Minor Seminary

In his letter Pastores dabo vobis, Saint John Paul II wrote: “a priestly vocation tends to show itself in the preadolescent years or in the earliest years of youth.”

Saint Thomas Aquinas, seeking to explain the reason why Christ loved the Apostle Saint John in particular because of his “youthful age”, wrote: “We can see from this that God especially loves those who serve him from their youth.”[1] This is the reason why the Church has instituted the minor seminary where young men who show signs of vocation can discern, study and prepare to continue their formation in the Major Seminary.

The objective is that the young person can become more aware of what his vocation is, discern if God is calling him, and cultivate this call in a healthy and conducive environment. It is a precious educational work: the young people receive on the one hand the formation of the school proper to their age, and on the other hand an introduction to what will be their future priestly formation. The life of minor seminarians includes many activities such as cultural trips and sports. They are directed by a priest of the Institute who is the supervisor of their formation, and are accompanied by other religious who assist them in this task. The Institute offers a house where they live together, with a lifestyle that prepares them for the consecrated life, with study, prayer and recreation. Students visit their parents at certain times of the year.