theo sem

8/13/2019 Theo Sem

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/theo-sem 1/6

The Architecture of Seminaries

Peter Schineller, S.J.

In many nations in Africa seminaries are expanding or new ones are being built. In Europeand the SA seminaries ha!e been closed or ha!e consolidated with other seminaries. In the"#$%&s following the Second 'atican (ouncil, many seminaries throughout the world mo!edfrom more rural, isolated locations to cities, where they could be in closer contact withuni!ersities and also with the people of )od.

*uch thought and writing has gone into the study program of seminaries, into thediscernment of !ocations. +e see now the importance of the integration of intellectual, pastoral,human, and spiritual formation. *uch thought is gi!en to the style and content of the academic

program. b!iously these are -ey and important areas. et one further area might beexplored, which will affect all of the abo!e mentioned areas, namely the architecture of theseminaries. To my surprise, this is an area which I ha!e not seen addressed. +hat should be theshape, the architecture of these new seminaries in Africa/ r, what should be the shape ofseminaries which are being relocated or consolidated with other seminaries/ 0ote that ourconcern here in particular is on the li!ing situation of seminaries, more than their academic,classroom and library situation.

+hile the 1uestion of architecture may seem to be on the surface, external or superficial, I belie!e it touches deep issues of spirituality, the nature of life in common, and the nature of ourapostolic in!ol!ement. This will become more clear as we progress and examine !arious areas ofseminary life. It in!ol!es the model of priesthood and model of ministry, the model of authority,indeed the model of church that is being transmitted to the seminarian and future priest. +e will

return to this later.

T+ 2ASI( * 3E4S5 4A6)E I0STIT TI 0A4 6 S*A44 ( ** 0IT

These two are types or models, and perhaps ne!er exist in a pure state. 7or pedagogical reasons,I will ma-e the contrast sharp, sharper than it is in reality, and then describe some of the !ariationson the theme. I5 4A6)E I0STIT TI 0A4. *odeled upon a monastery, in this seminary the "%%89%%members li!e in one large building. Seminarians li!e in one section, with no staff among them.Staff li!e in a separate section. *eals are in a common dining room, but staff sit separately.There is one chapel where daily *ass is celebrated for all. The chapel, classroom and librarywould be in the same large building, or !ery close by in ad:oining buildings.

Ad!antages of this model. The ability to o!ersee large numbers of seminarians, the inculcation ofuniform practices and policies, the ability of wea-er members to be absorbed into the largermembership, and maximum use of limited faculty and staff resources, would be some ad!antagesof this model.

3isad!antages. The indi!idual may be lost in the crowd and not recei!e the personal attention

8/13/2019 Theo Sem


8/13/2019 Theo Sem


chapel but once or twice a wee- the entire seminary celebrates together in the large chapelThe small house chapels may or may not ha!e the 2lessed Sacrament reser!ed in them.

<. 3ining facilities.

A> 4arge dining room where all meals are ta-en in common. All food is prepared for thestaff and seminarians, or

2> 2rea-fast and dinner are ta-en in the small sub8communities and lunch ta-en incommon in the school dining room. And there are one or two e!enings each wee- when allseminarians dine together. In the small communities, there are one or two dining room tables atmost. Ideally, all share the meal around one table. In the smaller sub8communities, students andstaff may be in!ol!ed in coo-ing, cleaning, preparing meals.

@. 6ecreation facilities.

A> Each small community has T' and '(6, or

2> ne or two larger recreation rooms with T', '(6.

$. 4ocation of the Seminary

A> (ountryside, outside the city, rustic milieu. uiet, rather isolated setting. Peacefuland hopefully prayerful, or

2> rban setting, possibly near a ni!ersity or Theological (ollege?Seminary.

This may enable more ecumenical contacts, and may enable better apostolic settings for theseminarians and a larger selection of courses through relationships with other theological colleges.

I*P4I(ATI 0S

+hat is at sta-e in the !arious models is the way that the seminarians interact with oneanother, and the way that they interact with staff. And ultimately this in!ol!es the way that werelate to, and thin- about )od and how )od is present and re!ealing )od = s lo!e in our li!es.

