"Applicants must give evidence of an overall personal balance, good moral character, a love for the truth, and proper motivation. This includes the requisite human, moral, spiritual, intellectual, physical, and psychological qualities for priestly ministry." (Program for Priestly Formation 44)
Before being able to be accepted for seminary formation, all potential seminary candidates participate in an extensive and thorough application and screening process. This process begins only at the invitation of the Director of Vocations, after he has determined that the seeds of a potential priestly vocation are present and that the candidate appears to have the basic traits necessary for priestly ministry. The application process includes the following elements:
"In order that his ministry may be humanly as credible and acceptable as possible, it is important that the priest should mold his human personality in such a way that it becomes a bridge and not an obstacle for others in their meeting with Jesus Christ the Redeemer of humanity" (Pastores Dabo Vobis 43).
Once in seminary, the formation of seminarians is addressed in four primary areas: human formation, spiritual formation, intellectual formation, and pastoral formation. The foundational layer of this formation is found in the human dimension. Human Formation in Seminaries focuses on developing a man who:
Statement of Archbishop Charles Thompson (Archbishop of Indianapolis), August 29, 2018
Address of Fr. Denis Robinson, OSB (President-Rector, Saint Meinrad Seminary), August 31, 2018
Program for Priestly Formation (PPF, 5th Edition), United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
The Gift of the Priestly Vocation, Congregation for the Clergy
I Will Give You Shepherds (Pastores Dabo Vobis), St. John Paul II