Priestly Formation
2024-2025 Seminarians
Admission
The candidate for the priestly formation program contacts his Vocation Director or Bishop of the diocese of sponsorship. A candidate will not be reviewed for admission by St. Augustine’s Seminary without being approved by a diocese. Those wishing to pursue their vocation through a religious order will only be admitted to the Seminary after being approved and sponsored by the Order. Each candidate will be evaluated by the Rector, Academic Dean, Human Formation Counsellor, and a member of the Formation Faculty before being admitted to the Seminary. All candidates will also be evaluated by a professional psychologist selected by the Seminary or by the local Ordinary. This assessment is among many instruments available to help discern the psychological and other factors that can strengthen or hinder a candidate’s vocation to the priesthood.
At all stages of formation, men are encouraged (especially in Spiritual Direction, Meetings with the Formation Advisor and at various Year Group Meetings), to discern their own suitability for priestly ministry to make a free and conscious decision regarding their readiness for Holy Orders.
Formation at St Augustine's Seminary
The Formation Program is a seven-year (or more) course of formation encompassing four dimensions: intellectual, pastoral, and spiritual formation, and communal life. Any introduction to what St. Augustine's is and seeks to be for its students is best undertaken by considering the Seminary as, at one and the same time, a House of Prayer, a House of Study, and a House of Community Living.
“Our Rector, Fr. Edwin Gonsalves, would always say the Seminary is first and foremost a house of prayer. The faculty did everything they could to foster that in us – not just through the formation process, but through example. It came out in the way they themselves live their faith, witness their own faith. They were there in the Chapel praying with us every day. It was there in the way they taught us.”
Stages of Formation
The Seminary follows the Ratio Fundamentalis (2016) and the Ratio Nationalis (2022) that envisions priestly formation as a journey in four stages: the Propaedeutic Stage, the Discipleship Stage (Philosophical Studies), the Configuration Stage (Theological Studies), and the Pastoral Stage. For candidates from the Archdiocese of Toronto, these stages are book-ended by two important periods of formation, a Pre-Seminary Phase of formation (that lasts one to two years) and a Post-Seminary Phase of formation (that lasts five years).
“Some of the most significant experiences of my priestly formation took place during the spiritual year. Even though I had already spent three years in formation, I had not yet fostered a sense of peace. My philosophy studies had allowed me to open up my mind to the beauty of the truth of our faith, but that understanding remained an intellectual fascination. I had not yet experienced the peace that comes from being enveloped by an experience of the love of God. I didn’t even know what I was lacking. My formation at St. Augustine’s helped me to foster a harmony between my academic, spiritual, and pastoral life, and to help others find that same harmony in their own lives.”
I. PRE-SEMINARY PHASE
In the Archdiocese of Toronto, opportunities are provided to help the candidate discern his vocation in the Church. There is regular contact with the Vocation Director who may work closely with a Vocation Council (made up of priests chosen by the Ordinary). When a candidate applies to the Seminary, the Formation Faculty has a degree of confidence that the candidate is ready to begin priestly formation.
I. PROPAEDEUTIC STAGE
This stage is focused on the seminarian seeking God’s will, exploring, and deepening his faith and his relationship with Christ and reflecting on the vocation to the diocesan priesthood. It is for this reason that this stage at St. Augustine’s is often called the “Spiritual Year”. Human, spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral dimensions of formation in this stage guide the seminarian to grow in self-awareness, become better acquainted with the life of the Church, and develop his leadership skills. This stage of formation usually lasts one academic year (8 months).
Please contact the Seminary to obtain a detailed prospectus outlining the Spiritual (Propaedeutic) Year program.
II. DISCIPLESHIP STAGE (PHILOSOPHICAL STUDIES)
In this stage, the seminarian is strengthened in his discipleship of Christ. He learns self-awareness and self-acceptance through being more open to the Holy Spirit. The seminarian demonstrates growth in charity, justice and fidelity to Christ and the Church. He is faithful to the horarium and reaches out by sharing his time and talents with his brother seminarians and the community at large. The Discipleship Stage at St. Augustine’s Seminary usually lasts for a period of two to four years depending on the background of the seminarian. At the conclusion of this time, the seminarian has attained freedom and maturity to enter the next stage of formation.
The spiritual formation includes a schedule that allows space for personal meditation as well as common liturgies. The typical day consists of morning Mass, Adoration, and Evening Prayer. During special liturgical seasons and key moments in the annual calendar, seminarians participate in Recollection Weekends and Silent Retreats. Bi-weekly spiritual direction is the norm throughout the formational year, as well as monthly one-on-one meetings with the Formators.
