On-Going Formation of Priests: New Approaches To Post-Seminary Formation

Abstract

recall an interesting conversation I once had with a very knowledgeable layperson towards the end of my seminary formation. This man was trying to make an argument for the similarity between the calling and work of a Catholic Priest and the work of a Medical Doctor. For him, when one considers the length of training and sophistication of the training received, alongside the ethical requirements, and the demands of the job, the Priesthood and the medical profession are very similar. He made bold to say that in the light of the regular updating and stress on specialization, the medical doctor eventually becomes more refined than the Priest. It was at this point that I mentioned the on-going formation of priests, to which he replied; “What is that? Am just hearing of that? What does it mean? But not all Priests have post-graduate studies, do they? The on-going formation 1 of priests is a reality that is often misunderstood, unknown and under-appreciated. And this cuts across the board, as not only are laypersons largely unaware of what it entails, even those that should know better, namely the Clerics themselves seem to underappreciate it. This is despite the fact that it is a concept that is crucial to successful priestly ministry, as we read in the words of Pope Benedict XVI’s Motu Proprio Ministrorum Institutio