) Vocation

g) Leadership

The same seven areas and guide questions are used for all seminarians, regardless of their year in the seminary thus enabling the individual and the faculty to identify better his progress from year to year. The seminarian is to write an essay on each of the seven areas with a copy given in advance to the members of the Formation Committee to enable them to prepare adequately for the interview. At the session an oral summary is made by the seminarian himself. A copy of the form and guide questions is listed below.

Those seminarians in proximate preparation for Holy Orders may have an additional evaluation.

     I. Rationale - The purpose of the evaluation process is to enable a seminarian to grow in his readiness for priestly ministry. To offer ones life to the Church for service as a priest is a privilege and an awesome responsibility.

It is the responsibility of the seminary faculty to recommend men for ordination to the priesthood who are committed to prayer, theological study, pastoral care and self knowledge.

The evaluation process concentrates on growth in spirituality, theological study and pastoral care and the way in which these are integrated in the seminarians life experience. This assessment invites the seminarian to grow in self-knowledge and to come to a deeper understanding of Gods call to the ordained priesthood.

The process will aim to affirm a persons gifts and to challenge him in areas that could lead to personal growth and to further development in priestly formation.

  Theologically, a seminarian must recall that his desire for ordained ministry and the discernment of Gods call are to be confirmed by the Church community and the Bishop. The evaluation process is viewed as a group discernment and as a means of giving affirmation and/or clarification to this call to priestly ministry.

     II. The Process - The Rector is responsible for coordinating the evaluation process and for scheduling the student interviews.

The seminarian, following the Evaluation Form, should submit his self-evaluation to the Rector two weeks prior to the scheduled interview with members of the Formation Committee. The seminarian should discuss his self-evaluation with his spiritual director in order to check its accuracy and to benefit from his directors insights on his personal, spiritual, and academic growth. The spiritual director should sign the self-evaluation. The self-evaluation is to be typed and submitted in a sealed envelope to the Rector. 

Privately, the Rector will forward a copy of the students self-evaluation to the Vocation Director, to prepare for the interview. The Vocation Director is encouraged to participate in the evaluation process. It is the collaborative effort of the seminary faculty and Vocation Director that enables priestly formation to be effective. If the Vocation Directors are unable to attend, they may send a representative. Since the seminary staff is striving to limit the size of the evaluation team, it is suggested that only one representative from the Vocation Office participate in the interview with the seminarian.

The faculty will meet to discuss the academic progress and overall performance of each student. The Rector will summarize the faculty comments and discuss them in the interview with the seminarian.

The following persons will be present for the interview with the seminarian:

1) Rector

2) Academic Dean

3) Director of Pastoral Field Education

4) Class Advisor or another designated faculty member

5) Vocation Director or representative

6) Seminarians spiritual director at the invitation of the seminarian.

The interview will focus on the following:

1) Issues raised in the seminarians self-evaluation

2) The development of his spiritual life

3) An academic report

4) His personal growth and maturity since the prior evaluation

5) His ability for pastoral ministry

6) The seminarians understanding of the priesthood and his readiness to commit himself to priestly service

A summary of the interview will be written and submitted to the faculty for vote. In the case of those eligible for ordination, the faculty will vote on readiness for Holy Orders; for the other classes, the faculty will vote for continuance in the seminary. The majority vote For or Against will be noted on the written evaluation.

  The complete written evaluation, including the faculty vote, is given to the seminarian for his review. If he believes that the report does not accurately represent the interview or if there is an area he wishes to discuss, he should bring this before the Rector, who will discuss if any changes are to be made in the written report. The student is permitted to write an addendum to the report if he so wishes.

The final report will be forwarded to the seminarians Bishop/Religious Superior, Vocation Director and Spiritual Director. It is understood that this report is confidential and cannot be released to a third party without the seminarians written permission.

     1) Reflect on each of the seven general areas listed below.

     2) In preparing your written self-evaluation for the faculty, make sure to title each section accordingly.

     3) The questions in each area are guide questions; they need not be answered directly, but should serve to prompt a thorough treatment of the general areas.

     4) It is expected that you give a copy of your written self-evaluation to your spiritual director so he can read it before you submit it to the Rectors office. The spiritual directors reflections and feedback can be a valuable aid for your personal growth.

     5) Recheck you paper for typographical and grammatical errors, since this is a formal document for your files and for your Bishop/Superior.

1. Please Discuss your Personal Maturity
Guide questions/statements:

     a) Please identify and discuss some of your personal (i.e. emotional and psychological) strengths and weaknesses that affect your life and could possibly affect your priestly ministry.

     b) Do you know yourself? Identify your personal gifts, special interests, weaknesses and limitations.

     c) Do you feel there is a balance between your emotional, social and intellectual development? How is this evident?  

 

2. Please Discuss your Spiritual Life
Guide questions:

     a) Without violating the internal forum, where are you in your spiritual development? How has your relationship with God grown since last year?

     b) How do you see spirituality relating to your life (academic, pastoral and social) at the present time?

     c) Is personal prayer and community prayer a priority in your daily life? HOW?

     d) Please describe your relationship with your spiritual director.  

 3. Please Discuss your Academic Endeavors
Guide questions:

     a) How have you taken personal responsibility for your academic formation? Be specific. (This question must be answered)

     b) Do you work according to your abilities?

     c) Do you believe your GPA reflects your ability and efforts?

     d) Do you think that you have the necessary intellectual gifts to carry out the ministry of priesthood?

     e) How do your studies affect your spiritual life and pastoral work?

