The Pastoral Formation Program integrates both theoretical instruction and supervised practical experience to prepare students for effective pastoral ministry.
Theoretical Formation
The theoretical component of the program includes courses in the theology of proclamation, formal homiletics, catechetical theory, applied sociology, communication, counselling, and administration.
These courses build upon foundational subjects already offered within the seminary curriculum, including General Psychology, Sociology, and Anthropology, as well as core theological disciplines such as Christology, Ecclesiology, and Liturgy. Together, these areas provide a comprehensive framework for pastoral understanding and ministerial competence.
Practical Formation
The practical dimension of the program provides students with structured opportunities to apply pastoral theory in real-life contexts. This includes:
• Teaching catechetics in schools;
• Preparing and leading liturgies and paraliturgical celebrations;
• Visiting hospitals, prisons, the elderly, and children with disabilities;
• Training in the responsible and effective use of mass media;
• Instruction in the administration of the sacraments;
• Opportunities for preaching both within and outside the seminary community.
Supervised Pastoral Education (SPE)
Prior to undertaking their Year V pastoral placement, students are required to complete Supervised Pastoral Education (SPE), a program modelled on Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE).
SPE provides structured pastoral engagement under qualified supervision and emphasizes reflective practice, personal growth, and ministerial effectiveness. Through guided evaluation and theological reflection, students develop pastoral sensitivity, communication skills, and a deeper awareness of their strengths and areas for growth. This preparation ensures that students enter their pastoral year with greater confidence and competence.
Pastoral Training and Formation Year (Year V)
A full academic year—normally Year V—is spent away from the seminary in the student’s home diocese. This period, known as the Pastoral Training and Formation Year, is dedicated to immersive pastoral experience and formation.
Supervision and Diocesan Collaboration
The pastoral formation of diocesan students during this year is carried out under the supervision of a Diocesan Coordinator appointed by the bishop of each diocese. The coordinator ensures that students are given meaningful pastoral responsibilities and sufficient opportunities not only to experience real pastoral situations but also to reflect critically and theologically upon them.
 The Diocesan Coordinator is responsible for students during their pastoral year and when they return home during vacation periods. Close collaboration is maintained between the Diocesan Coordinator and the PRS Pastoral Formation Team. Together, they share responsibility for monitoring and fostering the students’ progressive pastoral development as they approach priestly ordination.
Handbook and Guidelines
A dedicated Handbook for the Pastoral Training and Formation Year provides guidelines for Diocesan Coordinators, Supervisors, and students. Prepared by the PRS Pastoral Coordinator, the Handbook is distributed to diocesan students, their Supervisors, and Bishops, and is available to religious congregations upon request.
Year VI Orientation Seminar
Following the completion of the Pastoral Year, students entering Year VI return to the Seminary one week prior to the commencement of lectures to participate in the Year VI Orientation Seminar.
This seminar focuses on theological reflection upon their pastoral experiences. Personal and ministerial experiences serve as the starting point for guided reflection, with the aim of helping students gain a clearer understanding of:
• Themselves as ministers;
• Their relationships with the people they serve;
• Their ministerial strengths and limitations;
• Their areas for personal and pastoral growth.
By engaging with the experiences of their peers, students are encouraged to explore alternative approaches to ministry. Under the guidance of a facilitator, participants integrate pastoral theory with lived experience, deepening their ministerial identity.
Ongoing Evaluation
The Pastoral Formation Program is subject to regular review and revision. It is envisaged that Diocesan Coordinators meet annually, or at least biennially, to evaluate and refine the program. This collaborative process ensures that dioceses remain informed about the formation of their students, while the Seminary remains attentive to the evolving pastoral needs of the dioceses it serves.

Pastoral Formation Team
(Coordinator-) Fr. Donald Melteras, Fr. Augustine Kim, MSC, Fr. Mika Auvaa, Fr. Peau Masunu