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The
Ideal Pro-Life Seminary
As
pro-life issues are so central to human living and the Faith, they
must be an important part of the formation of future priests. While
the extent of active involvement would certainly depend on varying
circumstances and practical opportunities, every seminarian should
know about matters concerning human life. Upon ordination, they
will certainly be facing questions about abortion, contraception,
sterilization, homosexuality, and other pro-life issues in their
parishes. It is important they are informed about these issues during
their years of study. This could make a tremendous difference for
an effective apostolate. The following ideas are suggestions to
consider for education, prayer, and apostolic work.
Organization
For any successful endeavor, there must be some organization. Pro-life
efforts demand the same. Again, the character of any group would
depend on the circumstances of each seminary and the particular
gifts of the seminarians. The organization should select officers
and hold regular meetings.
Seminary
Activities
- Speakers/Conferences
- Educating and training young men in the seminaries really should
be a top priority. There is often great ignorance about the issues
that pertain to human life in seminaries. This may explain why
some priests are reluctant to speak about such matters. Thus,
your organization should make a special effort in this regard.
Occasionally the organization should invite pro-life speakers.
Such speakers are often more than happy to teach and train seminarians.
Topics of special pastoral interest could be Natural Family Planning,
post-abortion healing, and pastoral counseling. Your organization
could plan yearly conferences, for an afternoon or a full day.
- Pro-life Films
- Seminarians can view many fine videos on pro-life topics. Your
seminary can show such films once a month.
- Literature
and Materials - Your organization should keep reading material,
as well as video and audio cassettes on pro-life issues, in a
secure place for the use of the seminarians. Establishing some
kind of pro-life library would be good for those who need quick
access to information. Seminarians who need easy access to these
materials for writing assignments would greatly appreciate this.
Write to pro-life organization to obtain the resources to start
your library. Many groups are very willing to help seminarians
in whatever way they can.
Spiritual
Ideas
Since the pro-life battle is mainly against the forces of darkness,
a spiritual focus is necessary. As seminarians are already engaged
in active spiritual formation, it is rather easy to incorporate regular
spiritual exercises for pro-life intentions.
- Pro-life Masses/Divine
liturgies - While there is an opportunity for daily Mass in the
seminary it would be easy to integrate a regular pro-life intention,
perhaps at one Mass per month. There are special liturgical feasts
that relate to the pro-life cause. Such feasts as the Annunciation,
Immaculate Conception, the Feast of the Holy Innocents and All
Souls day etc. can be times to talk about pro-life issues. Regular
Masses for Life are also great ideas. The seminary also could
easily include a pro-life intention on a daily basis.
- Prayer - A
weekly time to pray for pro-life intentions including the rosary
or other devotions while adoring the Eucharist is commendable.
The seasons of Advent and Lent would be especially appropriate
for more prayer on pro- life concerns. One American seminary has
a series of evening holy hours with Eucharistic adoration during
the first week of each month. It has proven to be a very powerful
activity. The pro-life organization should pass out special pro-life
prayers and novenas to the seminarians, including prayers for
the spiritual adoption of unborn children in danger of abortion.
- Memorial -
As some churches and colleges have tombs dedicated to aborted
children, it would certainly be fitting for the seminary to do
the same somewhere on the seminary grounds.
Outside Activities
- Conferences
- Whenever possible, seminarians should attend pro-life conferences
to find out what is occurring around them and to learn how to
participate in the movement. This is a valuable way to meet dedicated
persons, who can be of great assistance in the future. Further,
meeting new persons engaged in the battle for life is encouraging
and inspiring. Seminarians who are near colleges and universities
can arrange debates in order to challenge the collegians to think
seriously about pro-life matters. Distributing information near
the dining hall or some other suitable crowded place can be very
productive.
- Speaking -
It is a beneficial experience for seminarians to speak to local
groups on pro-life subjects when the situation presents itself.
There are always local youth centers, schools, and churches that
would welcome an address by a young man studying for the priesthood.
If one is not completely ready, study and get prepared. Listen
to those who have done it, learn from the pros and then go out.
This kind of pastoral experience could prove to be invaluable.
Young seminarians inspire many people because they are not afraid
to speak boldly about life issues. Seminarians can be an effective
witness for high school students talking about chastity.
- Volunteering
- Local pro-life offices and pregnancy counseling centers are
always in need of volunteers. The experience gained while volunteering
at a crisis pregnancy center could help to strengthen vocations.
These centers are often desperately in need of help, even if only
for a few hours a week. It will also give the seminarian valuable
pastoral experience in order to understand the pressures women
face today.
- Counseling
- The value of prayer and sidewalk counseling in front of an abortion
clinic should not be underestimated. The peaceful presence of
pro-lifers is a tremendous witness to the local community and
a sign of genuine concern for mothers in a crisis pregnancy. Prayer
alone, especially the rosary can certainly move hearts not to
abort. Experience gained while counseling mothers to choose life
makes one aware of the pro-life battle. This experience strengthens
many people spiritually in the face of the darkness of a killing
chamber.
Originally published
by Pro-Life Seminarians International, Baltimore, Maryland USA
Revised by Seminarians for Life International ® 2004-2005
Both the original and revised edition are copyrighted by Human Life
International ®
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