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Decree on

Priestly

Training



Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2016

https://archive.org/details/decreeonpriestlyvati



Decree on

Priestly Training

This booklet is the text of an English translation relayed from Vatican

City to the Press Department of the National Catholic Welfare Con-

ference, Washington, D.C.

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.
BY OUR SUNDAY VISITOR INC.
HUNTINGTON, INDIANA 46750

611





Decree on Priestly Training

HOLLOWING is an English translation of the text of the
Second Vatican Council’s decree on Priestly Training, pro-

claimed by Pope Paul VI on Oct. 28, 1965.

Animated by the spirit of

Christ, this sacred synod is ful-

ly aware that the desired re-

newal of the whole Church de-

pends to a great extent on the

ministry of its priests. It pro-

claims the extreme importance

of priestly training and lays

down certain basic principles by

which those regulations may be
strengthened which long use has

shown to be sound and by which

those new elements can be add-

ed which correspond to the con-

stitutions and decrees of this sa-

cred council and to the changed

conditions of our times. Because

of the very unity of the Catho-

lic priesthood this priestly

formation is necessary for all

priests, diocesan and Religious

and of every rite. Wherefore,

while these prescriptions direct-

ly concern the diocesan clergy,

they are to be appropriately

adapted to all.

I. The Program of Priestly

Training to be Undertaken

by Each Country.

1. Since only general laws

can be made where there exists

a wide variety of nations and

regions, a special “program of

priestly training” is to be un-

dertaken by each country or

rite. It must be set up by the

episcopal conferences, revised

from time to time and approved

by the Apostolic See. In this

way will the universal laws be

adapted to the particular cir-

cumstances of the times and lo-

calities so that the priestly

training will always be in tune

with the pastoral needs of those

regions in which the ministry is

to be exercised.

II. The Urgent Fostering of

Priestly Vocations.

2. The duty of fostering vo-

cations pertains to the whole

Christian community, which

should exercise it above all by

a fully Christian life. The prin-

cipal contributors to this are the

families which, animated by the

spirit of faith and love and by

the sense of duty, become a kind

of initial seminary, and the par-

ishes in whose rich life the

young people take part. Teach-

ers and all those who are in

any way in charge of the train-

ing of boys and young men, es-

pecially Catholic associations,

should carefully guide the

young people entrusted to them

so that these will recognize and

freely accept a divine vocation.

All priests especially are to

3



manifest an apostolic zeal in

fostering vocations and are to

attract the interest of youths to

the priesthood by their own life

lived in a humble and industri-

ous manner and in a happy spir-

it as well as by mutual priestly

charity and fraternal sharing of

labor.

Bishops on the other hand are

to encourage their flock to pro-

mote vocations and should be

concerned with coordinating all

forces in a united effort to this

end. As fathers, moreover, they

must assist without stint those

whom they have judged to be
called to the Lord’s work.

The effective union of the

whole people of God in foster-

ing vocations is the proper re-

sponse to the action of Divine

Providence which confers the

fitting gifts on those men di-
vinely chosen to participate in

the hierarchial priesthood of

Christ and helps them by His

grace. Moreover, this same Pro-

vidence charges the legitimate

ministers of the Church to call

forward and to consecrate with

the sign of the Holy Spirit to

the worship of God and to the

service of the Church those can-

didates whose fitness has been

acknowledged and who have

sought so great an office with

the right intention and with full

freedom.

The sacred synod commends

first of all the traditional means

of common effort, such as ur-
gent prayer, Christian penance

and a constantly more intensive

training of the faithful by

preaching, by catechetical in-

structions or by the many me-

dia of social communication that

will show forth the need, the

nature and the importance of

the priestly vocation. The synod

moreover orders that the entire

pastoral activity of fostering

vocations by methodically and

coherently planned and, with

equal prudence and zeal, fos-

tered by those organizations for

promoting vocations which, in

accord with the appropriate

pontifical documents, have al-

ready been or will be set up in

the territory of individual dio-

ceses, regions or countries. Also

no opportune aids are to be

overlooked which modern psy-

chological and sociological re-

search has brought to light.

The work of fostering voca-

tions should, in a spirit of open-

ness, transcend the limits of in-

dividual dioceses, countries, re-

ligious families and rites. Look-

ing to the needs of the univer-

sal Church it should provide aid

particularly for those regions in

which workers for the Lord’s

vineyard are being requested

more urgently.

