Priesthood Formation

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seminarian praying

A Year of Discernment

Spend a year learning about Catholic culture, spirituality and the vocation of priesthood.

Apply for El Camino

Orientation

The first days at Saint Meinrad invite aspirants to gain familiarity with the overall goals and direction of formation at Saint Meinrad. The emphasis is on building and using the dynamics of community to create an environment of learning, prayer, and discernment.

Intensive Spiritual Formation Week

The week aims at the practical elements of praying the Liturgy of the Hours, Chant, daily prayer, cultural customs for formation and expectations for study while in the propaedeutic stage.

Fall and Spring terms

Early Morning Sessions - Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday - Habits of Diocesan Priestly Spirituality

  • Foundational Habits

  • A Broader Vision of Christian Spirituality

  • Cultural Engagement

  • Contemporary Issues in Priestly Spirituality

Wednesday - morning class and ministry reflection/ Day of Service

  • Searching for the Common Good: Solidarity, Service and Living the Vision of Catholic Social Teaching

  • Supervised Social Ministry

Late-Morning seminars - monday, tuesday, thursday and friday - Catechesis and the culture

  • Exposure to significant works from the Western tradition
  • Religious and Cultural History
  • Spanish Language Elective
  • Catechism Seminar

Pilgrimages

  • October: silent, individually directed retreat (Off-Campus)
  • Weekend trips to Parishes and Churches representative of the cultural breadth of Catholicism in the United States
  • Capstone Retreat – El Camino Santiago de Compostela – preached retreat