http://www.priestlyformation.org

Program Director: Rev. Brian T. Welter
Program Office: 11626 Nicholas Street, Omaha, Nebraska 68154

Graduate Study in Priestly Formation

In collaboration with Catholic seminaries and dioceses, the Institute for Priestly Formation forms seminarians, priests and bishops in holiness and accompanies them in their ongoing spiritual growth, so they can more effectively lead others to Christ.  Inspired by the biblical-evangelical spirituality of St. Ignatius Loyola, the Institute responds to the need to foster relationship with Jesus Christ as the integrating and unifying core of all aspects of priestly formation. Through this relationship, the priest shares in Christ’s own pastoral charity.

Each summer the Institute, in collaboration with Creighton University, conducts a residential summer program for diocesan seminarians. Seminarians may earn eight graduate credits in the course of the program. Other programs, credit and non-credit, are offered in the summer and throughout the year.

Program Goals

1. To awaken and deepen relational prayer with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, effecting a participation in Christ's own pastoral charity.
2. To foster a seminarian's joy and delight as he is assisted to appropriate his identity as a "contemplative even in action" rooted in the call to be beloved son, chaste spouse, spiritual physician, spiritual father and good shepherd.
3. To guide the seminarian in a radical reorientation to Christ unleashing in him an affectively mature embrace of chaste celibacy leading to his sharing Christ's own self-donation to His Bride, the Church.
4. To form future shepherds as teachers of prayer and discernment to serve the laity in their (own) call to holiness as transformers of culture.

Admission Requirements

Seminarian applicants must be part of an accredited Roman Catholic seminary formation program. Participants in IPF courses are restricted to diocesan seminarians and priests with exceptions granted by the IPF director.