Church needs fewer and better seminaries, says seminary prof

[Johann_du_Toit]

https://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2...wer-and-better-seminaries-says-seminary-prof/

I think Father Berg has raised many valid points.

In addition to being a seminary Director and Professor of Moral Theology, he is also a former member of the Legionaires of Christ. He wrote a book, Hurting in the Church, about the abuse allegations uncovered against the founder of the Legionaires, Fr. Macial Maciel, and offered lessons to the Church as a whole how to heal from such betrayal.

Should the Church follow Fr. Berg’s advice in this regard?

 

[Entwhistler]

I read this article in First Things. I think he is spot on. The problems we have in the Church stem from the clergy. We need solid priests and these come from solid seminaries.

 

[commenter]

“The problems we have in the Church stem from the clergy”. Prior post

Not for most problems.

keep in mind priests arise out of the laity. They are deeply influenced by family, by schooling, by parish and secular communities and media growing up. They also are shaped by the laity they know, by the good and bad experiences.
I didn’t deny seminary is important, I say we can’t expect seminary to outweigh the great bulk of formation outside the seminary. To put it another way, we get the priests we deserve, sometimes better.

 

[commenter]

"Berg criticized the current seminary system for an “overemphasis on academics”

I don’t want academics cut. Keep in mind most seminarians a few decades ago had far more philosophical training, either from undergrad seminary or from then-strong Catholic colleges.

Now, society as a whole has much deeper, more subtle and sophisticated philosophical errors dominant now than in 1960.

Without a firm grounding in philosophy and theology, priests can’t explain where the contemporary world went wrong or where it is right. Emotional maturity is crucial but can’t supply that need.