The curriculum of philosophical and theological studies (including Spiritual Year – Propaedeutic) at St. Augustine's Seminary of Toronto corresponds to the specific formation directives of the Holy See, integrated into a plan that includes human, spiritual and pastoral dimensions.
The Discipleship Stage is at the Serra House Pre-Theology Residence, located in downtown Toronto. The Director of Discipleship Stage of formation oversees the pre-theology in-house formation program.
First Year:
The seminarian, being aware of himself, can identify his strengths and weaknesses and prepares to give of himself to God and the community. He embraces a personal rule of life and is open to feedback and correction. His prayer life is disciplined, and he actively engages in all aspects of community life: prayer, study, and community.
III. CONFIGURATION STAGE (THEOLOGICAL STUDIES)
In this stage, the seminarian enters deeply into the contemplation of Christ the Good Shepherd. His relationship with Christ is intimate and personal and helps him grow in priestly identity. At this stage, the seminarian lives out the theological and cardinal virtues.
Second Year:
The seminarian shows evidence of integrating the four dimensions of formation and learns to take greater initiative. He is actively involved in the life of the community and readily volunteering his time and talents, especially with his participation in the field education program. The seminarian enters with openness and generosity required for the Parish Internship Year. He possesses a disciplined personal rule of life and is open to all aspects of Seminary formation.
Parish Internship:
Candidates for Ordination complete this stage in their local dioceses typically before the third year of Theology (or another suitable time). The goal is for the seminarian to experience and be involved in various aspects of parish and diocesan life during this time of vocational synthesis.
He will begin this stage in earnest under the supervision of a Pastor appointed by his Bishop. This placement is very important and “can make a great impact on the personality of the candidate.” After consultation with those in the Diocese entrusted with this stage, such as Vocational Director, Pastor of the parish assignment and other clergy and laity, the Bishop will decide when to call the candidate to the Diaconate.
Third Year:
After returning from the Parish Internship Year, the seminarian shows a greater integration of theological courses and pastoral life. Significant growth in prayer and involvement in life of the Seminary community should be evident by this year. The seminarian can reflect on his years of formation with his pastoral experience and prepare himself for Sacred Orders
Fourth Year:
The fourth year of formation brings to completion the requirements of the priestly formation program at the Seminary. The seminarian/deacon should be ready and willing to “go out of himself” and be committed to a lifetime of service to God and the Church. He should be obedient to his bishop and must be continually formed into the likeness of Christ.
IV. PASTORAL SYNTHESIS
This is a time of synthesis for the newly ordained priest that lasts about five years. Regular meetings for ongoing formation assist the priest in addressing issues of spiritual, personal and interpersonal growth as well as the pastoral skills needed to be effective ministers. Opportunities are provided for prayer, presentations and discussion, and fraternity. The purpose is to help the newly ordained understand his priestly identity and functions for the sake of service to Christ and the Church.
Evaluation Process
Self-Evaluation
At the end of each year, the seminarian prepares a self-evaluation according to Seminary guidelines. The annual evaluation provides the opportunity for the seminarians to reflect on their ongoing discernment and response to the formation process. The seminarian is required to be honest and transparent and may discuss the self-evaluation with his Spiritual Director or Formation Group leader. On the part of the Seminary, it provides the opportunity to discern the motivations and qualities that indicate the presence of a true vocation to the priesthood.
Formation Advising
The process of formation will involve the assignment of a formation advisor to each seminarian. The review of progress and discussion of pathways toward growth and integration shall take place monthly. The Formation Advisor will gather weekly with the Formation Group for Thursday liturgies and periodically for communal events. The formation advisor plays the role of the seminarian's coach and mentor in the external forum.
Formation Report
The Formation Advisor and the Rector prepare an annual formation report. The report summarizes the self-evaluation of the seminarian and comments from the Evaluation and Discernment Committee, resident and external Faculty and administrative staff (excluding the Director of Spiritual Formation and the Spiritual Director).
CALL TO ORDERS
The petition for ordination to the diaconate or priesthood is made through the Rector’s office. However, the seminarian announces the date for his ordination only after he receives a formal letter from his Ordinary.
“LOOKING BACK, I am amazed at how well the Seminary set a solid foundation that would prepare me for priestly ministry and the necessity for ongoing formation as a priest. I recall fondly how my first years of formation, the Propaedeutic (Spiritual) Year, and my philosophical studies, placed me on a path of renewed vigor in my studies and a deepened love for prayer. The theological studies and pastoral assignments that followed then had a fertile soil in which to take root and bear fruit! My years at St. Augustine’s Seminary formed me to become the priest that God is calling me to be: pursuing personal holiness, striving in wholehearted service to the Church, and pouring myself out for the People of God.”
—FR. MICHEL QUENNEVILLE, ARCHDIOCESE OF KINGSTON