A seminary is, first and foremost, a place for the formation of Catholic priests. St. John Paul II stated that the seminary strives to cooperate in fulfilling God's promise given through the prophet Jeremiah: "I will give you shepherds after my own heart." (3:15)
Here, a seminarian enters intensive formation across four dimensions: human, intellectual, spiritual and pastoral. This integrative formation allows the seminarian to become fully himself. By cooperating with the Holy Spirit, the principal agent of formation, and accompanied by outstanding formators in both the internal and external fora, the seminarian disciple receives and grows in his particular vocation to become a priest configured to Jesus Christ. He becomes fully alive in the Holy Spirit and, engaging in faithful ministry as a joyful, holy and healthy priest, he changes the world.
Stages of formation
In accord with the new Program for Priestly Formation, Sixth Edition, priestly formation at The Saint Paul Seminary consists of the following stages:
