LIFE OF A SEMINARIAN:
Spiritual Formation
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION
The spiritual formation here, at Holy Trinity Seminary, is the core of seminary life. A very important facet of spiritual formation is the personal relationship of spiritual direction, which every seminarian is expected to have. The seminarian is free to choose his own spiritual director from a list of directors who have been approved by the Bishop of Dallas for their work with seminarians. In addition to this, a spiritual director lives on staff at
the seminary for the convenience of all seminarians. He is available at all times to hear confessions and provide spiritual direction, even if he isn’t your chosen spiritual director. The directors are committed to making the direction process work and tend to take a fairly confronting and proactive approach in working with the seminarians.
SPIRITUAL SUPPLEMENTS
In addition to personal relationship of spiritual direction, there are a number of other aids to growth provided as a part of the spiritual formation program at Holy Trinity Seminary. Days of Recollection, the annual retreat, and an Ignatian Directed Retreat are an important part of the spiritual formation of seminarians at Holy Trinity. Days of Reflection provide opportunities for guest speakers to enhance personal spiritual formation. These days occur once a month with top speakers flown in from all over the country to give reflection pertaining to anything from Lectio Divina to the fundamentals of prayer. Reflection days offer a time of relation from the seminary schedule to reflect on matters which pertain to personal spiritual growth.
DAILY PRAYER
The seminary holds in high regard the daily participation in Eucharist, praying the Liturgy of the Hours in common, and weekly celebration of the Sacrament of Penance. As the Eucharist is the source and summit of our Christian lives so too is the Eucharist in the life of the seminarian. Every day begins with Morning Prayer and Mass. Evening Prayer occurs at 5:15 each day followed by a silent meditation until dinner at 6:00. Daily personal prayer is expected of the seminarians, guided by the seminarian’s own spiritual directors.
DEVOTIONS
Devotions add to the spiritual growth of each seminarian. To enhance this, the rosary is said every week during the months of October and May. Stations of the Cross is recited every Friday of lent and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is celebrated every Thursday.
