A REFLECTION ON COLLEGE SEMINARY FORMATION IN THE LIGHT OF HANNAH ARENDT’S POLITICAL THOUGHT

I

The seminary seems to be one of the most private places. In fact, many people find it mysterious for the reason that most of its activities are away from the public’s eyes and seminarians are most oftentimes restricted at the four walls of the seminary.

Many people are somewhat intrigued with what is happening inside the seminary. They often ask a seminarian when they’ve got a chance to meet one (as what I often experienced), “What do you do there?” “How’s life inside?”

In terms of privacy, Arendt clearly gives a definite distinction between the private and the public sphere: “The distinction between the private and the public realms, seen from the viewpoint of privacy rather than of the body politic, equals the distinction between things that should be shown and things that should be hidden (HC 72).” Therefore, it seems correct to claim that seminary is a very private place where only persons who are inside can really know what’s in there, thus located in the Arendt’s private realm.

In connection, seminary is somewhat considered as other-worldly. Many people seem to think that seminarians are drawn from the so called “real” world. Seminarians are usually seen as “extraordinary.” Extraordinary can have different connotations here. Firstly, extraordinary could mean that a lot of people (especially in this country where most people are Catholics) see them as special and with respect as being future holy priests in the vineyard of the Lord. Secondly, it could also mean that they are very different from other “ordinary” young men because they are drawn from the secular world which is usually described as mundane. The second thought might be very useful in understanding Arendt’s conception of worldliness.

For Arendt, the world and its correlative condition, worldliness, are part of what she considers as human condition. By world, she means the artificial environment of humanly created objects, institutions, and settings that provide us with an abode upon this earth, with a shelter from natural elements, and, insofar as it is relatively stable and permanent, with a sense of belonging, of being at home with our surroundings (Passerin d’Entreves, 37).

One important feature of the world as used by Arendt is that it provides us with a touchstone of reality. Because it is lived in common with others, experiences become objective by being shared with others. The reality of the world can be secured only by sharing one’s existence with others, that is, by living in a world which is public and common.

World alienation is what happens when this world is lost. The consequence could be that we lose our sense of being at home in the world, and with that, our identity, our sense of reality, and the possibility of endowing our existence with meaning (HC 248-57). Some writers claimed that Arendt displays a religious commitment to the notion that we exist to be at home in the world and that our identity depends on it (Passerin d’Entreves, 37). In addition, this phenomenon can encourage the restriction or elimination of the public sphere where words and deeds of individuals can be preserved for posterity and the identity of each disclosed and sustained.

In fact, being at home in the world is one of the preconditions for the constitution of a public realm. With the loss of the world, the framework for public activities can never come into being, nor can those capacities that flourish within it, such as judgment, common sense, impartiality, and memory (Passerin d’Entreves, 38).

The seminary seen as other-worldly can be considered then as something that can preclude the promise of politics as conceptualized by Arendt. Seminarians being withdrawn from Arendt’s so called common world can lose the sense of reality, consequently, lead them to be apolitical. Seminary life, seen in this perspective, is not supportive of Arendt’s politics. Instead of pursuing an active life, seminarians shun away the world and become apathetic about it.

However, does this conception about the seminary life give a concrete picture of what really a seminary life is? Or are there some misconceptions about this view? Let us then try to have a glimpse of what seminary really is.

II

THE SEMINARY FORMATION

This section will try to give an ample understanding of the seminary formation in two perspectives: (1) my own experience of seminary formation (2) seminary formation as exemplified in the Updated Philippine Formation for Priestly Formation (UPPPF), the national directory for diocesan college and theology seminary formation in the Philippines.[1]

There are aspects that are importantly considered in forming seminarians to be good priests in the near future. This considerations aim in developing the seminarians’ personality and nurture their relationship with God. While seminarians as future priests should be model of holiness, other facets are also taken into considerations other than spiritual life. The seminary provides an environment for a seminarian’s integral formation.

In order to provide an integral formation, college seminary formation has its four facets. These are Human, Intellectual, Spiritual and Pastoral Formation. Let us take into considerations each pillar:

HUMAN FORMATION. The seminary aims at forming men of virtue, of human excellence and goodness of character, founded on psycho-emotional integration and modeled on Christ’s example of authentic humanity (Pastores dabo vobis, n.43-44).

