Formation

Enquiry & Accompaniment: With God’s help this enquiry comes from the candidate and is the beginning and early stage of discernment that continues all throughout formation. Over a period of at least one year the candidate meets with the vocations director and spiritual director. It is a time of exploration of the candidate’s interpretation of their call to priesthood or religious life and the influences that motivated their call. A spiritual director will also be a vital part of the accompaniment stage.

Propadeutic Year: This takes place in an environment providing a time of more intensive discernment and preparation for formal formation. It gives the freedom and quiet to the candidate for self-reflection and awareness and it lays a sound spiritual foundation.

Seminary Formation: This usually entails six years of full-time study in seminary: two years of Philosophy and four years of Theology. This formation addresses the requirement of the Human, Spiritual, Academic and Pastoral areas required for priestly ministry. The Director of Formation meets regularly with the candidate to work together on any individual areas of concern and the candidate’s involvement in his own formation.