Year in Review 2024 Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst 23 Following the completion of my six-year term on the seminary staff in January 2024, Bishop Shane invited me to continue in the role of providing a contact point between the seminary and our Diocese. The seminary, Corpus Christi College, is the “Regional Seminary” for the dioceses of Victoria and Tasmania and is governed by the bishops of these two states, who form a Board of Trustees. The seminary has traditionally also provided training for the priesthood for guest dioceses from South Australia, Northern Territory, the Syro-Malabar Eparchy and other dioceses. The seminary formation program comprises a seven-year course, which often includes extra time of study and discernment in addition to this basic program. At this time students for the priesthood live in community, have a daily rhythm of prayer and reflection, and engage in formal tertiary studies at the nearby Catholic Theological College, University of Divinity, in East Melbourne. Seminary formation traditionally focuses on the spiritual, human, intellectual and pastoral education of those training for ministry and takes place in seminary, parish and other places of formation. “There are four dimensions that interact simultaneously in the iter of formation and in the life of ordained ministers: the human dimension, which represents the ‘necessary and dynamic foundation’ of all priestly life; the spiritual dimension, which helps to shape the quality of priestly ministry; the intellectual dimension, which provides the rational tools needed in order to understand the values that belong to being a pastor, to make them incarnate in daily life, and to transmit the content of the faith appropriately; the pastoral dimension, which makes possible a responsible and fruitful ecclesial service.” (Ratio Fundamentalis, 89.) In recent years, Pope Francis has emphasised the need for the training of priests to have not only a missionary focus, but also to involve the entire church community; not just those formally engaged in priestly formation. We are very fortunate in 2024 to have had two students for the priesthood enrolled in the college: Jhunel Mendez and Ryerson de Lai. We are also excited to be able to welcome Aaron Baulch and Mason Crosier into the first–year program in 2025. We wish our Sandhurst students, and all involved in formation for ministry, our best wishes and prayers for 2025. Rev. Jacob Mudge Coordinator of Seminarians Corpus Christi College Regional Seminary Victoria and Tasmania 2024 Reports Seminary Liaison Report
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