In terms of relationship to self, the seminarian comes to know, accept, and appreciate his unique humanity, both in its lights and shadows. Respect, justice, understanding and compassion characterize his relationship with others, as he grows in affective maturity. He learns to be responsible in work and truthful in word. He grows in the ability to judge persons and situations in a balanced and prudent way. . . . (Updated Philippine Program for Priestly Formation {UPPPF} n. 18)

In college seminary formation, the main focus of human formation is the achievement of a balance between self-identity and socialization. The development of personal values with social virtues is essential as a seminarian faces both his very self and various human situations in the world and history (See UPPPF n.190).

The seminarian must be led in the acquisition of certain human values and virtues: Self-acceptance and self-esteem, motivational clarity, psychological clarity, responsible freedom, social skills, leadership, creativity, obedience and discipline, physical-emotional-sexual-relational integrity, simple lifestyle, sensitivity to the signs of the times and conscience formation (UPPPF n.191).

As a response to this area of concern, the seminary must carefully design a program of human formation appropriate to the specific needs and culture of Filipino college seminarian. Growth in self-identity is best facilitated if the formation process pays attention to seminarian’s unique personal background and needs. Such personalized attention “prevents seminaries into a predetermined rigid mold of being human.” Through this approach, it is hoped that a college seminarian discovers his human condition and thereby respects his own person, other human beings, creation, and God (UPPPF n. 189).

This personal guidance must also be complemented by life in community and exposure to concrete life situations. It is accepted that self-identity and a sense of purpose in life are not shaped by introspection alone but also by living contact with other human beings, their joys and sorrows, their success and failures (UPPPF n. 195). In line with this, seminarians are encouraged and challenged to relate with one another in a way that is humanizing for everyone. Seminarians are organized into small groupings inside the seminary in order to facilitate such a humanizing thrust.

SPIRITUAL FORMATION. The spiritual life aims to shape men whose lives find their center in personal and transformative communion with God (PDV n. 43). The spiritual formation of a college seminarian aims to awaken and develop in him a sense of the sacred life through spiritual exercises and spiritual direction, so that he could be a good Christian and be able to crystallize his decision to follow Jesus Christ in the ordained ministry (UPPPF n. 207).

In line with spiritual formation, the seminarian is led to learn the art of personal prayer, especially through a personal guidance given by a spiritual director. He is made aware of its various expressions, like meditation, contemplation, spontaneous prayer and devotional prayer. He is also being taught to value the Word of God. He must learn to consider the Scriptures as an essential part of his spiritual growth. The development of “a sense of the sacred” is a vital part of his personal prayer and spiritual growth which is endangered in an increasingly technological and urbanized society like the Philippines (UPPPF n. 209-14).

Aside from personal prayer life, the seminarian must progressively and appreciate the vital role of sacraments and communal prayer for his spiritual life. Aside from the daily celebration of the Holy Eucharist and regular celebration of the sacraments such as Reconciliation, the seminarian as living in a community also finds spiritual nourishment in common spiritual activities such as morning and evening prayer, adoration, vigils, and devotions to Our Lady and the saints. Recollections and retreats are also to be designed according to the level and needs of college seminarians. The balance between personal and communal prayer is also to be sought during recollections and retreats. Spiritual directions and spiritual conferences are also given regularly (UPPPF n. 215-19).

INTELLECTUAL FORMATION. In college, a seminarian needs to grow in the appreciation of learning as an integral part of his human and vocational life. In aid of the college seminarian’s need to search for identity and mission in life, the intellectual formation seeks to develop not only academic excellence but also his capacity to face intelligently whatever life he might pursue (UPPPF n. 231-2).

Intellection formation in the seminary is not that very different from that of a regular liberal arts program. Intellectual growth in college is aimed at deeper understanding of people, of human experience, of the world, and of history. This hopes to develop conviction and values, which wan enrich a seminarian in his personal and vocational life (UPPPF n. 234).

Aside from the thrust of personal intellectual development, the formation program must also open to the college seminarian the whole gamut of cultural, social, economic, political, historical, moral and ecclesial forces at work in the world, leading this young mind to the complexity of issues. Formation transcends simplistic approaches to manifold question about life (UPPPF 236).