3. In minor seminaries
erected to develop the seeds of

vocations the students should be

prepared by special religious

formation, particularly through

appropriate spiritual direction,

to follow Christ the Redeemer

with generosity of spirit and

purity of heart. Under the fa-

therly direction of the super-

4



iors, and with the proper co-

operation of the parents, their

daily routine should be in ac-

cord with the age, the character

and the stage of development of

adolescents and fully adapted to

the norms of a healthy psycho-

logy. Nor should the fitting op-

portunity be lacking for social

and cultural contacts and for

contact with one’s own family.

Moreover, whatever is decreed

in the following paragraphs

about major seminaries is also

to be adapted to the minor sem-

inary to the extent that it is in

accord with its purpose and

structure. Also, studies under-

taken by the students should be

so arranged that they can eas-

ily continue them elsewhere

should they choose a different

state of life.

With equal concern the seeds

of vocations among adolescents

and young men are also to be

fostered in those special insti-

tutes which, in accord with the

local circumstances, serve the

purpose of a minor seminary as

well as among those who are
trained in other schools or by

other educational means. Final-

ly, those institutions and other

schools initiated for those with

a belated vocation are to be

carefully developed.

III. The Setting Up of Major
Seminaries

4. Major seminaries are neces-

sary for priestly formation.

Here the entire training of the

students should be oriented to

the formation of true shepherds

of souls after the model of our

Lord Jesus Christ, teacher,

priest and shepherd. They are

therefore to be prepared for the

ministry of the word: that they

might understand even more

perfectly the revealed word of

God; that, meditating on it they

might possess it more firmly,

and that they might express it

in words and in example; for

the ministry of worship and of

sanctification: that through

their prayers and their carry-

ing out of the sacred liturgical

celebrations they might perfect

the work of salvation through

the Eucharistic sacrifice and the

sacraments; for the ministry of

the parish: that they might

know how to make Christ pres-

ent to men, Him who did not
“come to be served but to serve

and to give His life as a ransom

for many” (Mark 10:45; cf.

John 13, 12-17), and that, hav-

ing become the servants of all,

they might win over all the

more (cf. I Cor. 9, 19).

Therefore, all the forms of

training, spiritual, intellectual,

disciplinary, are to be ordered

with concerted effort toward

this pastoral end, and to attain

it all the administrators and

teachers are to work zealously

and harmoniously together,

faithfully obedient to the au-

thority of the bishop.

5. Since the training of stu-

dents depends both on wise laws

and, most of all, on qualified

educators, the administrators

and teachers of seminaries are

5



to be selected from the best

men, and are to be carefully

prepared in sound doctrine,

suitable pastoral experience and

special spiritual and pedagogi-

cal training. Institutes, there-

fore, should be set up to attain

this end. Or at least courses are

to be arranged with a proper

program, and the meetings of

seminary directors are to take

place at specified times.

Administrators, however, and

teachers must be keenly aware

of how much the success of the

students’ formation depends on

their manner of thinking and

acting. Under the rector’s lead-

ership they are to form a very

closely knit community both in

spirit and in activity and they

are to constitute among them-

selves and with the students

that kind of family that will an-

swer to the Lord’s prayer “That

they be one” (cf. John 17, 11)

and that will develop in the

students a deep joy in their own

vocation. The bishop, on the

other hand, should, with a con-

stant and loving solicitude, en-

courage those who labor in the
seminary and prove himself a

true father in Christ to the stu-

dents themselves. Finally, all

priests are to look on the sem-

inary as the heart of the diocese

and are to offer willingly their

own helpful service.

6. With watchful concern for

the age of each and for his stage

of progress an inquiry should be

made into the candidate’s pro-

per intention and freedom of

choice, into his spiritual, moral

and intellectual qualifications,

into his appropriate physical

and psychic health — taking in-
to consideration also possible

hereditary deficiencies. Also to

be considered is the ability of

the candidate to bear the priest-

ly burdens and exercise the pas-

toral offices.

In the entire process of se-

lecting and testing students,

however, a due firmness is to

be adopted, even if a deplor-

able lack of priests should ex-

ist, since God will not allow His

Church to want for ministers if

those who are worthy are pro-

moted and those not qualified

are, at an early date, guided in

a fatherly way to undertake

other tasks. The latter should

also be given sufficient direc-

tion so that, conscious of their

vocation as Christians, they

might eagerly embrace the lay

apostolate.

