MARIA ASSUMPTA SEMINARY

MARIA ASSUMPTA SEMINARY

A seminary is a special type of school established for the spiritual, moral and intellectual formation of candidates to the priesthood. The Council of the Trent made it obligatory for every diocese to erect a seminary for the purpose of educating local clergy. Likewise, the Code of Canon Law ordered that each diocese is to have a seminary according to its means. Thus, a seminary is established in the Church for the specific purpose of training young men to the clerical state.

The Second Vatican Council placed seminary as the “heart of the diocese” that is to be closely connected with the whole life of the local Church. It is in this context that the first Bishop of the Diocese of Cabanatuan. Most Rev. Mariano Gaviola, D.D. established the Maria Assumpta Seminary (MAS) on February 17, 1964 as a minor seminary for the diocese.
DEVELOPMENT OF VOCATION

Since the development of a vocation is the very goal of every seminary, MAS places its thrust to develop vocations to the priesthood for the Diocese of Cabanatuan, in particular, and for other diocese in general. This program of formation gives greater priority in nurturing the seeds of vocation in all its students. With this premise MAS made the following vision and mission statements:

STAGES OF FORMATION

HIGH SCHOOL (4 years)

The Second Vatican Council places the seminary as the “heart of the diocese” (Optatam Totius 5). The specific purpose of the minor seminary is there “to help boys who seem to show initial signs of vocation more easily and clearly, and to respond to it” (Ratio Fundamentalis 11). Although the minor seminary does not impart ‘strictly priestly’ formation, it introduces students to a kind of life that will be demanded of them upon their entrance into the college seminary.

The Second Vatican Council also affirms that “minor seminaries are founded to nurture the seed of vocation” (Optatam Totius 3). It is a seedbed for discerning and developing priestly vocations therefore, parents and students should understand that the minor seminary is neither a reformatory for boys with problems nor a refuge from the problems of the outside world.

PRE-COLLEGE (1 year)

These are young men, graduates of high school outside the seminary, who wish to enter College Seminary. They are to undergo a year of intensive formation as they are introduced to the fundamentals of the priestly training that would orient them towards college seminary formation like basic courses on Value Formation, Communication Skills, Methodology and Research, Personality Development, Liturgy, Prayers and other religious education.

COLLEGE (4 years)

They are graduates of the High School Department of the seminary and those who have undergone the intensive program of the Pre-College Formation Year. A four year course of seminary formation, the College Department aims at the development of attitudes and values that are consistent with priestly calling. Thus, it trains and leads its seminarians to the appreciation and affirmation of priestly vocation. A graduate of college seminary formation finish with degree on A.B. Philosophy.

THEOLOGY (5 years)

After having finished the college course and upon the recommendation of the seminary formators, the seminarian may now take the theology course. This is the final stage of the seminary formation. Maria Assumpta Seminary recommends the candidates to different theology schools. This is normally taken as four year course of seminary formation and a non-academic year of pastoral and spiritual integration. The seminarian who have finished theology may be ordained to diaconal ministry and finally to priesthood with the recommendation of the seminary and the diocesan bishop.