“Draw close to God to bring Him close to others . lead by the hand and counsel prudently.”
As John Paul II writes, “The whole training of [seminary] students should have as its object to make them shepherds of souls after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, teacher, priest and shepherd”(57, quoting the Second Vatican Council in OT, 4). The formation of the candidate for ordination must aim at inculcating a pastoral charity which will enable the priest to be the “living image of Christ”he is called to be. To image Christ - the Good Shepherd and Spouse of the Church - the seminarian's formation must have a specifically pastoral orientation. It is not enough that one be emotionally, spiritually and intellectually mature. All these attributes have to be placed at the service of others in the priesthood.
Thus, add-on “ministry”courses are not enough in the pastoral formation of young men for the priesthood. Pastoral formation requires that the seminarian be able to integrate what he has learned through study with what he has learned by experience. Every moment of the process of growth in the seminary should make reference to the pastoral setting. In addition to specific classes in areas such as pastoral counseling, parish management and homiletics, we will rely heavily on our pastors and people in this process of introducing and preparing men for work in parochial ministry. It is my sincere hope that summer placement with the pastors of the Archdiocese of Denver and with the people in the parishes of northern Colorado will be real occasions for growth for our seminarians. In these places, above all, they will learn how to love the Bride of Christ as she needs to be loved: as Christ Himself loves her.
