Training of clergy and prefects of UGCC seminaries held in Lviv
On November 20–23, a training course was held for priests and prefects of seminaries of the UGCC in Ukraine. This year, it took place on the premises of the Patriarchal House in Lviv. The central theme was the psychological and spiritual formation of future presbyters: challenges and difficulties of the formation process, as it is reported by the Patriarchal Commission on Clergy of the UGCC.
The meeting started with a welcoming speech by Bishop Bohdan Danylo, head of the Patriarchal Commission for Clergy. Following this, each of the clergy fathers and prefects of the seminaries shared the current situation of the seminary formation and the issues and difficulties they face.
The participants of the training discussed the spiritual formation of the clergyman, the importance of a rigid understanding of their competencies, and the ability to cooperate with other specialists in pastoral ministry for the laity.
On the third day of the training, they focused on the seminarians’ psycho-spiritual integration and growth. On this occasion, the meeting was attended by psychologist Maria Trakalo, head of the mental health hub “DiyaTy,” and Fr. Andriy Syvak, S. J. The speakers shared the experience of their pilot project for students of the Lviv Theological Seminary of the Holy Spirit, which aimed to analyze the psycho-emotional state of the seminarians. The range of topics encompasses the scope of psycho-spiritual self-knowledge and personal development, basic needs, age crises and developmental psychology, inner critic, and defense mechanisms.
The prefects and spiritual advisors focused on identifying the main topics they need to address to improve the formation of future clergy.