A> In the larger institutional model, seminarians can tend to be lost, one in a crowd.There would seem to be less responsibility and accountability to the others. If you are not atdinner or in chapel with the other "%% seminarians, you will probably not be missed. 4onelinesscan be a problem. As one approaches ordination, and is put forward for e!aluation by theseminary staff, it is said in some instances that A no one -nows him. @

The rector is superior o!er "%%8;%% men and recei!es limited help and input from theothers on the staff.

2> In the smaller community model, seminarians interact daily, closely, more intensely

8/13/2019 Theo Sem


with a small group of seminarians, and with at least one staff member. They get to -now oneanother better, and are -nown better, at least by that small group. They probably assume more

personal responsibility for the running of the small community, possibly coo-ing, cleaning, etc. Ifyou are out for dinner, or late for dinner, or absent from chapel, it will be noticed.

*ore energy, more time go into building, forming the small community and this must bedone e!ery year, as possibly ;%B or <%B of the small community consists of new members eachyear. The rector is assisted by a delegate, a staff member who li!es with, and -nows well themembers of his small community.. In general, the smaller community model approximates more closely the future apostolicsetting of the priest, for example the local rectory or parish house. It is less artificial, and morerealistic. The smaller community model is based upon a relational model of formation, rather thana performance model. That is, students are encouraged to grow in relationships 8 with )od,students, and staff 8 and this becomes a crucial part of their e!aluation. In a performance model,students are tested primarily in the classroom, with emphasis on academic growth.

* 3E4 7 A T= 6IT , P6IEST= 3 A03 (= 6(=

+e might loo- at !arious models that seminarians will ha!e in mind as they lea!e seminaryand begin their priestly ministry. ur thesis is that these models and images are being formed notonly in the classroom of the seminary, but in important ways in the o!erall li!ing situation. Thusthe architecture of the seminary comes into play.

* 3E4 7 A T= 6IT . 6ather than one ma:or authority figure, in the smaller groupmodel, authority of the 6ector is somewhat delegated and shared with the other formation

personnel. The 6ector wor-s with and through the formation personnel li!ing closely with theseminarians in the smaller communities. =e retains responsibility for o!erseeing the whole.Authority is more delegated and shared in the smaller community model, and indi!idual

responsibility is fostered, encouraged, and expected.

* 3E4 7 P6IEST4 *I0IST6 . Insertion rather than distance, a collaborati!e, familyspirit rather than the rugged and sometimes lonely indi!idual might be more characteristic of thoseformed in the smaller community model.

* 3E4 7 T=E 4 ) . A more collaborati!e, shared model of studying theology would befostered in the smaller groupings. The truth of theology emerges not simply from boo-s, from theclassroom, but from discussions around the dinner table and in other familial, informal settings.

* 3E4 7 SPI6IT A4IT . +ith more liturgies in the smaller groups, and with sessions inwhich personal faith is shared, seminarians would be better e1uipped to assist and guide smallergroups, societies in parishes in their growth in the Spirit. A stronger social dimension inspirituality would be inculcated.

* 3E4 7 (= 6(=. In the small community, the emphasis is on 1uality more than 1uantity.A +here two or three gather, I am in your midst. @ This would cohere with the basic (hristiancommunity, or small community model of church. Just as the seminary would be subdi!ided intosmaller li!ing communities, so the large parish might be subdi!ided into Cones, basic communities.So the li!es of the !arious societies in the parish would be encouraged and intensified. In terms

8/13/2019 Theo Sem


of the models of the church as set forth by A!ery 3ulles, the smaller community model in theseminary would prefer the model of church as community o!er the institutional model. TheSynod of 2ishops of Africa set forth a model of church as family. It would seem that the smallercommunity model of seminary would be more in accord with this family model 8 the familygathered daily in prayer and at table, yet also at times :oining other families for larger gatherings.

7 6T=E6 2SE6'ATI 0S

(ultural 'ariation. (ultures !ary. The way persons relate !aries. Thus how a seminary is built 8 the shape, siCe, architecture, and how the seminary functions will !ary from one culture toanother. In Africa, hospitality is expected of all, and the seminary must ad:ust to this necessityand reality.

