Part 4 – Forming the Priest: Made in Christ's Image

"The Glory which you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as you have loved me." (Jn 17:22-23)

After three to five years of seminary formation, we now arrive at the final stage of seminary: Configuration. Unlike the previous two stages, there is no minimum or maximum number of years for this stage. A seminary's theology curriculum usually lasts four years, so most programs still try to help the men complete this stage in the same timeframe. Configuration is an intense period of formation. The previous stages were of intense discernment, but this is no longer needed because the seminarian has received candidacy and is considered finished with his priestly discernment.

All this effort is now placed on being formed into a holy priest for his diocese. My seminary rector has a vision of how his graduates should se their priestly identity: “My goal is not to form show ponies but work horses." By this, he means that he wants his men to spend themselves in service to the parish community and not to be accessible only for the sacraments. While the discipleship stage is quite literally becoming a disciple of Christ, the configuration stage is the movement to becoming a true friend of Christ, and even an alter Christus, another Christ. No longer do I call you servants... but I have called you friends. (Jn 15:15)

Outside of the amount of studying, the true intensity of this stage is forming the foundation of a priestly heart. The foundation for a priest's ministry, as it should be for anyone in ministry, is the spiritual life. The heart is formed more so by a life of progressive contemplation than by filling time with pastoral acts. If we look back at Part 1, I mentioned that a person's mission comes from his identity. His identity does not come from his mission. A holy priest is one who is truly close to Christ by his spiritual life (identity); not by the number of activities he plans for the parish (mission). Jesus did have an active ministerial life, but He never neglected His time of prayer. Only by continually turning to His Father did He progress His ministry. My favorite book that I have read during seminary is The Soul of the Apostolate by Fr. Jean-Baptiste Chautard, and this is the main emphasis of his work. If Christ is the vine and we are all branches trying to bear fruit, why are we then cutting off our access to the vine by neglecting our prayer life? No fruits will come from our efforts alone, as Christ has already said, "for apart from me, you can do nothing." (Jn 15:5) No cleric is ever allowed to neglect his prayer life on account of ministry. A vow is made at the diaconate ordination to always pray the Liturgy of the Hours with and for the people of God. Missing any of the five required daily prayers is a mortal sin for a deacon or priest. A priest is not required to celebrate the Mass every day, but he must pray his Breviary every day.

I am not arguing that a diocesan priest must become a contemplative hermit. On the contrary, I am arguing that his ministry must flow from a radiating love of God and not from a desire to increase Mass attendance and ministry volunteers. Fr. Chautard argues that it is from a strongly rooted spiritual life that the acts of ministry come forth. An apostle with a strong life of prayer will radiate patience, humility, joy, and especially charity, and this life will form his soul to a greater sensitivity to the prompting of the Holy Spirit. This heart that can radiate virtues is the final goal of the configuration stage because it can now be spent in the service of the people.

Now, completing this stage is not the end of priestly formation. There is actually one more stage: Synthesis. This final stage is when the seminarian is ordained a deacon and works full-time in a parish for a minimum of six months. In our diocese, the current decision is to make this parish assignment the first parish the seminarian will also have as a priest. This will help make the transition from student to cleric easier. My class, which will be ordained in 2027, will be the first to go through this stage for the diocese. However, even after our ordinations, our formation is still not done. We are constantly reminded by Denver's vicar for clergy that "your formation only ends after you die.” A priest is always in formation, and if he is not progressing, his vocation is dying. This mindset is true not only for priests, but for all Catholics. Every Catholic is on a pilgrimage toward Heaven, and a lack of growth in prayer is the same as stopping the journey short of the goal.

Next week - Human Formation... Celibacy is a gift, not a sacrifice?