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The Lateran Model and the Program of Priestly Formation
The aim of the seminary curriculum is to provide a firm academic foundation for the pastoral work of future priests. It is our belief that a rigorous content, and the intellectual skills developed in the acquisition of that content, contributes to the spiritual and pastoral formation of seminarians. (See United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Program of Priestly Formation [PPF], 337 & 347.)
Using the curriculum of the Pontifical Lateran University as a model, the faculty of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary has worked diligently to insure each seminarian receives the highest quality of instruction and training in preparation for priestly ordination. Since the academic program was approved by Rome in 1999, the faculty and administration of the seminary have engaged in a continuous process of self-improvement to assess the effectiveness of its program of priestly formation, the content of the courses, the integration of subject matter within and between courses, the sequence of courses within the curricula, and the tempo of learning required for intellectual formation. The success of this effort is evidenced by the praise and respect the program has received from academic peers at other Catholic seminaries in the United States and by distinguished Catholic scholars have recognized the substance, academic rigor, and stimulating intellectual challenge we present to seminarians during their intellectual formation for the priesthood. Furthermore, the curricula offered at St. John Vianney Theological Seminary conforms to the requirements of the Program of Priestly Formation of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (PPF).
Ressourcement is the pursuit of a spiritual and intellectual communion with the most vital moments of Christianity as transmitted to us in its classic texts for the purpose of responding to the critical questions of our time (aggiornamento). The faculty of St. John Vianney Theological Seminary embrace ressourcement in their programs of study under the belief that to more truly meet the challenges of our time, we must first begin with a return to the sources of Christian faith, with a rediscovery of the riches of the whole of the Church's two-thousand-year tradition.
St. John Vianney Theological Seminary is actively involved in the formation of men from all over the world. Today, men from six continents and fourteen different countries are represented at the seminary. In view of the increasing globalization of the modern world, language study and multicultural education are important components in the educational preparation of seminary students.
The seminary's English Language and Spanish Language Programs focus on developing proficient language skills and cultural knowledge for the purpose of preparing seminarians for ministry and for academic courses needed in priestly formation. In addition, language profi- ciency and cultural knowledge facilitate effective pastoral work and allow the spiritual charisms present in a local church to be integrated within the universal Church.
The core courses of the English as a Second Language Program provide multiple learning tracks to accommodate beginning, intermediate and advanced language proficiency levels. The integrated curriculum employs a combination of direct instruction, individual tutoring, authentic experiences and technological support using interactive multimedia. The program provides international seminary students with the language skills and cultural knowledge needed to complete academic programs and to prepare for priestly ministry.
The Spanish Language Program offers a holistic approach to proficient communication in Spanish. Students are involved in an intense instructional program at the seminary prior to their placement in a Spanish immersion program in Mexico. The instructional program and the cultural immersion program are designed to support priestly ministry in a multicultural setting.
The mission of the Archbishop Vehr Theological Library is to provide resources and services to support the curricular and research needs of the students and faculty of St. John Vianney and Redemptoris Mater seminaries. The Vehr Theological Library has compiled one of the finest collections of theological books and resources in the United States. In the areas of theology, church history, patristics, liturgy, canon law, religious education, religious art, philosophy and literature, the serious scholar can draw from the library's impressive holdings of more than 150,000 books and 300 periodicals. Featuring modern works and original manuscripts dating back to the early 1600's, Vehr Library maintains reciprocal borrowing privileges with the libraries of the University of Denver, Iliff School of Theology and Denver Seminary and often hosts visiting international faculty and students from area seminaries and universities in support of their theological and philosophical research.