)race builds on nature. The physical plant, setting, the architecture ma-es differences,spiritual and theologian differences.. This is true for example of the architecture of the church orchapel. Is it a long, narrow church, focused upon the altar or the 2lessed Sacrament/ r is it amore s1uare or e!en round chapel, where the emphasis is more on the assembled community, whocan see one another/ 3ifferent theologies and spiritualities are present here, in and through thearchitectural design.

The )oal of Seminary 7ormation. If some of the goals include inculcating personalresponsibility, trust, sharing, transparency, community spirit, it would seem that these might be

better achie!ed in the small community model.

7aculty 6esponsibility. In the small community model, it is more necessary and expectedthat staff, academic staff included, assume some responsibility for the formation, and o!erseeing

of the formation of the seminarians. At the same time, the staff must ha!e opportunities to meetwith their peers, with other staff, in formal and informal settings. In addition to his concern forthe seminarians, the 6ector should ha!e special concern for staff welfare and morale. 4i!ing dayin and day out with younger seminarians in the small communities can be taxing.

Seminary for 3iocesan Seminarians or *embers of 6eligious (ongregations. Therewould be !ariations in the daily order, in the expectations of prayer and community life, in aseminary that is for diocesan seminarians and one for members of religious congregations. Thusno one model would be ade1uate for all situations, all seminaries.

A SE6IES 7 ESTI 0S AS A SE*I0A6 IS P4A00E3

These 1uestions are surely not the only 1uestions, but I thin- they are crucial, and they areinterrelated. +hile they focus on the architecture of the seminary, as indicated abo!e, they gomuch deeper to the whole context, setting, purpose, and goal of priestly formation.

". 4ocation of the Seminary. +ill it be rural or urban/ +ill it be more isolated, or moreinserted among the people/ Is it a self8standing seminary or deliberately placed near acollege?uni!ersity?other seminary where it can share some facilities and faculty/

8/13/2019 Theo Sem


;. Is there a separation of the academic and the li!ing 1uarters/ Is there one large campus withall faculty?staff and seminarians li!ing on that one campus/ r, is there one plot of land for theacademic?administrati!e center and another plot of land for housing for students?staff at anearby but separate location/

9. 4i!ing Situation for students5 3o the students li!e separate from staff?faculty or do some or all of the staff?faculty li!e with, among students/

<. 4i!ing Situation for staff5 3o all the seminary staff li!e separately from students in separatehousing/ r do some staff li!e with students, and others li!e in staff housing/ Are some or allthe staff expected and re1uired to li!e with and among the seminarians/.

@. SiCe of =ousing. Are there small communities or houses, with their own dining rooms andsmall chapels/ r is there one large community with one large dining room and chapel for allstaff and students/

$. 3ining. Is there one large dining hall for staff and students used for all or some meals/ 3othe staff and students intermingle or eat separately/ r in !iew of the smaller li!ing groups, dothe students li!e and dine together in smaller groups of "%8"@/

D. (hapel. +ill there be one large daily *ass in the large chapel, or daily *asses in smallergroups with once or twice wee-ly large group *asses for the entire seminary community/

. Student 2ody. +ill it be only for diocesan seminarians, or will it be open to laymen and lay women, religious sisters, and religious seminarians. If the latter, then space must be

pro!ided for recreational, dining, chapel, study, library facilities, for those who are not diocesanseminarians.

#. 2asic !ision of the Seminary 3o we basically en!ision, imagine, and thin- of the seminaryas the larger group of "%%8;%% seminarians and one 6ector. r do we see it more as thesmaller groupings of "%8"@ seminarians, with one or two staff?formators who li!e and wor-together with the seminarians/

ne final citation from the Second 'atican (ouncil. The document A n Priestly7ormation @ addresses the many aspects of seminary formation, including the spiritual, academic,and pastoral. It concludes the section on A the programming of ma:or seminaries @ with arecommendation which ser!es as a fitting conclusion to our reflections5

AIn seminaries where the student body is large, uniformity should be maintained indiscipline and professional training, but students should be intelligently arranged into

smaller groups so that their personal de!elopment can be gi!en better attention @ F0o.D>.

The aim or thesis of this paper is simply to show that architecture of present and future seminaries plays a ma:or role in gi!ing this important attention to the personal de!elopment of theseminarians.

theo sem

Documents