Seminarian Engagement Program

The Seminarian Engagement Program offers opportunities to seminaries and dioceses to contextualize and integrate the social mission of the Church into seminarian formation through the works of charity and justice.  

The program helps seminaries and dioceses address the formational needs of seminarians at every stage of formation, with an eye on the specific dimensions of formation particular to priestly formation. 

Seminarian Reflection

Seminarian Reflection

John Murcko, a seminarian of the Diocese of San Diego, reflects on his internship experience with the Catholic Campaign for Human Development.

At the request of the Subcommittee on the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, USCCB staff began the Seminarian Engagement Program to involve seminarians in the anti-poverty work of the Church, particularly through the gifts and network of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD). The project seeks to help seminarians:  

  1. become aware of the antipoverty work of the Church as a resource in their priestly ministry;
  2. understand the needs of their local Church; and
  3. witness the mission and work of the Church to accompany low-income people to address those needs.

This project is led by the Secretariat of Justice and Peace and is funded by a grant from the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, the domestic anti-poverty program of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

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Develop Essential Skills for Ministry

Seminarians visiting farm

Engagement with CCHD offers seminarians the opportunity to: 

- Learn the art of accompaniment 

- Gain hands on pastoral ministry experience with persons in poverty in the local church   

- Increase understanding of social and economic disparities and how the Church responds  

- Participate in ecumenical/interfaith dialogue through collaborative ministries 

- Minister in a multi-lingual context 

- Receive guidance & mentorship from an experienced pastor or CCHD diocesan director 

- Engage in social analysis and theological reflection 

Meet Benchmarks of PPF6

Bishop leads prayer walk

Staff of the USCCB offered a webinar to NCDVD’s members on how this project can assist formators in meeting the demands of the Program for Priestly Formation, 6th Edition (PPF6).  

Under the Program for Priestly Formation, 6th Edition (PPF6) the Seminarian Engagement Project of the USCCB helps seminaries meet new benchmarks for formation that enliven the spirit of the PPF6.

"If seminarians are to be formed after the model of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, who came 'to bring glad tidings to the poor,' then they must have sustained contact with those who are privileged in God's eyes--the poor, the marginalized, the sick, and the suffering. They also need to become aware of the social contexts and structures that can breed injustice as well as ways of promoting more just contexts and structures” (PPF6, no. 370k).

Contact Us

Washing feet

If you are a seminary formation staff or diocesan vocation director looking for pastoral/apostolic placements for your seminarians, check out our Formation Offerings and Pastoral Placements flyers for more information. You can also find and connect directly with your diocesan coordinator for CCHD by visiting our national directory page here. 

If you are a diocesan director or coordinator for CCHD who would like to connect with your local seminarians to engage them in the work of CCHD, please reach out to your local Diocesan Vocation Director/Office directly, or contact NCDVD to be connected with your local Vocations’ office. 

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Testimonies

Hear from bishops, seminary formators, and seminarians themselves about the transformational experience of the Seminarian Engagement Project.