7. Where individual dioceses

are unable to institute their own

seminaries properly, seminaries

for many dioceses or for an en-

tire region or for a country are

to be set up and developed, so

that the sound training of the

students, which must be con-

sidered the supreme law in this

matter, can be taken care of in

a more effective manner. These

seminaries, if they are regional

or national, are to be regulated

according to directives set down

by the bishops concerned and

approved by the Apostolic See.

In these seminares, however,

6



where there are many students,

while retaining a unity of di-

rection and of scientific train-

ing, the students should be con-

veniently divided into smaller

groups so that a better provi-

sion is had for the personal

formation of each.

IV. The Careful Development

of the Spiritual Training.

8. The spiritual training

should be closely connected with

the doctrinal and pastoral, and,

with the special help of the

spiritual director, should be im-

parted in such a way that the

students might learn to live in

an intimate and unceasing un-

ion with the Father through His

Son Jesus Christ in the Holy

Spirit. Conformed to Christ the

Priest through their sacred or-

dination they should be accus-

tomed to adhere to Him as
friends, in an intimate compan-

ionship, their whole life
through. They should so live His

paschal mystery themselves that

they can initiate into it the

flock committed to them. They

should be taught to seek Christ

in the faithful meditation on

God’s word, in the active par-

ticipation in the sacred myster-

ies of the Church, especially in

the Eucharist and in the divine

office, in the bishop who sends
them and in the people to whom
they are sent, especially the

poor, the children, the sick, the

sinners and the unbelievers.

They should love and venerate

with a filial trust the most

blessed Virgin Mary, who was

given as mother to the disciple

by Christ Jesus as He was dy-

ing on the cross.

Those practices of piety that

are commended by the long us-

age of the Church should be

zealously cultivated but care

should be taken lest the spiritu-

al formation consist in them

alone or lest it develop only a

religious affectation. The stu-

dents should learn to live ac-

cording to the Gospel ideal, to

be strengthened in faith, hope

and charity, so that, in the ex-

ercise of these practices, they

may acquire the spirit of pray-

er, learn to defend and strength-

en their vocation, obtain an in-

crease of other virtues and grow

in the zeal to gain all men for

Christ.

9. The students should be so

saturated with the mystery of

the Church, especially as des-

cribed by this sacred synod,

that, bound to the Vicar of

Christ in a humble and trust-

ing charity and, once ordained

priests, adhering to their own

bishop as faithful helpers and

engaging in a common effort

with their fellow-priests, they

bear witness to that unity that

attracts men to Christ. They

should learn to take part with

a generous heart in the life of

the whole Church in accord with

what St. Augustine wrote: “to

the extent that one loves the

Church of Christ, to that extent

does he possess the Holy Spir-

it.” The students should under-

stand most clearly that they are

7



not destined for domination or

for honors but are given over

totally to the service of God and

to the pastoral ministry. With

a particular concern should they

be so formed in priestly obed-

ience, in a simple way of life

and in the spirit of self-denial

that they are accustomed to giv-

ing up willingly even those

things which are permitted but

are not expedient, and to con-

form themselves to Christ cru-

cified.

The students are to be made

clearly aware of the burdens

they will be undertaking, and

no problem of the priestly life is

to be concealed from them. This

is to be done, however, not that

they should be almost solely

concerned with the notion of

danger in their future labors,

but rather that they might be

more readily conformed to a

spiritual life that more than in

any other way is actually

strengthened by the very pas-

toral work they do.

10. Students who follow the

venerable tradition of celibacy

according to the holy and fixed

laws of their own rite are to be

educated to this state with great

care. For renouncing thereby

the companionship of marriage

for the sake of the kingdom of

heaven (cf. Matt. 19, 12), they

embrace the Lord with an un-

divided love altogether befitting

the new covenant, bear witness

to the resurrection of the world

to come (cf. Luke 20, 36), and

obtain a most suitable aid for

the continual exercise of that

perfect charity whereby they

can become all things to all men

in their priestly ministry. Let

them deeply realize how grate-

fully that state ought to be re-

ceived, not, indeed, only as com-

manded by ecclesiastical law,

but as a precious gift of God

for which they should humbly

pray. Through the inspiration

and help of the grace of the

Holy Spirit let them freely and

generously hasten to respond to

this gift.