(Complete #4 only if you have done Pastoral work)  

4. Please Discuss your Pastoral Work
Guide questions:

     a) What personal gifts do you have that would be used well in pastoral ministry as a priest? Be specific.

     b) How is your pastoral work preparing you for priestly ministry? Be specific.

     c) In your pastoral work what did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about ministry?

     d) Has it been difficult keeping professional boundaries in the ministerial setting?  

 

 5. Please Discuss your Social Life
Guide questions:

     a) Do you find yourself comfortable in associating with others and in communicating with them (students, teachers, those in your pastoral work)?

     b) How do you see yourself, in your relationship with people in general? with specific groups? with men, women, your own family, other seminarians, others in ministry, adolescents, young children, etc.? with new acquaintances?

     c) Can you see yourself relating to people in a parish? How?  

 

 6. Please Discuss your Vocation
Guide questions:

     a) Please give a brief definition of the ordained priesthood.

     b) Why do you want to be a priest? Has this desire grown?

     c) How do you see yourself accepting ecclesiastical obedience (respect for Pope, obedience to bishop, obligation of the Liturgy of the Hours), celibate chastity, and a spirit of poverty as a part of priestly ministry? Do any of these present concern and, if so, how is this being addressed?  

 

7. Please Discuss your Ability for Leadership in the Church
Guide statement:

     a) Give specific examples of the ways in which you have exhibited leadership.

     b) Do you believe you are capable of being a leader in the Church today?  

 

 8. Goals

At the end of your self-evaluation, please list three or more specific goals for the next year. In order to foster your priestly formation under each goal list specific strategies you intend to pursue to help accomplish the goal you have set for yourself.

     1) Reflect on each of the seven general areas listed below.

     2) In preparing your written self-evaluation for the faculty, make sure to title each section accordingly.

     3) The questions in each area are guide questions; they need not be answered directly, but should serve to prompt a thorough treatment of the general areas.

      4) It is expected that you give a copy of your written self-evaluation to your spiritual director so he can read it before you submit it to the Rectors office. The spiritual directors reflections and feedback can be a valuable aid for your personal growth.

     5) Recheck you paper for typographical and grammatical errors, since this is a formal document for your files and for your Bishop/Superior.

1. Please Discuss your Personal Maturity
Guide questions/statements:

     a) Please identify and discuss some of your personal (i.e. emotional and psychological) strengths and weaknesses that affect your life and could possibly affect your priestly ministry.

     b) Do you know yourself? Identify your personal gifts, special interests, weaknesses and limitations.

     c) Do you feel there is a balance between your emotional, social and intellectual development? How is this evident?    

2. Please Discuss your Spiritual Life
Guide questions:

     a) Without violating the internal forum, where are you in your spiritual development? How has your relationship with God grown since last year?

     b) How do you see spirituality relating to your life (academic, pastoral and social) at the present time?

     c) Is personal prayer and community prayer a priority in your daily life? HOW?

     d) Please describe your relationship with your spiritual director.  

 

3. Please Discuss your Academic Endeavors
Guide questions:

     a) How have you taken personal responsibility for your academic formation? Be specific. (This question must be answered)

     b) Do you work according to your abilities?

     c) Do you believe your GPA reflects your ability and efforts?

     d) Do you think that you have the necessary intellectual gifts to carry out the ministry of priesthood?

     e) How do your studies affect your spiritual life and pastoral work? 

(Complete #4 only if you have done Pastoral work)  

 

4. Please Discuss your Pastoral Work
Guide questions:

     a) What personal gifts do you have that would be used well in pastoral ministry as a priest? Be specific.

     b) How is your pastoral work preparing you for priestly ministry? Be specific.

      c) In your pastoral work what did you learn about yourself? What did you learn about ministry?

      d) Has it been difficult keeping professional boundaries in the ministerial setting?   

 

5. Please Discuss your Social Life
Guide questions:

     a) Do you find yourself comfortable in associating with others and in communicating with them (students, teachers, those in your pastoral work)?

     b) How do you see yourself, in your relationship with people in general? with specific groups? with men, women, your own family, other seminarians, others in ministry, adolescents, young children, etc.? with new acquaintances?

     c) Can you see yourself relating to people in a parish? How?  

 

6. Please Discuss your Vocation
Guide questions:

     a) Please give a brief definition of the ordained priesthood.

     b) Why do you want to be a priest? Has this desire grown?

     c) How do you see yourself accepting ecclesiastical obedience (respect for Pope, obedience to bishop, obligation of the Liturgy of the Hours), celibate chastity, and a spirit of poverty as a part of priestly ministry? Do any of these present concern and, if so, how is this being addressed?   

7. Please Discuss your Ability for Leadership in the Church
Guide statement:

     a) Give specific examples of the ways in which you have exhibited leadership.

     b) Do you believe you are capable of being a leader in the Church today?  

 

8. Goals

At the end of your self-evaluation, please list three or more specific goals for the next year. In order to foster your priestly formation under each goal list specific strategies you intend to pursue to help accomplish the goal you have set for yourself.

A student-faculty committee assists the Director of Spiritual Formation in the goal of ensuring that the total daily life of the seminary does in fact serve to produce holiness and happiness. Known as the Faith-Life Committee, it is composed of the Director of Spiritual Formation, the Director of Liturgy, the Spiritual Director, one elected faculty member, and a student representative elected from each class. 

Suggestions, recommendations and changes proposed by the students are regularly elicited and heard by this committee. Proposals of the Faith-Life Committee relevant to the Spiritual Formation Program are presented to the Faculty Council in its regular meetings for deliberation and action.

A seminarian whose behavior, within the seminary community or beyond, seriously contradicts Christian principles can be dismissed from the seminary by the Rector. The Rector, before taking such action, must consult his Executive Council.