Areas of Study include Humanities, Natural Sciences, Mathematic, and Computer Sciences, Professional Skills, Philosophical Studies, Religious Education.

By having a liberal arts education, intellectual formation of college seminary devotes an ample time to the study of humanity and the social condition. Among the courses belonging to humanities are the behavioral and social sciences that employ an empirical method such as psychology, sociology, anthropology and economics. Historical and political sciences also belong to this field. Sufficient treatment is also given to the history, culture and political realities of Asia and Philippines. Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Sciences present to the seminarian the theoretical framework used by the contemporary age for the interpretation of the world. College seminarians are initiated into a professional knowledge of these sciences, making them aware both of their wonderful contributions to human life and also of their limitations. Professional skills as seminary courses hone the seminarians’ ability to read, to comprehend text, to evaluate and to articulate their learning. They develop the seminarians’ capacity to think clearly, logically and creatively, as well as the ability to discuss intelligently to see the various angles of question and to debate. Thus, courses like logic, communication (speech, debate, drama), Music Appreciation, and language studies are offered. Philosophy is offered in such a way that it could contribute to the seminarians’ human and spiritual formation, as well as the transformation of culture and society. Philosophy of the Human Person, Philosophy of Religion, Ethics, Metaphysics and Epistemology for the core courses of the philosophy curriculum. Because of

its eminent place in Catholic philosophy tradition, the philosophy of St. Thomas Aquinas is given a serious treatment. Religious Education is geared towards grounding the seminarians in the foundation of faith as well as enhancement of their human and spiritual growth in preparation for entry into theological studies. Courses in religious education offer the seminarians catechetical knowledge of the basic doctrine, moral and worship, as contained in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Catechism for Filipino Catholics. Elective courses must also be offered to the seminarians for the development of other interests (UPPPF n. 238-45).

PASTORAL FORMATION

The pastoral formation of a college seminarian aims to help him face the questions arising from his stage in life as he comes face to face with the demands of service. Pastoral exposure to and involvement in a specific community or ministry is meant to strengthen his self-identity and to crystallize his mission, which can occur only when he has discovered the meaning of service to others. . . . (UPPPF n. 257)

Through this pastoral formation, a seminarian is provided an occasion for him to get in touch with a wide range of human experiences. Consequently, this exposure to human situations will hopefully lead him to penetrating insights into the questions and struggles of fellow Filipinos. He is initiated into the social realities which are very much present in his society such as injustice, cultural disparities, social inequalities, political manipulations, etc. By these encounters with various worldly .in him. Pastoral involvement also assists him in acquiring skills like social investigation and analysis, communication and relationship with others, etc. This leads him to interact and collaborate with other people especially of his age. Leadership is also acquired through the pastoral works, thus, inculcating, sense of service (UPPPF n.258-65).

III

Upon elucidating some understandings about seminary formation, I now turn to reflecting whether seminary formation truly constitutes worldlessness that can inhibit the politics as understood by Hannah Arendt.

According to Arendt, Christianity has contributed into the debasement of what she calls politics. The reversal of hierarchy between the vita activa and vita contemplativa is likely to contribute in this degradation. Arendt claims that in the tradition of Western philosophy, starting with Plato, there happened a shift away from the activities connected with political life, with action and striving for earthly immortality, in favor of the silent contemplation of eternal truths which a privileged few only could enjoy by willfully detaching themselves from all worldly concern and activities. This debasement of the values of the vita activa, especially of political action, was continued by Christian tradition, insofar as it gave a religious sanction to the activity of contemplation and stressed the sinfulness of our worldly activities. The belief of the immortality of the soul and in a world beyond this one where the faithful will be gathered, had fateful consequences for the esteem and dignity of politics. Consequently, politics was no longer seen as the sphere where individuals could perform noble deeds, reach agreement on matters of mutual concern, and achieve a measure of justice. Politics became instead, the instrument for checking and controlling men’s sinful nature, for punishing their evil conduct, and for looking after their earthly necessities. What Platonism and Christianity has achieved then was an elevation of the values and concerns associated with the vita contemplativa and a corresponding belittling of those associated with the vita activa (d’Etreves 42-3). As Arendt puts it:

Political activity, which up to then had derived its greatest inspiration from the aspiration toward worldly immortality, now sank to the low level of an activity subject to necessity, destined to remedy the consequences of human sinfulness, on one hand, and to cater to the legitimate wants and interests of earthly life, on the other (HC 314).

