GENERAL SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR
SPIRITUAL DIRECTION CONTENT
Spiritual Formation is one of the four dimensions of Priestly Formation; other dimensions being Human Formation, Intellectual Formation and Pastoral-Liturgical Formation. Spiritual Formation is considered key to all the other dimensions of formation of a Priestly Candidate. This fact is well articulated in the seminary charter for priestly formation in Uganda . In the enforcement of the spiritual formation of the seminarians to the Priesthood therefore, the following are the modes in which this dimension of formation is articulated.
- Spiritual Talks/Conferences
The seminary has the General Spiritual Director and his assistant who coordinate the general spiritual formation in the seminary. Together, they plan and alternately conduct spiritual talks to the seminarians every Monday from 9:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. All seminarians endeavor to attend. In these talks, among others, seminarians are helped to know the spiritual relevance of the various aspects of seminary discipline and activities. They are also helped to understand that a call to priesthood is unique and requires one to acquire a loftiness of spirit, a purity of heart and sanctity of life befitting the solemnity of the office for which they are being prepared for. - Prayer Life
The daily attendance and participation of students in liturgical activities, a communal and private prayer is commendable. The Holy Eucharist being the true center of our Christian life is celebrated daily. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, the Holy Mass is celebrated in the evening and on other days in the morning. Students are often encouraged to love and participate fully and actively in Mass. On Mondays, Holy Mass is celebrated at team level, then on the Monday of the third Sunday of the month at house level and fortnightly at cultural level but on a Wednesday. Lauds, vespers, compline are communally and privately said as stipulated on the seminary time table. - Devotions
As regards devotions, students are interested in them. They are helped to differentiate between official liturgy and popular devotions. They are aware that the two aim at bringing us in communion with God. However, they also know that liturgy is the official public worship of the Church and contained in official liturgical books. It is for all the faithful. Even when celebrated by an individual, liturgy still benefits all. Devotions are private, unofficial forms of worship, not contained in the official liturgical books. They are recommended but not obligatory. Even when celebrated by a group, they are regarded as beneficial to that group.
Students on community level and privately hold devotional prayers: To the Blessed Eucharist, there is stipulated time for adoration and benediction on Fridays from 6:30 p.m. to 7: 30 p.m. and on Sundays from 6:30 a.m. to 7:25 am; the Way of the Cross is conducted during Lenten season – 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Some students are devoted to the Sacred Heart, others to Our Lady – Legionaries, the Saints like the Uganda Martyrs, the Holy Spirit – the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, etc.
In all these, the chaplains direct students such that they don’t deviate from the Church’s teaching. - Annual Retreat and Monthly Recollections.
The Annual Retreat is held every year as the academic year commences in the first week of October. The preacher for each year is selected on a rotational basis from one of the four ecclesiastical provinces in Uganda. The entire staff recommends the suitable preacher after the proposals have been presented by the General Spiritual Director. Monthly recollections are organized for seminarians, staff and sisters separately. Monthly recollections start at 3:00 p.m. on Fridays and end with Holy Mass on Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. - Sacrament of reconciliation
Students are quite often encouraged to yearn for this sacrament. Many make good use of the time for monthly recollections and the annual retreat to confess their sins. This is eased by the presence of external confessors [normally from the Archdiocese of Gulu] who are invited to extend a helping hand in hearing confessions. Some students at other times go to their personal spiritual directors or any other staff member of one’s choice. - Meditations and Spiritual Reading
Students use the time stipulated for meditation and spiritual reading. However, some take time to make good use of this opportunity since the love for prayers is a gradual process and involves developing some methods. - Spiritual Direction
Students are made to understand that Spiritual Direction ranks very high in their formation. It helps them to attain self-knowledge, self-acceptance and to get detached from own ego and find the actual will of God. Each student freely chooses his personal Spiritual Director among the resident staff members apart from the Rector who is left out for conflict of interests between his formation and administrative functions. The identification and selection of their Spiritual Directors by the students is done when the 1st year students have spent a full month at the seminary campus. The staff members are committed to directing and guiding students to the right path. - Pray Course
This is conducted for the 1st year students for a period of one year. Students meet together with their team chaplain fortnightly on Tuesday morning from 6:50a.m to 7:50a.m. On the day of meeting, Lauds precede the course. Students who attend the course seem to find more meaning in prayer and are able to pray better.
The person in the seminary who shoulders the responsibility of coordinating the Spiritual Formation of the candidates and the spiritual growth of the seminary community in consultation with the rector and staff is the General Spiritual Director who is appointed to this office by the Chairman of the Episcopal Commission for Priestly Formation acting in careful consultation with the members of this Commission, his Ordinary, the Rector and Staff. It is from this mandate that the various roles of the General Spiritual Director emanate .
THE ROLES OF THE GENERAL SPIRITUAL DIRECTOR OF ALOKOLUM NATIONAL MAJOR SEMINARY
- He introduces the New Students to the use of Morning and Evening prayer book and the other liturgical books.
- He makes the Sitting Arrangement for the students in the chapel.
- He facilitates the Weekly Students’ Spiritual Talks/Conferences.
- He makes arrangements for students to choose Personal Spiritual Directors.
- He Allocates students for evaluation so that students are not evaluated by their Personal Spiritual Directors.
- He arranges for retreats for students and recollections for both students and the staff
- He prepares the year three students [the finalists] for Pastoral Spiritual Year and also helps them to apply for minor orders.
- He organizes for the official blessing of new cassocks of students
- He is the lecturer of Spiritual Theology and also a Personal Spiritual Director for some students.
- He is the custodian of the oils for sacraments.
- He is the Spiritual Director of the Sisters’ Community and the staff.
NB: because of the nature of his Office, the General Spiritual Director shall always remain neutral and not even vote during evaluation of candidates. He is also free to consult and advice both the students and formation staff where necessary.