James Keating - Seminary Theology II: Theology and Spiritual Direction in Dialogue

FATHER DENNIS J. BILLY, CSSR, DMIN, THD, STD, holds the John Cardinal Krol Chair in Moral Theology at Saint Charles Borromeo Seminary in Philadelphia, PA.

FATHER EARL K. FERNANDES, STD, is the Academic Dean and Assistant Professor of Moral Theology at Mount St. Marys Seminary of the West in Cincinnati, OH.

FATHER RAYMOND GAWRONSKI, SJ, STD, is a Professor of Theology and the Spiritual Director of Saint John Vianney Seminary in Denver, CO.

DEACON JAMES KEATING, PHD, is Director of Theological Formation at The Institute for Priestly Formation, Creighton University in Omaha, NE.

FATHER TODD LAJINESS, STL, PHD, is the Academic Dean at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, MI.

MONSIGNOR GERARD MCCARREN, STD, is Spiritual Director and an Associate Professor of Systematic Theology at Immaculate Conception Seminary, Seton Hall University, in Newark, NJ.

FATHER PETER RYAN, SJ, STD, is a Professor of Moral Theology at Mount St. Marys Seminary in Emmitsburg, MD.

FATHER DANIEL TRAPP, STD, serves on the faculty of Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit, MI.

FATHER STEVE WLUSEK, PhD, is Rector and Associate Professor of Spiritual and Pastoral Theology at St. Peters Seminary in London, ON Canada.

THE INSTITUTE FOR PRIESTLY FORMATION
IPF Publications
2500 California Plaza
Omaha, Nebraska 68178
www.IPFpublications.com

Copyright June 24, 2011 by
THE INSTITUTE FOR PRIESTLY FORMATION, INC.

All Rights Reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of
THE INSTITUTE FOR PRIESTLY FORMATION.

Printed in the United States of America
ISBN-13: 978-0-9843792-4-8
ISBN-10: 0-9843792-4-x

Scripture texts are taken from the New American Bible with
Revised New Testament 1986, 1970
Confraternity of Christian Doctrine, Washington, D.C.
and are used by permission of the copyright owner.
All Rights Reserved.
No part of the New American Bible may be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Cover design by Timothy D. Boatright
Marketing Associates, U.S.A.
Tampa, Florida

MISSION STATEMENT

The Institute for Priestly Formation was founded to assist bishops in the spiritual formation of diocesan seminarians and priests in the Roman Catholic Church. The Institute responds to the need to foster spiritual formation as the integrating and governing principle of all aspects of priestly formation. Inspired by the biblical-evangelical spirituality of Saint Ignatius Loyola, this spiritual formation has as its goal the cultivation of a deep interior communion with Christ; from such communion, the priest shares in Christ's own pastoral charity. In carrying out its mission, the Institute directly serves diocesan seminarians and priests, as well as those who are responsible for diocesan priestly formation.

THE INSTITUTE FOR PRIESTLY FORMATION
Creighton University
2500 California Plaza
Omaha, Nebraska 68178
www.creighton.edu/ipf

This book is dedicated to:

FATHER GEORGE ASCHENBRENNER, SJ

Beloved Co-Founder of
THE INSTITUTE FOR PRIESTLY FORMATION

May God bless you for all you have done
to support the mission of IPF
and for sharing your gift of spiritual direction
so generously with the Church.

Introduction
Deacon James Keating, PhD

Dei Verbum as the Framework for a New Dialogue between Intellectual and Spiritual Formation
Father Todd J. Lajiness, PhD

Seeking the Kingdom: Intellectual Formation and Purity of Heart
Father Earl K. Fernandes

Encountering Christ in Teaching and Prayer
Monsignor Gerard McCarren

A Jesuit Spiritual Director: Spiritual Father, Friend of the Bridegroom
Father Raymond Gawronski

Benchmarks for Affective Maturity in Graduate Seminary Formation
Father Daniel Trapp

Seeking the Kingdom of God for the Glory of God in Seminarian Spiritual Formation
Father Peter F. Ryan, SJ

The Seminary Theologian as an Agent for Deepening Conversion
Father Steve Wlusek

Spiritual Direction and Seminary Theological Education: Integrating Formational Viewpoints
Dennis J. Billy, CSsR

It is my privilege to write these words as a Preface to the book Seminary Theology II: Theology and Spiritual Direction in Dialogue that The Institute for Priestly Formation is publishing for the seminary community. I respect the important work of IPF and its staff's generous and vital ministry within the world of priestly formation. In addition, I am grateful to the Institute for its particular ministry to seminary theologians and spiritual directors.

We often say that there are four areas of priestly formation; but it seems to me that at the same time, there is a core to these areas profoundly known in the reality of spiritual formation. As the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' Program of Priestly Formation notes, "The first task of intellectual formation is to acquire a personal knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ."

It is important that all seminary formators see their personal, intimate relationship with Christ as the foundation and cornerstone of who they are and of all that they do within their seminary ministry. It is out of this foundational relationship with the Lord Jesus that the study of theology takes place. Our personal relationship with God should affect the way in which we study theology; our study of theology should lead us to a more enriching life with the Lord Jesus. Human formation, as well, should be rooted in our relationship with the Lord Jesus. Likewise our becoming more mature in human formation invites us into a more affective relationship with Christ and His people. Pastoral ministry, then, must be rooted in a personal relationship with Christ. Right within our exercise of pastoral work, we are called to receive a deepened communion with the Lord Jesus and to allow Him to mold the mind and heart after that of the Good Shepherd.

It seems obvious to me from the content of The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' own Program of Priestly Formation, and other ecclesial sources, that spirituality is the essence of all priestly formation. When one hungers for a relationship with God, God satisfies that hunger. The academic, human, and pastoral dimensions will naturally flourish and take on more meaning when they are informed by this satisfied hunger. I am grateful for the appearance of this book which discusses this important reality.

I, along with so many bishops, remain grateful to those who have given of themselves generously in the important ministry of priestly formation. Theologians, spiritual directors, administrative staff, you are, indeed, a blessing to the Church; and you have in your classrooms, in your hands, and in your hearts the future priests of Jesus Christ. May this book assist you in your ongoing formation as seminary theologians and spiritual directors. May you mold and form seminarians well so that they may be great leaders for us, participating deeply in the identity of the Good Shepherd.