DECREE ON PRIESTLY FORMATION (Optatam Totius)  
Promulgated, Paul VI, Oct. 28, 1965

Bishop’s Conference

Vocations

Major Seminaries

Spiritual Training

The Revision of Ecclesiastical Studies

The Promotion of Strictly Pastoral Training

OT on priestly formation is concerned with the reform of seminaries, specially team work, pastoral formation and just relationship with the world.

CONTENT

Introduction:

-           Renewal of the whole Church depends on the Ministry of its priests thus the importance of priestly training.

-           New elements be added in line with the constitutions and decrees of the sacred council and in the context of the changed conditions of our times.

I.                    The Need for Inculturated Program of Priestly Training.

-          Program of priestly training be undertaken by each country suited for their respective context…

II.                  The Urgent Need in Fostering Priestly Vocations.

-           Fostering of vocations is the duty of the whole Christian community: families, parishes, teachers, catholic associations, priests and bishops.

III.                The Establishment of Major Seminaries (Regional).

-           General Orientation: Priestly formation and training of the students should be oriented to the formation of true shepherds after the model of Jesus Christ.

IV.                The Careful Development of Spiritual Training.

-           Spiritual formation closely connected with the doctrinal and pastoral.

-           To live in an intimate and unceasing union with the Father through His Son Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit.

V.                  The Revision of Ecclesiastical Studies.

-            Seminarians are equipped with humanistic and scientific training as foundation for higher studies.

-            Study of liturgical language and languages of the Bible and of Tradition.

-             Revision of philosophical and theological studies enables students to be open to mystery of Christ.

-             Primacy of biblical themes in dogmatic theology.

VI.                The Promotion of Strictly Pastoral Training.

-           That pastoral concern which ought to permeate thoroughly the entire training of the students, their various Institutes.

-           They should also be taught to use the aids, which the disciplines of pedagogy, psychology, and sociology can provide according to correct methodology and the norms of ecclesiastical authority.

VII.              Training to be achieved after the Course of Studies.

-           Given the fast changing times, continuous formation of priests continues.

-           This is the responsibility of Episcopal conferences in individual nations to employ suitable means to this end.

Conclusion:

-            New priestly formation is the continuation of the traditional formation.

-             Formation in the spirit of renewal promoted by the sacred synod.

-             Exhorting the seminarians to be the hope of the Church, for the salvation of souls.

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Last Updated: Saturday, December 01, 2001 12:53:06 PM