Seminarian House of Formation

Roch Gernon, associate director of the Formation House, instructs the seminarians during one of their human formation classes.

Diocese implements new concept in seminarian formation

Story by Janet Marcel ~ Photos by Lawrence Chatagnier

The Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux’s Office of Vocations to Priesthood recently began implementing a new concept in the diocese with the opening of the St Joseph the Worker, Seminarian House of Formation, which is located at 309 Dunboyne Place, just a couple of blocks from Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.

Father Mitchel (Mitch) Semar, diocesan director of the St. Joseph House of Formation and Office of Vocations to Priesthood says this change in seminarian formation comes at the request of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) governing document for seminary formation worldwide.

The Program of Priestly Formation (PPF), 6th edition, developed by the USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, sets forth the nature and mission of the ministerial priesthood, norms for the admission of candidates, norms for the formation of candidates, and norms for the governance and administration of seminaries (https://www.usccb.org/ committees/clergy-consecrated-lifevocations/priestly-formation).

“This is a bold, but necessary and needed change on the part of the bishop’s in the area of seminarian formation. It truly has the ability to transform seminarian formation as we know it; it’s a gift,” says Father Semar. “The document shows us that the Bishops really do have a pulse on seminarian formation. In our day and age and in our culture, with everything young men go through, from technology to communication skills to lack of basic human relationships … because our phones have hijacked communication … seminarians need this preparatory stage.”

The 6th edition of the Program of Priestly Formation (PPF) speaks of four stages of initial formation: Propaedeutic, Discipleship, Configuration and Vocational Synthesis. Since formation is a lifelong journey, it is important to lay a solid foundation for this journey in the Propaedeutic Stage, especially in the human and spiritual dimensions. This stage allows the seminarian to lay a foundation for a new way of life through prayer, study, fraternity, and appropriate docility to formation.

“The propaedeutic stage seeks to provide seminarians with the basic groundwork they need to engage in priestly formation. Through no fault of their own, the requisite qualities for formation are often missing in new seminarians. A significant imbalance is present between the lifestyle promoted by contemporary society and priestly formation” (Program of Priestly Formation, No. 119).

The House of Formation will be a

Seminarian Chad Cheramie

Seminarian Wayne Romero Jr. home for most of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux’s seminarians during their first year in priestly formation. However, pastoral reasons may govern a seminarian’s formation in this house at a different year during their formation. There are three flexible models for the Propaedeutic Stage: • Model No. 1: For men entering seminary with an undergraduate degree:

Propaedeutic Stage: One year

Discipleship Stage: Two years (at major seminary) • Model No. 2: For men entering seminary without an undergraduate degree:

Propaedeutic Stage: One to two years

Discipleship Stage: Two to four years • Model No. 3: For men entering seminary without an undergraduate degree, two years of full-time academic studies of a general nature, followed by one year focused on the human, spiritual, and pastoral dimensions of formation (these three years, taken together, constitute a complete Propaedeutic Stage which would then lead into a two- year Discipleship Stage).

Regardless of the model, the foundations established during this stage will allow for a more integrated seminarian and greater depth of formation ((Excerpted from USCCB, Principles of the New PPF).

This year (2022-2023), St Joseph the Worker’s will house three of the diocese’s seminarians: Chad Cheramie, Wayne Romero Jr. and Ethan Henry.

At the Formation House, the seminarians will live in community and they will follow an intensive rule of life with a regimented prayer schedule. Structure is super important in the house, says father Semar. They’re up at 6 a.m.; they pray the first part of the Liturgy of the Hours, then there’s Holy Hour. They will attend formation classes three times a week, study the lives of saints, learn about the art of communication and how to be effective communicators.

They will take human formation classes where they will study a wide variety of issues, such as etiquette, the art of conversation, cell phone usage, etc. They will also be working on presentation and public speaking skills throughout the year. The main textbook for the year is the Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) and sacred Scripture. The book Theology of the Body will also be used.

Another part of their formation will be engaging in ministry. One will be involved with campus ministry at Nicholls State University, one will facilitate small group Bible studies with families, and one will serve as a chaplain for E.D. White Catholic High School’s football team.

While living in the House, they will also have household chores and responsibilities, visit parishes on the weekends, and be involved with various families throughout the diocese. “With this concept, the laity is part of the formation team so this is helping the seminarians build relationships; and it’s also impacting the laity and getting them involved with vocations in the diocese,” says Father Semar.

Overview of the Propaedeutic Stage

Prayer, Trust and Fraternity

As the name implies, the Propaedeutic Stage is introductory in nature, but also intensive through its focus on significant times of growth in prayer, trust, and fraternity. This stage should last at least twelve consecutive months but could be extended for a longer period if circumstances require it.

While all four dimensions are present in every stage, the focus should be on the foundation of the human and spiritual dimensions. The study of philosophy must be avoided at this stage, which has as its objectives intensive vocational discernment, a

Formation House Chapel

growth in relationship with Jesus Christ and the church, and growth in self-knowledge.

Propaedeutic Benchmarks

A Capacity for Relationship

The Propaedeutic Stage, which is always the first stage of formation, and should last no less than 12 months, seeks to provide seminarians with the basic groundwork they need to engage in priestly formation. This stage should have dedicated priest formators and an appropriate number of seminarians to support a healthy community.

Each stage has benchmarks which should be used to determine a seminarian’s depth of maturity before considering him for the next stage of formation. The benchmarks are intended to help all those involved in the preparation of seminarians for the priesthood, including the seminarians themselves.

Human Formation Benchmarks:

• Self-Awareness • Relational Skills • Self-Discipline

Spiritual Formation Benchmarks:

• Prayer • Chastity and Celibacy • Vocational-Awareness

Intellectual Formation Benchmarks:

• Scripture and Doctrine • Study Habits

Pastoral Formation Benchmarks:

• Pastoral Charity • Cultural Competency (Excerpted from USCCB, Principles of the New PPF).

“At the beginning of 2021, once Bishop (Shelton J.) Fabre made it clear that he wanted a diocesan house for the Propaedeutic Stage of seminarian formation, we started having small group home gatherings with the laity of the diocese to share our vision for the house and for vocations. Within two months, through the generosity of parishioners of our diocese who have a passion for seminarian education, we had received enough money to fully fund the purchase of the house,” says Father Semar.

For more information about the Formation House, go to www. htvocations.org or call the diocesan Office of Vocations at (985)850-3129. BC