Clericalism and the need for reform of the post-Tridentine model for the formation of seminarians

Abstract

One of the identified causes for clericalism – associated with the sex abuse crisis currently plaguing the Church – is the closed seminary model that prevails in many parts of the world: all four pillars of formation of seminarians occurs in the seminary. This model, which has prevailed since the Council of Trent, encourages future priests to view themselves as separate and different to the laity, indeed, even superior to the laity. Since the Second Vatican Council, there has been a change of emphasis in the language used to describe the character of the priest; his is a role of service. The priest, according to Pope Francis, needs to acquire the ‘smell of the sheep’. Continued support for the seminary model of priestly formation limits contact between the future priest and his future flock. While three of the four pillars of formation might continue within a seminary, intellectual and academic formation should occur within an institution that includes religious and lay, men and women, Catholic and non-Catholic.

Keywords:

• Clericalism
• seminary
• priestly formation
• houses of formation
• reform

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes on Contributor

Prof Garth Abraham is President and CEO of St Augustine College of South Africa, a position he has held since 2015. Apart from his administrative role at St Augustine, he teaches Public International Law and Catholic Social Teaching. He is a Visiting Associate Professor of Law in the School of Law of the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, with which institution he was permanently associated between 1997 and 2015.

Notes

1 The Fourth Lateran Council also confirmed the ‘otherness’ of the priest in upholding celibacy for all in the Western Church – Canon 3 of Lateran I (1123) had forbidden priests, deacons, and subdeacons from associating with or living with concubines and women more generally (other than a mother, sister, or aunt, ‘or any such person concerning whom no suspicion could arise’ [Lateran I 1123]); because the practice continued, despite the prohibition, Canon 6 of Lateran II (1139) forbade clerical marriage (‘We also decree that those who in the subdiaconate and higher orders have concubines, be deprived of the office and ecclesiastical benefice. For since they should be called the temple of God, the vessel of the Lord, the abode of the Holy Spirit, it is unbecoming that they indulge in marriage and in impurities’ [Lateran II 1139]).

2 During the Middle Ages ‘there existed no system or effective norms for clerical education’ (Bireley 1999, 139). With regard to fourteenth century England, Deanesly notes that the practice was for a candidate to present himself on the Wednesday before his ordination. He would then be orally examined by an archdeacon for three days, during which time his character, learning and ability to express the Catholic faith in simple language would be considered. Should the candidate satisfy, be of canonical age (twenty-four years for ordination to the priesthood) and not disqualified by reason of servile birth, illegitimacy, or bodily defects, he would be ordained (Deanesly 1969, 195) – the practice across much of Western Europe was similar (McDougall 2019, 144). (The bar to those of ‘servile birth’ has been variously explained: the person might suffer bullying at the hands of his ‘betters’ [Wood 2006, 527], or, such persons – serfs – were bound to the soil of their lord, adcripti glaebe, they were part of his property, and special permission or payment of a fine was necessary to escape such bondage [Cutts 2018, 95; McDougall 2019, 149]. Although the preclusion of those born illegitimate aimed primarily at enforcing priestly celibacy [Wertheimer 2006, 383], McDougall [2019] posits that exemptions were readily granted.)

3 ‘seedbeds’ for priestly formation – and had proposed that such seminaries be established for aspirant priests near cathedral churches. In his Apostolic Letter to mark the four hundred anniversary of the decision of the Council of Trent to establish seminaries, Summi Dei Verbum, Pope Paul VI specifically recognised the contribution of (Cardinal Pole [Paul VI 1963, para 8]).

4 ranging from the social sciences and humanities to strictly theological disciplines such as fundamental and systematic theology and spirituality.