Students ought rightly to ack-

nowledge the duties and dignity

of Christian matrimony, which

is a sign of the love between

Christ and the Church, (cf. Eph.

5:32 ff). Let them recognize,

however, the surpassing excel-

lence of virginity consecrated to

Christ, so that with a maturely

deliberate and generous choice

they may consecrate themselves

to the Lord by a complete gift

of body and soul.

They are to be warned of the

dangers that threaten their

chastity especially in present-

day society. Aided by suitable

safeguards, both divine and hu-

man, let them learn to integrate

their renunciation of marriage

in such a way that they may

suffer in their lives and work

not only no harm from celibacy

but rather acquire a deeper

mastery of soul and body and a

fuller maturity, and more per-

fectly receive the blessedness

spoken of in the Gospel.

11. The norms of Christian

8



education are to be religiously

observed and properly comple-

mented by the newer findings

of sound psychology and peda-

gogy. Therefore by a wisely

planned training there is also

to be developed in the students

a due human maturity. This will

be made especially evident in

stability of mind, in an ability

to make weighty decisions, and

in a sound evaluation of men

and events. The students should

be accustomed to work properly

at their own development. They

are to be formed in strength of

character, and, in general, they

are to learn to esteem those vir-

tues which are held in high re-

gard by men and which recom-
mend a minister of Christ. Such

virtues are sincerity of mind, a

constant concern for justice, fi-

delity to one’s promises, refine-

ment in manners, modesty in

speech coupled with charity.

The discipline of seminary

life is to be reckoned not only

as a strong safeguard of com-

munity life and of charity but

also as a necessary part of the

total whole training formation.

For thereby self-mastery is ac-

quired, solid personal maturity

is promoted, and the other dis-

positions of mind are developed

which very greatly aid the or-

dered and fruitful activity of

the Church. Seminary discipline

should be so maintained, how-

ever, that the students acquire

an internal attitude whereby

they accept the authority of su-

periors from personal con-

viction, that is to say, from a

motive of conscience (cf Rom.

13, 5), and for supernatural rea-

sons. The norms of discipline

are to be applied according to

the age of the students so that

they themselves, as they gradu-

ally learn self-mastery, may be-

come accustomed to use free-

dom wisely, to act spontaneous-

ly and energetically, and to

work together harmoniously

with their fellows and with the

laity.

The whole pattern of semin-

ary life, permeated with a de-

sire for piety and silence and a

careful concern for mutual help

must be so arranged that it

provides, in a certain sense, an

initiation into the future life

which the priest shall lead.

12. In order that the spirit-

ual training rest upon a more

solid basis and that the students

embrace their vocation with a

fully deliberate choice, it will

be the prerogative of the bish-

ops to establish a fitting period

of time for a more intense in-

troduction to the spiritual life.

It will also be their charge to

determine the opportuneness of

providing for a certain in-

terruption in the studies or of

establishing a suitable introduc-

tion to pastoral work, in order

that they may more satisfactor-
ily test the fitness of candidates

for the priesthood. In ac-

cordance with the conditions of

individual regions it will also

be the bishops’ responsibility to

make a decision about extend-

9



ing the age beyond that de-

manded at present by common

law for the reception of sacred

orders, and of deliberating

whether it be opportune to rule

that students, at the end of their

course in theology, exercise the

order of deacon for a fitting

period of time before being pro-

moted to the priesthood.

V. The Revision of Ecclesias-

tical Studies.

13.

Before beginning specif-

ically ecclesiastical subjects

seminarians should be equipped

with that humanistic and scien-

tific training which young men

in their own countries are wont

to have as a foundation for

higher studies. Moreover they

are to acquire a knowledge of

Latin which will enable them to

understand and make use of the

sources of so many sciences and

of the documents of the Church.

The study of the liturgical lan-

guage proper to each rite should

be considered necessary; a suit-

able knowledge of the languages

of the Bible and of Tradition

should be greatly encouraged.

14.

In revising ecclesiastical

studies the aim should first of

all be that the philosophical and

theological disciplines be more

suitably aligned and that they

harmoniously work toward

opening more and more the

minds of the students to the

mystery of Christ. For it is this

mystery which affects the whole

history of the human race, con-

tinually influences the Church,

and is especially at work in the

priestly ministry.

