Discipleship Spiritual Formation

THE GOAL OF SPIRITUAL FORMATION: CLOSE FRIENDSHIP WITH CHRIST

The goal of spiritual formation at Holy Trinity Seminary is for the seminarian more and more to live in intimate communion with the Father, through the Son, and in the Holy Spirit, especially by his seeking an ever deeper friendship with Jesus and by living his paschal mystery, which finds expression in and is nurtured by faithful meditation on the Word of God and by prayer, by active participation in the Church’s holy mysteries, and by the service of charity to others, especially the poor.

In spiritual priestly formation, living a virtuous life looks like a man whose very life is grounded in the firm foundation of friendship with Jesus Christ which, in turn, is expressed through a life of prayer.

OBJECTIVES

To become habitual in the practice of personal prayer.
To commit to spiritual direction.
To be faithful to community prayer.
To grow in a spirit of personal contrition for sin and dependence on God’s mercy.
To seek an ever deeper friendship with Jesus.
To grow in one’s identity as a beloved son.
To grow in loving knowledge of and prayerful familiarity with the Word of God.
To grow in love for the Eucharist.
To grow in virtues central to priestly life and ministry.
To develop one’s personal devotional life.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Seminarians receive assistance in achieving the goal and appropriating the virtue of spiritual formation in the external forum through many means, including the daily celebration of Mass, Morning and Evening Prayer which are celebrated in common five days a week, regular conferences, class formation sessions, daily homilies at Mass, weekends of recollection, annual retreats, and select workshops.

House practices include: serving in various ministerial roles in the liturgy, including as sacred music cantors and choir members; the celebration of Mass and the Liturgy of the Hours in Spanish once a week; weekly community adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; frequent reception of the Sacrament of Reconciliation; and introduction throughout the year to the devotional life of the Church, including the Rosary and the Stations of the Cross, as well as cultural devotions such as the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

Spiritual direction, which is in the internal (confidential) forum, complements the formation occurring in the external forum and allows for the most personal and individual attention to a seminarian’s growth in all four dimensions and in his ongoing discernment.