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Contact ICSST
400 South Orange Avenue
South Orange, NJ 07079
Tel: 973.761.9575
theology@shu.edu

Institute for
Christian Spirituality
theology.shu.edu/ICS

Formation concerns the continuing conversion of heart, mind and soul in a man that will enable him to carry on an effective ministry, in service of God and His people, in the ordained priesthood of Jesus Christ. The integral nature of Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology’s priestly Formation Program — encompassing the human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral — fulfills the mission of the Seminary to prepare candidates to serve the Lord and the Church as ordained representatives of Jesus Christ, with fidelity to the Roman Catholic Church as defined and expressed by the Holy See, the Bishops of the United States, and the Archbishop of Newark. In addition, a devotion to the Mother of God, in whose honor the Seminary is named, is encouraged in each seminarian as a part of the healthy spiritual life touching upon all aspects of formation. 

The components of the Formation Program — categorized below as addressing the human, spiritual, intellectual, or pastoral — work in concert with each other to assist seminarians in their continuing conversion. 

Human Formation

Human formation helps the seminarian to deepen his capacity for the celibate life and to develop his personality as a bridge for others in meeting Jesus Christ. At Immaculate Conception Seminary, human formation occurs on a myriad of different levels — both individually and communally — and seeks to form the seminarian’s human personality, cultivating the human qualities necessary to be a mature and balanced person. On the individual level, every seminarian is assigned a mentor from among the formation faculty and given access to professional counselors who assist the seminarian in his personal growth and development. Key elements to the communal process of human formation include, but are by no means restricted to, conferences, lectures and workshops attended by each seminarian. However, much of the human formation is realized by living and interacting in the Seminary community with peers, faculty, administrators and staff.  Seminarians are encouraged and challenged to continually address their human formation and how it impacts, and is impacted by, the three other pillars of formation: the spiritual, the intellectual and the pastoral.

 Spiritual Formation

The priestly vocation demands of the candidate a high level of spiritual maturity achieved through his relationship with God and the members of the Church. In the spiritual dimension of the Formation Program, the seminarian is provided with numerous vehicles for drawing close to the Lord in every detail of his life. Through the process of spiritual direction, a priest spiritual director strives to help the seminarian develop the interior freedom necessary to live out his vocation in the joy of the Holy Spirit. In addition, seminarians are provided with frequent opportunities for retreat, to find conversion in self-understanding, serious commitment to a Christ-centered celibate life and Gospel simplicity. Seminarians are also formed in the liturgical tradition of the Church, the primary and indispensable source of the Christian spirit. Frequent participation in the Sacrament of Reconciliation is integrated into the spiritual formation of seminarians, as part of the components mentioned above and through ample other opportunities. Of course, all aspects of the spiritual formation program include instruction and experience in prayer,  personal and communal, as these are both necessary for developing the spiritual life and ministry of a diocesan priest. 

Intellectual Formation

Intellectual formation represents a critical component in the priestly preparation of men to proclaim and teach the Word of God. To assist candidates for the priesthood in attaining conversion of mind and heart through intellectual formation, in conformity with the instructions of the Program of Priestly Formation (#334), the academic program at Immaculate Conception Seminary provides seminarians with a “thorough and comprehensive grounding in the Catholic faith.” The program includes academic coursework, seminars, pastoral field education and theological reflection. In addition, as the intellectual formation of priests must address the need for effective communication, seminarians also study a second language for the benefit of the people they will be sent to serve. 

Pastoral Formation

Pastoral formation integrates what the seminarian has learned in the classroom and other settings to develop the ministerial skills needed for priestly ministry. The pastoral education component of the Formation Program is designed to give students formative experiences in a parish, and in a variety of supervised ministerial settings. Field education occurs throughout the school year and in apostolic summer assignments. Through proper supervision and theological reflection, the seminarian becomes reflective about the practice of ministry. In addition, the mentor program, which calls for dialogue and consultation with a member of the formation faculty, ensures every seminarian a great measure of individual attention and counsel throughout the period of priestly formation.  Communication between faculty, administration and seminarians is facilitated by the Seminary Council, which provides a forum for seminarians to voice and resolve concerns, and to enrich community life. Moreover, it is in community life, including regularly scheduled events and additional activities beyond the Seminary calendar, that each seminarian is formed for priestly living and given the opportunity to reflect on the total education and formation process.

Each component of the Formation Program assists the future priest in his development as one who will take on the likeness of Christ. Every seminarian bears the primary responsibility for his priestly formation. He must approach this central aspect of his life with enthusiasm and joy.

 

FALL 2005 FORMATION PROGRAM SCHEDULE

 Formation Conferences
SUNDAY EVENING FORMATION CONFERENCES
Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Lewis Hall, 7:15 p.m.

House Liturgical Formation

FRIDAY SESSIONS
Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Lewis Hall
8:30 – 9:30 a.m.


 

Fourth Theology Formation
TUESDAY AND THURSDAY SESSIONS
Third Floor Lounge, Lewis Hall, 7 – 9 p.m.

FRIDAY SESSIONS
Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Lewis Hall
9:45 – 10:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. – Noon



      

Pre - through Third Theology Formation

FRIDAY SESSIONS
Chapel of the Good Shepherd, Lewis Hall
Pre-Theology: Knights of Columbus Room
First Theology: Faculty Conference Room
Second Theology: Second Floor Lounge
Third Theology: Third Floor Lounge
9:45 – 10:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. – Noon
Commence in Chapel of the Good Shepherd
for Daytime Prayer


Click here to download entire 2005-2006 Formation Program Schedule