Priestly Formation
"The Church continues to place the highest value on the work of priestly formation, because it is linked to the very mission of the Church, especially the evangelization of humanity: "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations" (Mt. 28:19)." - USCCB, Program of Priestly Formation, no. 16
Program of Priestly Formation, 6th edition
Program of Priestly Formation, 6th edition, (PPF), was developed by the USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations. It was promulgated on the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus on June 24, 2022. It is particular law in the Church in the United States and serves as a guide for seminaries and priestly vocation programs that form men for the ministerial priesthood. This document was released in accordance with the Holy See's 2016 document, Ratio Fundamentalis Institutiones Sacerdotalis.
The PPF sets forth the nature and mission of the ministerial priesthood, norms for the admission of candidates, norms for the formation of candidates, and norms for the governance and administration of seminaries.
Guidelines for the Use of Psychology in Seminary Admissions
These guidelines were developed and approved by the Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations, under the leadership of Chairman Bishop Michael F. Burbidge. It was authorized for publication by the Administrative Committee in March 2015.
This document aims to support the implementation of the directives contained in the Guidelines for the Use of Psychology in the Admission and Formation of Candidates for the Priesthood, issued by the Congregation for Catholic Education in June 2008, and the pertinent sections of the Program of Priestly Formation, 5th edition. These guidelines are intended to assist bishops, major superiors, and seminary rectors when developing policies on the use of psychological evaluations for seminary admissions.