Christ Renews His Priests
A Sabbatical in Rome
“I remind you to rekindle the gift of faith that is within you.”
(2 Tim 1:6)
More than 2,300 priests have attended the Institute for Continuing Theological Education of the Pontifical North American College since its inauguration in 1971. The Institute offers two twelve-week theological renewal programs for priests each year: one in the Fall and one in the Spring Semester. Dates are available here.
Purpose
The Institute was founded in 1971 in response to the call of the Second Vatican Council for the renewal of priests. Fourteen of the sixteen documents of the council can be quoted indicating that continuing education and renewal are important for priests and their ministry. In addition, our program follows suggestions for the ongoing education and renewal of priests especially found in Pastores Dabo Vobis (I Will Give You Shepherds) and in The Directory on the Ministry and Life of Priests developed by the Congregation for the Clergy. The Bishops of the United States of America have contributed to this development through the Program of Priestly Formation and the Basic Plan for the Ongoing Formation of Priests.
The Institute seeks to assist bishops and religious superiors to provide for the ongoing education and renewal of their priests here in Rome. Over the years our sabbatical program has helped many priests in the renewal of their vocation and priesthood, revitalizing them and equipping them for more effective pastoral ministry.
Goals
Ongoing Theological Formation: Presenters for the Institute are by and large Roman-based university professors (some come from the USA or Europe) whose expertise has brought them to the “universal classroom” of Rome. Offering more than one hundred hours of presentations, the professors typically enjoy working with Institute priests because of the give-and-take with experienced pastors and those active in the various ministries of the Church.
Among the subject-areas covered:
- Normative ethics and bio-medical ethics
- Scripture Studies
- Liturgy and preaching the lectionary
- Fundamental and moral theology
- Women Doctors of the Church
- Eucharist and Sacred Orders
- Christology and Ecclesiology
- Culture and Unbelief
- Canon Law
- Ecumenism
Ongoing Human Formation: Sharing, i.e. dialogue that occurs between brother priests in a conducive environment, affords the opportunity to explore pastoral ramifications from the lectures. And studying the cultural and artistic heritage of the Church and Rome as other opportunities for travel contributes to a life time of appreciation for our deep Catholic traditions.
Ongoing Pastoral Formation: The priests of the Institute include diocesan and religious priests who come from various English-speaking countries which helps each to understand the greater horizon and local circumstances of the worldwide Church in its various places. There is in this a significant new level of formation in the priesthood of Jesus Christ which all of us share. Most nights and weekends are free and a nine-day semester break permits personal travel. A special program option is a study pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The experience of Rome enables participants to personally walk the soil moistened by the blood of martyrs, to worship in the shrines and monuments of faith and both the great and small churches of the city, and to draw near the Chief Shepherd of the Church, Pope Benedict XVI.
Context of Sabbatical: The participants enjoy the privilege of concelebrating liturgies at the Altar of the Tomb of Saint Peter and in many of the other ancient churches. In addition to guided tours of Saint Peter’s Basilica and the scavi (necropolis beneath the Basilica), visits are made to the Vatican Museums and Sistine chapel. Attendance at Papal audiences and participation in Papal liturgies are among the highlights of the sabbatical program.
Invitation: The Institute is an extraordinary opportunity for priests to study, to pray, and to become an enlivened disciple of the Lord…in a newer and deeper way. The words of Our Lord are addressed to every priest: “Come away by yourselves and rest for a while” (Mk 6:31).
Program Director,
Rev. Msgr. Anthony J. Figueiredo, S.T.D.
romeshabat@pnac.org
