The Loyola School of Theology invites you to the online oral defense of the S.T.L. Tesina entitled “A New Understanding of Diocesan Spirituality in the Pacific Regional Seminary” by Fr. INIA TIKOLUTU on July 28, 2022 (Thursday) at 9:00 am. The Board of Examiners is composed of Fr. Arthur Leger, S.J., Ph.D. (Adviser), Fr. Jojo Fung, S.J., Ph.D. (Principal Examiner), and Fr. Nick Vaquilar, S.T.D. The defense is being held in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Licentiate in Sacred Theology with field of specialization in Spirituality and Leadership. It is open to the public.
Abstract: The spirituality of a diocesan priest has at many times come under scrutiny from both ecclesial and secular circles. Many attempts have been made to balance the negative view and claim and defend that the diocesan clergy do have a spirituality. However, very few have researched and written anything that regards the spirituality of the diocesan seminarian and his understanding of that spirituality in his seminary formation years.
The primary purpose of this tesina is to bring into perspective a new understanding of a spirituality of a diocesan in the Pacific Regional Seminary. This research effort makes a crucial contribution towards the spiritual formation of diocesan seminarians of Oceania.
This work has the diocesan seminarian as its main focus. The study proceeds by using the process of the pastoral spiral. The spiritual experiences of the diocesan priests of the CEPAC region of Oceania and the wisdom of the Church was called upon to the effect of this research.
This study found from the attention of the Church and the lived experience of the CEPAC diocesan clergy that the spirituality of the diocesan priest is clearly about a three-dimensional relationship. The relationship with God, the relationship with their bishop and the presbyterate and lastly the relationship with the people of God. This serves as a reference point to all agents of formation in Oceania the importance of forming the diocesan seminarian in a spirituality he can live out in his priestly life – a spirituality formed in the Pacific Regional Seminary for the rest of his life.
