Human - Spiritual - Intellectual
All four pillars of formation are interwoven and go forward concurrently. Still, in a certain sense, pastoral formation is the culmination of the entire formation process, as expressed in the thought of Pope John Paul II: 'The whole formation imparted to candidates for the priesthood aims at preparing them to enter into communion with the charity of Christ the Good Shepherd. Hence, their formation in its different aspects must have a fundamentally pastoral character.' (Pastores Dabo Vobis, 57)
In virtue of the grace of Holy Orders, a priest is able to stand and act in the community in the name and person of Jesus Christ, Head and Shepherd of the Church. This sacramental character needs to be completed by the personal and pastoral formation of the priest, who appropriates 'the mind of Christ,' and effectively communicates the mysteries of faith through his human personality as a bridge, through his personal witness of faith rooted in his spiritual life, and through his knowledge of faith. These elements of formation converge in pastoral formation.
The basic principle of pastoral formation is enunciated in Pastores Dabo Vobis, 57 in its citation of Optatam Totius, 4: 'The whole training of students should have as its object to make them true shepherds of souls after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, teacher, priest and shepherd.' To be a true 'shepherd of souls' means standing with and for Christ in the community, the Christ who teaches and sanctifies and guides or leads the community. The grace to be a shepherd comes with ordination. That grace, however, calls for the priest's personal commitment to develop the knowledge and skills to teach and preach well, to celebrate the sacraments both properly and prayerfully, and to respond to people's needs as well as to take initiatives in the community that holy leadership requires.
This expression of the aim of pastoral formation-the formation of a 'true shepherd' who teaches, sanctifies, and governs or leads-then, there are implications for pastoral formation in the seminary. Such formation must include a number of essential elements:
- skill and effective public ministry
- a initiation to various practical, pastoral experiences, especially
in parishes
- cultural sensitivity
- formation for a particular presbyterate and a local Church
- the poor
- proclamation of the Word
- the sacramental dimension
- the missionary dimension
- the community dimension
- leadership development
- the cultivation of personal qualities
Clearly, pastoral formation not only connects with the other three pillars of priestly formation, in itself it provides a goal that integrates the other dimensions. Human formation enables priests to be bridges to communicate Jesus Christ, a pastoral function. Spiritual formation enables priests to persevere in and give depth to their ministry. Intellectual formation provides criteria and content to ensure that pastoral efforts are directed correctly, properly, and effectively.
Copyright USCCB Program of Priestly Formation (5th Edition-6th Working Draft)
