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SEMINARIANS AT MASS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC


 

SPIRITUAL FORMATION AT ST. PAUL’S SEMINARY

The seminarians are spiritually formed in close association with doctrinal and pastoral formation. The work of spiritual formation is entrusted particularly to the respective Spiritual Directors. In the seminary, there is the General Spiritual Director who deals with the general seminarians’ spiritual affairs and particular Spiritual Directors who deal with particular seminarians’ spiritual affairs with confidentiality. Here, there is a father – son relationship whereby the priest (spiritual Director), provides spiritual care to the seminarian just like a father who provides parental care to his child. The nature of interaction between the spiritual Director and his spiritual son is more or less like the interaction between a confessor and a penitent because whatever matter is dealt with is meant to remain confidential (only between the two) just like the “sacramental seal” in the Sacrament of penance. Consequently, spiritual sons approach their respective spiritual fathers with full confidence for they are assured of their privacy.

Spiritual directors assist their spiritual sons (seminarians) to live and grow in intimate and unceasing union with God the Father through his Son Jesus Christ, in the Holy Spirit (Cf. Optatam Totius, No. 8). Since the seminarians are moving towards being “other Christ” that is; taking on the likeness of Christ the priest by sacred ordination, they should necessarily be intimate friends with him in every aspect of their life. In the seminary therefore, seminarians are taught to seek Christ through faithful meditation on the word of God and in active participation in the mysteries of the Church most especially the Eucharist.

Every day in the seminary begins with the act of surrendering to God in the morning and ends in the same act in the night (with morning prayers and night prayers respectively). No single day goes without the Eucharistic sacrifice and different moments of the day, each member either with others or alone, offers different his prayers to God. This prefigures the fact that every hour must be offered to God, the absolute master of all. While in prayer, the seminarians and their formators don’t pray only for their individual intentions but also for all the intentions of the whole Church and the world at large.

The seminary community is aided in its spiritual life by the presence of different magnificent chapels and prayer rooms with a variety of spiritual literature, calm atmosphere for meditation, comfortable furniture and a number of other facilities.

While at mass, the angelic seminary choir commonly known as ‘Chamber choir’ inspires the community to draw nearer to God in meditation. The choir comprises of musically talented and trained seminarians who tirelessly work to keep their standard and to tremendously play their role of musical animation in liturgy. The seminary invests in the Choir through provision of different musical instruments with an aim of realizing facilitating prayer hence spiritual growth (one who sings prays twice – St. Augustine).

The role of the various devotions through different movements and associations also must never be neglected in the spiritual formation and growth in the seminary. The seminarians, by their free will choose movements or associations in which to belong for their intimate union with God. Common among these movements and associations are: Legion of Mary, Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Apostleship of prayer, Pioneer, Divine mercy, St. Egidio, Y.C.S, Focolare, Uganda Martyrs Guild and St. Jude.