Seminary formation as drawing seminarians into a very private place called the seminary is often understood as taking them away from the real world. This may sound true for the reasons that seminarians spend most of their time inside the four walls of the seminary, which is somewhat secluded from the so called outside world. They are also often deprived of certain activities that only happen beyond the four walls of the seminary.

However, seminary seen as solely other-worldly, thus alienating the world, seems to get the wrong idea about it. Total separation from worldly activities as a seminarian is housed inside the seminary has been always a false impression rather than a truthful assertion. It is true that as future priests, a seminarian gets a rigid spiritual formation which ordinary young men in the secular world do not get. However, to focus only on what is sacred and to hate what is profane is not what the seminary formation is all about. Putting in Arendt’s lexicon, seminary formation is not at all being worldless.

To think of seminary formation as solely a time of going to mass everyday, praying the breviary, contemplating about the Scriptures and the like in order to save the soul and enjoy the eternal bliss of heaven was already a long time reality. The history of the Church attests to the various forms of priesthood has assumed at different times and different places. The Church continuously discerns the signs of the times in order to respond to the demands of specific times and places. So is with seminary formation.

Although holiness should be one of the fundamental aims of seminary formation for it hopes to produce future priests, other aspects should not be ignored. Spiritual formation is so important so as the human, intellectual and pastoral formation of a seminarian. The seminary formation gives an opportunity not only for the seminarians to develop the sense of the sacred but also the sense of being in touch with the world. It caters an occasion for the seminarians to be aware of the social realities that affect the seminarian’s human condition not just as a future priest but, more so, as a human person. Human formation, as an area for the growth of one’s self-identity, leads the seminarian to face his very self and in order for him to do that he must also be aware of his human situations which could not be achieved only thru self-introspection. He must be able to relate with the world by having a grasp of it in order for him to grow in self-identity. Intellectual formation is not also rigorously religious in context. The liberal arts education program in the seminary also contributes in making seminarians aware of the world. It deepens their understanding about complex issues in almost the whole gamut of human experience including economics and politics. In addition, pastoral formation also gives them a concrete touch of the world. They become exposed to different kinds of people especially people of their age and, consequently, to different human situations.

Therefore, seminary formation is not at all about fleeing from the world but also being concern for the world. A substantial seminary formation must have the balance in its consideration between the sacred and the profane. It doesn’t totally reject the world; instead, it acknowledges the fact that seminarians, who are also human persons, are situated in the world here and now so seminary must make a way to present the world. Even the Church, with its role and mission, is deeply entangled with the world. And for the Church to deny this is to live in contradiction, I so believe.

IV

I now turn on my reflection of the seminary as a private space in Arendt’s realms.

In the vita activa, each activity (labor, work and action) is distinguished by a certain realm in which these activities take place. Arendt distinguishes private realm from the public realm. Each activity occurs in the spaces of the private or the public realm. For a clearer understanding of this, let us first try to distinguish the private realm from the public realm from Arendt’s point of view.

According to Arendt, the term private, in its original privative sense, has meaning.

To live an entirely private life means above all to be deprived of things essential to a truly human life: to be deprived of the reality that comes from being seen and heard by others, to be deprived of an “objective” relationship with them that comes from being related to and separated from them through intermediary of a common world of things, to be deprived of the possibility of achieving something more permanent than life itself (HC 58).

The private realm is the realm where economics and necessities of life are dealt with in view of sustaining and maintaining biological necessities. In this realm, the various activities and relationships that are by nature private remain hidden and protected from the glaring light of the public.

On the other hand, the term “public” signifies two closely interrelated but not altogether identical phenomena as given by Arendt in her discussion of the The Private and the Public Realm (HC Chapter II): First, it means that everything that appears in public can be seen and heard by everybody and has the widest possible publicity (HC 50). Second, the term “public” signifies the world itself, in so far as it is common to all of us and distinguished from our privately owned place in it (HC 52).

In terms of privacy, Arendt clearly gives a definite distinction between the private and the public realm: “The distinction between the private and the public realms, seen from the viewpoint of privacy rather than of the body politic, equals the distinction between things that should be shown and things that should be hidden (HC 72).”

