www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Parish Life & Evangelization Just a few questions

6 in the entire seminary? That won't even cover retirements and leave of absences in coming years (assuming all six of them finish).

Fr. Deacon:

Good point! I heard that the seminary a Halles Corner, Wisconsin, Sacred Heart made Bishop Basil a sweet heart deal to take over the training of Eastern Catholic seminarians there at Sacred Heart. They speciaslize in late vocations!

Why don't we have late vocations in the Eparchies?

Scott

In some Orthodox seminaries late vocations are offered the option of taking a licentiate in theology rather than a degree.
Also the option to take courses except for the final year by correspondence.
I do not have the stastics at hand but I believe that the majority of theology students are over the age of 35 according to a study by ATS Association of Theological Schools.

Our Latin Archdiocese had 18 in its inaugural Deacon's program class last year alone. First year of the program, one diocese, one class. They probably won't all make it, but not bad for a Midwestern archdiocese that isn't that big.

Other Greek Catholic eparchies have ordained some "later vocations". There has been Fr. Plishka in Palatine for the Eparchy of St. Nicholas, and a good friend of mine was near or at 50 when he was ordained in Toronto a couple of years back.

I still have difficulty with the outlay of physical and financial resources expended for an entire seminary class of half a dozen.

"I still have difficulty with the outlay of physical and financial resources expended for an entire seminary class of half a dozen."

Have they considered or would they be willing to consider other alternatives to onsite classes such as online classes or class on
Saturdays or various combinations of a rector, administration on site but students meeting once a week on site and taking correspondence courses or online courses?

How about sharing resources with the UGCC seminaries in the USA?

Nah, in light of the RDL and all that entails, it would never work...

Orest, that would be a good idea except for two things:

1. They're not just getting an academic degree. There has to be an ongoing evaluation of their growing spirituality and aptitude for priesthood. That wouldn't be possible with strictly distance learning. And if they have to do a residency year, then you still have to maintain a facility which is only used occasionally.

2. Meeting weekly, on Saturdays or such, would be a good idea for those who live within a couple hundred miles, but it would be cost prohibitive for anyone who had to depend on air transportation. (I personally would love to be able to take advantage of our Metropolitan Cantor Institute, but they meet 5 times per year for a 5 year program. Travel expenses, not including lodging and meals, would be over $40,000.)

Scott, Now if this latin seminary ( and I have to assume from the name that is Latin)takes over training for EC seminarians wouldn't that lead to a more latinized clergylike priest chanting latin style?

Indigo:

As an example of Sacred Heart's fine work: Father Sid Sidor at St. Athanasius the Great BCC in Indianapolis is hardly latinized in his chanting style. No one would contest his Eastern Christian mentality.

Scott

Re the seminary, if you count each person with a regular academic title as one FTE (full time equivalent) and each adjunct or person with two titles as half an FTE, there are about six FTE faculty members. For six FT students and a dozen and a half deacon candidates? I work in the downmarket end of higher ed, where plans are always afoot to make the student-faculty ratio look like the national debt. But these are quite striking numbers, even taking into account the time consuming nature of formation.

"I still contend that we don't need a seminary for two seminarians."

How about for: 6 seminarians, 15 deacon candidates, 14 students taking classes or seeking a Masters in Theology, 45 cantors attending the MCI, training for bi-ritual priests, training for catechists. A sui iuris church must have its own seminary.

Fr. Deacon Lance"

I am not a member of your church, but if you want my 2 cents, I agree with Fr. Lance that your church must have its own seminary to teach your own church history and liturgical trations. Courses can be offered by correspondence or online to laity, but candidates for the ministry should be living in the seminary participating in the liturgical life of your tradition. Also the personal character of the candidates and their spiritual growth can be observed and examined.
The seminary can also be used for retreats for laity and youth.

I might add, I noticed on our parish's most recent financial statement that payments to the Eparchy account for about a fifth of our expenses. I assume a chunk of that goes to the seminary. A low student-faculty ratio is an expensive thing.

Is a seminary canonically required for sui iuris churches? I suppose as someone pointed out, going it alone on the RDL would make it hard to share resources with the Ukrainians and Romanians.

Having grown up across the street from a Latin rite seminary that closed when enrollment hit 70 or so, ours does seem on the uneconomically small side.