Priestly Formation

The formation program at Sacred Heart Major Seminary follows the norms of Pastores Dabo Vobis and The Program for Priestly Formation, 6th edition. The formation of future priests focuses on all levels of development: Spiritual Formation, Human Formation, Intellectual Formation, and Pastoral Formation. Each of these is treated separately and has a particular purpose and method. They must, however, be viewed as parts of a comprehensive interrelated whole.

Human Dimension

Seminary formation has “as its object to make (seminarians) true shepherds of souls after the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, teacher, priest, and shepherd” (Optatam Totius, no. 4).

A strong appreciation for the multi-faceted and challenging role of the diocesan priest lies at the root of the Human Formation Program at Sacred Heart Major Seminary’s Theologate. The seminary’s mission is to develop true pastors, mature and holy men, who live, work, and pray among the people in parish ministry. The complete program for human formation can be found in the Seminarian Handbook.

Spiritual Dimension

“I will give you shepherds after my own heart.” The words from the prophecy of Jeremiah are
etched on the cornerstone of the seminary building, and they capture the purpose of the Spiritual Formation Program of Sacred Heart Major Seminary: helping seminarians shape their hearts after the heart of Christ. The Master of Divinity program integrates aspects of the Spiritual Formation Program at Sacred Heart Major Seminary. Some of these aspects are taken from the list given in the fifth edition of the American Bishops’ Program of Priestly Formation, n. 110. A fuller description of these aspects can be found in both the SHMS Spiritual Director’s Guidelines and the SHMS Guidelines for Spiritual Formation, School of Theology.

1. Daily Eucharist
2. The Sacrament of Reconciliation
3. The Liturgy of the Hours and Ongoing Formation
4. Spiritual Direction
5. The Word of God
6. Retreats and Days of Recollection
7. Personal Meditation and Solitude
8. Devotions
9. Apostolic Dimensions
10. Celibacy
11. Asceticism and Simplicity
12. Obedience, Reconciliation and Solidarity

The SHMS Spiritual Formation Program assists men seeking to do God’s will as people of faith who recognize their limitations and the limitless quality of God’s grace. For such persons, the process of conversion is ongoing and rooted in hope and confidence that what cannot possibly be accomplished on one’s own is entirely possible with God. “The whole training of the 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” (Decree on Priestly Formation, no. 4). The spiritual program assists them in growing in their relationship with Christ who infuses their hearts with his love.

Pastoral Dimension

Priestly Leadership
An essential element in the formation of a candidate for the priesthood is leadership. Within the context of the Master of Divinity program the students are formed in the image in the Christ the Good Shepherd who leads the sheep in the light of truth. This formation occurs through course work, formation sessions, field education, and parish internships. Growth in affective maturity, a deeply integrated sense of self, knowledge of appropriate boundaries, and a well-developed life of virtue are among the essential foundations for effective pastoral leadership. These foundational elements are developed and formed through the Human Formation program, the details of which can be found in the Seminarian Handbook.

Field Education
Sacred Heart Major Seminary, located as it is in the heart of a large urban archdiocese, is an ideal place for the education and formation of men for the priesthood. It is in immediate proximity to the poor and the hub of a metropolitan area rich in a diversity of cultures. The seminary is an active participant in the social, political, economic and religious processes that affect the entire State of Michigan and much of Midwestern America. The entire metropolitan area, including urban, suburban and rural, becomes the living laboratory in which the student learns. Field education is an integral part of the seminary program. The program leads through gradual pastoral experiences to a full exercise of priestly ministry. In supervised and directed situations, the seminarian participates in ministry, works with competent professionals engaged in ministry, reflects on the personal impact of ministry, listens to parishioners and dialogues with peers. In all, he is immersed in pastoral education. The components of field education follow the rubric of forming the candidate as one preparing to teach, sanctify and govern. As such the Field Education Experiences reflect:

First Year:
Introduction to Field Education
Direct Clinical Experience
Reflections

Second Year:
Direct Experience in the New Evangelization
Supervision
Reflection
Parish Pastoral Experience during the summer (or undertake a full year Parish Pastoral Experience)

Third Year:
Parish Pastoral Experience during the summer

Fourth Year:
Preparation for Diaconal Assignment
Weekend Diaconal Assignment

Parish Internships
Internship is the practical application of pastoral ministerial skills in a defined learning situation. The emphasis is to be on relating what has been learned in the academic setting of the classroom with what is lived and experienced in the pastoral setting of the parish. During the internships it is expected that the student will encounter the diversity of life in a parish community by participating in the various gatherings where people worship and carry out the service, education, evangelization and stewardship dimensions of church life.

The parish internship has been conceived:
1. To enhance the readiness of the student for the integration of theological study and its
application to priestly ministry in a contemporary setting within a local parish community.
2. To enable the student minister and the Church to identify more accurately those attitudes
and aptitudes for priestly ministry which the student possesses at this time in order to set
further academic and formational goals within the whole program of study.
3. To enable the student minister to identify and to employ a spirituality appropriate to the
diocesan priesthood.
Further information on the parish internship may be found in the appropriate handbooks and
materials of the director of field education.