That this vision be commun-

icated to the students from the

outset of their training, ecclesi-

astical studies are to be begun

with an introductory course

which should last for an ap-

propriate length of time. In this

initiation to ecclesiastical stu-

dies the mystery of salvation

should be so proposed that the

students perceive the meaning,

order, and pastoral end of their

studies. At the same time they

should be helped to establish

and penetrate their own entire

lives with faith and be strength-

ened in embracing their voca-

tion with a personal dedication

and a joyful heart.

15.

The philosophical disci-

plines are to be taught in such

a way that the students are first

of all led to acquire a solid and

coherent knowledge of man, the

world, and of God, relying on a

philosophical patrimony which

is perennially valid and taking

into account the philosophical

investigations of later ages. This

is especially true of those in-

vestigations which exercise a

greater influence in their own

nations. Account should also be

taken of the more recent pro-

gress of the sciences. The net

result should be that the stu-

dents, correctly understanding

the characteristics of the con-

temporary mind, will be duly

prepared for dialogue with men

of their time.

The history of philosophy

10



should be so taught that the

students, while reaching the ul-

timate principles of the various

systems, will hold on to what

is proven to be true therein and

will be able to detect the roots

of errors and to refute them.

In the very manner of teach-

ing there should be stirred up

in the students a love of rigor-

ously searching for the truth

and of maintaining and demon-

strating it, together with an

honest recognition of the limits

of human knowledge. Attention

must be carefully drawn to the

necessary connection between

philosophy and the true prob-

lems of life, as well as the ques-

tions which preoccupy the

minds of the students. Likewise

students should be helped to

perceive the links between the

subject-matter of philosophy

and the mysteries of salvation

which are considered in theo-

logy under the higher light of

faith.

16. The theological dis-

ciplines, in the light of faith

and under the guidance of the

magisterium of the Church,

should be so taught that the stu-

dents will correctly draw out

Catholic doctrine from divine

revelation, profoundly pene-

trate it, make it the food of
their own spiritual lives, and be
enabled to proclaim, explain,

and protect it in their priestly

ministry.

The students are to be formed

with particular care in the stu-

dy of the Bible, which ought to

be, as it were, the soul of all

theology. After a suitable intro-

duction they are to be initiated

carefully into the method of ex-

egesis; and they are to see the

great themes of divine revela-

tion and to receive from their

daily reading of and meditating

on the sacred books inspiration

and nourishment.

Dogmatic theology should be

so arranged that these biblical

themes are proposed first of all.

Next there should be opened up

to the students what the Fathers

of the Eastern and Western

Church have contributed to the

faithful transmission and de-

velopment of the individual

truths of revelation. The further

history of dogma should also be

presented, account being taken

of its relation to the general

history of the Church. Next, in

order that they may illumine

the mysteries of salvation as

completely as possible, the stu-

dents should learn to penetrate

them more deeply with the help

of speculation, under the guid-

ance of St. Thomas, and to per-

ceive their interconnections.

They should be taught to rec-

ognize these same mysteries as

present and working in litur-

gical actions and in the entire

life of the Church. They should

learn to seek the solutions to

human problems under the light

of revelation, to apply the eter-

nal truths of revelation to the

changeable conditions of human

affairs and to communicate

11



them in a way suited to men

of our day.

Likewise let the other theo-

logical disciplines be renewed

through a more living contact

with the mystery of Christ and

the history of salvation. Special

care must be given to the per-

fecting of moral theology. Its

scientific exposition, nourished

more on the teaching of the Bi-

ble, should shed light on the

loftiness of the calling of the

faithful in Christ and the obli-

gation that is theirs of bearing

fruit in charity for the life of

the world. Similarly the teach-

ing of canon law and of Church

history should take into account

the mystery of the Church, ac-

cording to the dogmatic consti-

tution “De Ecclesia” promul-

gated by this sacred synod. Sa-

cred liturgy, which is to be con-

sidered as the primary and in-

dispensable source of the truly

Christian spirit, should be

taught according to the mind of

articles 15 and 16 of the Con-

stitution on the Sacred Liturgy.

The circumstances of various

regions being duly considered,

students are to be brought to a

fuller understanding of the

churches and ecclesial commun-

ities separated from the Apos-

tolic Roman See, so that they

may be able to contribute to
the work of re-establishing

unity among all Christians ac-

cording to the prescriptions of

this holy synod.