As mentioned above, seminary seems to be one of the most private places in our society. Thus, it is located in the private realm. Activities there are mostly hidden from the eyes of many. In Arendt’s words, activities and relationships there are remained hidden and protected from the glaring light of the public. Though it is in the private realm, I believe that seminarians are not being molded in order to be anti-political (although they have the possibility to be anti-political). However, seminarian formation can prepare the seminarians to be political. Thus, seminary could also be considered as pre-political. Consequently, it can at least help in the realization of Arendt’s politics.

The realm of politics is very demanding. It takes courage to move out from one’s private space in order to participate in politics. I see the private realm as precondition to the Arendt’s public life because it is in the vicissitudes of the private space that one is being prepared to the demands of a political life. Upon reflection, the seminary is one that can be considered as a private space where one get some preparations before engaging in politics. Being pre-political, the seminary formation somewhat prepares the seminarians to being political in certain aspects. Although it is obvious that it is not political[2], there are some preparations that happen in seminary formation that could be essential for Arendt’s politics to be present. Here are some fast points:

Firstly, seminary formation molds a seminarian’s self-identity. For Arendt, the political realm is a space for the revelation of self-identity through action and speech. However, I believe that before a person asserts himself to the political realm, he must be able to crystallize who he is first and then pronounce it by his words and deeds. It is in the private realm that a person can acquire this growth in self-identity. In addition, the ability to speak is being honed through practical and intellectual exercises. The ability to act, especially when it is needed, becomes a part of a seminarian’s personhood through the inculcation of the sense of service. This could lead to initiative taking and not to apathy.

Secondly, seminary formation aims to produce men of excellence. Seminary formation molds seminarians to be the best that they can be (humanly, intellectually, spiritually and socially). The central purpose of seminary formation is to prepare seminarians to become future priests. After years of seminary formation, they will move out from their cocoon into a world where there is plurality. They will be in community of believers where each one is unique. As priests, many people look up to them as role models not only in terms of spirituality but also in the whole aspect of human life. That is why, as they make themselves appear in the public, they must also strive to be extraordinary in order to gain respect and admiration from other people.

Thirdly, the seminary is also a community. It is composed of individual persons who come from different places and different homes, that is, multicultural. The four pillars of seminary formation revolve in a community life. The politics of Arendt is only possible in a context of a community also. Interacting with one another through words and deed gives the seminarians a foretaste in dealing with a larger community. Treating each other with respect is one essential requirement in Arendt’s politics, which is also a reality in seminary formation.

On the other hand, this community life could also be monstrous to Arendt’s politics if it means that each seminarian submits his total individuality to a common life dictated by the formation. The sense of “brotherhood” is so much present inside the seminary that could ask a seminarian to fashion his life into a uniform one that can be against his own uniqueness, culture or even principle because not doing means not being in commune with the community. There must be then a total balance between the personal and community life.

Upon deep reflection, seminary formation is all about learning that art of balancing. The balancing between the sacred and the mundane. The balancing among the four facets of seminary formation. The balancing between what is personal and what is communal. The balancing between submitting oneself to authority and practicing responsible freedom and initiative taking. The seminary formators, along with the seminarians themselves, must maintain such a balance for if not seminary could be more disastrous rather than beneficial, especially in Arendt’s promise of the politics.

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These acronyms will be used to refer to the following texts:

HC – The Human Condition

UPPPF – The Updated Philippine Program for Priestly Formation

PDV – Pastores Dabo Vobis

REFERENCES

Arendt, Hannah. (1958). The Human Condition. Second Edition. Introduction by

Margaret Canovan. Chicago and London: The University of Chicago Press.

Catholic’s Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). (2007). The Updated

Philippine Program for Priestly Formation.

John Paul II. Pastores Dabo Vobis. The Holy See.

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_25031992_pastores-dabo-vobis_en.html. March 25, 2010.

Passerin d’Entreves, Maurizio. (1994). Political Philosophy of Hannah Arendt.

London and New York: Routledge

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[1]The seminary formation that will be presented will focus on college diocesan seminary formation in Philippine setting since it will be based on the writer’s personal experience in a Diocesan College Seminary and a document on priestly formation in the Philippine context.

[2] Arendt’s concept of freedom and plurality is absent in seminary formation because the goal has already been set and it is governed by an authority who must be obeyed.