Let them also be introduced

to a knowledge of other reli-

gions which are more wide-

spread in individual regions, so

that they may acknowledge
more correctly what truth and

goodness these religions, in

God’s providence, possess, and

so that they may learn to refute
their errors and be able to com-

municate the full light of truth

to those who do not have it.

17. But since doctrinal
training ought to tend not to a

mere communication of ideas

but to a true and intimate

formation of the students,

teaching methods are to be re-

vised both as regards lectures,

discussions, and seminars and

also the development of study

on the part of the students,

whether done privately or in

small groups. Unity and sound-

ness of the entire training is

carefully to be provided for by

avoiding an excessive multipli-

cation of courses and lectures

and by the omission of those

questions which scarcely retain

any importance or which ought

to be referred to higher aca-

demic studies.

18. It will be the bishops’

concern that young men suited

by temperament, virtue, and

ability be sent to special insti-

tutes, faculties, or universities so

that priests may be trained at a

higher scientific level in the sa-

cred sciences and in other fields

which may be judged oppor-

tune. Thus they will be able to

meet the various needs of the

12



apostolate. The spiritual and

pastoral training of these men,

however, especially if they are

not yet ordained as priests, is

in no way to be neglected.

VI. The Promotion of Strictly

Pastoral Training.

19.

That pastoral concern

which ought to permeate thor-

oughly the entire training of the

students also demands that they

be diligently instructed in those

matters which are particularly

linked to the sacred ministry,

especially in catechesis and

preaching, in liturgical worship

and the administration of the

sacraments, in works of charity,

in assisting the erring and the

unbelieving, and in the other

pastoral functions. They are to

be carefully instructed in the

art of directing souls, whereby

they will be able to bring all

the sons of the Church first of

all to a fully conscious and

apostolic Christian life and to

the fulfillment of the duties of

their state of life. Let them

learn to help, with equal solici-

tude, religious men and women
that they may persevere in the
grace of their vocations and may

make progress according to the

spirit of their various Institutes.

In general, those capabilities

are to be developed in the stu-

dents which especially contri-

bute to dialogue with men, such

as the ability to listen to others

and to open their hearts and

minds in the spirit of charity to

the various circumstances and

needs of men.

20. They should also be

taught to use the aids which

the disciplines of pedagogy,

psychology, and sociology can

provide, according to correct

methodology and the norms of

ecclesiastical authority. Like-

wise let them be properly in-

structed in inspiring and foster-

ing the apostolic activity of the

laity and in promoting the var-

ious and more effective forms

of the apostolate. Let them also

be imbued with that truly Cath-

olic spirit which will accustom

them to transcend the limits of

their own diocese, nation, or

rite, and to help the needs of the

whole Church, prepared in spir-

it to preach the Gospel every-

where.

21. But since it is necessary

for the students to learn the art

of exercising the apostolate not

only theoretically but also prac-

tically, and to be able to act

both on their own responsibility

and in harmonious conjunction

with others, they should be init-

iated into pastoral work, both

during their course of studies

and also during the time of va-

cations, by opportune practical

projects. These should be car-

ried out in accordance with the

age of the students and local

conditions, and with the prudent

judgment of the bishops, metho-

dically and under the leader-

ship of men skilled in pastoral

work, the surpassing power of

supernatural means being al-

ways remembered.

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VII. Training to Be Achieved

After the Course of Stud-

ies.

22. Since priestly training,

because of the circumstances

particularly of contemporary

society, must be pursued and

perfected even after the com-

pletion of the course of studies

in seminaries, it will be the re-

sponsibility of episcopal confer-

ences in individual nations to

employ suitable means to this

end. Such would be pastoral in-

stitutes working together with

suitably chosen parishes, meet-

ings held at stated times, and

appropriate projects whereby

the younger clergy would be

gradually introduced into the

priestly life and apostolic activ-

ity, under its spiritual, intellec-

tual, and pastoral aspects, and

would be able, day by day, to

renew and foster them more ef-

fectively.

Conclusion

The Fathers of this holy

synod have pursued the work

begun by the Council of Trent.

While they confidently entrust

to seminary administrators and

teachers the task of form-

ing the future priests of Christ

in the spirit of the renewal pro-

moted by this sacred synod,

they earnestly exhort those who

are preparing for the priestly

ministry to realize that the

hope of the Church and the sal-

vation of souls is being com-

mitted to them. They urge them

also to receive the norms of this

decree willingly and thus to

bring forth most abundant fruit

which will always remain.

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