Experience of the Seminary?

Can some people describe their time in a seminary Rome, Maynooth, Belfast etc.? I assume most on people with experiences of the places on Boards had dropped out of the Seminary. But I'd just like to know what it was like and how many people joined in total from you're diocese and in the country and how many dropped out.

To quote a member of p.ie:
"Maynooth Seminary has made more people atheist than Richard Dawkins."

From what little I've heard is the Maynooth is not the greatest (in formation spiritually and intellectually).

gimmebroadband

Is it any wonder that the laity are uncatechised when some Priests who are themselves unfamiliar with the Faith!!!

The Seminary staff at the Irish College in Rome are currently being replaced, it seems that all is not well in the Theology Dept. In regards to one particular Priest:

He also seems to rely exclusively on sacred scripture, with rarely if ever references to the fathers, the saints, the classics of ascetical theology, or documents of the magisterium

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0615/1224317984028.html

I Heart Internet

Few months ago the talk was "close Maynooth and send em all to Rome for formation - that'll sort 'em out". But it seems things are little better there.

Perhaps the Irish church can't be trusted to train its clergy......send seminarians to hte Irish college in Rome for 4 years and staff it with Oratorians. Problem solved :cool:

Brer Fox

gimmebroadband wrote: »

Is it any wonder that the laity are uncatechised when some Priests who are themselves unfamiliar with the Faith!!!

The Seminary staff at the Irish College in Rome are currently being replaced, it seems that all is not well in the Theology Dept. In regards to one particular Priest:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0615/1224317984028.html

''He noted that one priest had already let it be known he was leaving and commented in the report: “This is good.” ''

What a strange thing to say. What's good, the report or the fact that I'm leaving?

This report was meant to be confidential so as to protect the reputations of those involved. Someone high up in the Church, most likely Irish, has released this report to the media so they can now have another go at the Church.

They're trying to make out that the priests are victims, but they had time (to a greater or lesser extent) to get their acts together before this report began. Many of the cries of the seminarians went ignored for a long time so they are the real 'victims' here, if we want to call them that.

ramblingcelt

I had experience of Maynooth and Rome.

Rome was more interesting but quite bizarre. Lectures are held in the external universities of the Gregorian or Angelicum universities normally.

Very little in-house training in my time. Some of the staff could hardly speak Italian and most had very little experience in general. Not many really enjoyed being there.

Main lesson to learn was compliance. Figure out what was expected (as communication was not the staff's strongpoint), be where you had to be when you had to be and most of all keep your ideas / questions to yourself (and avoid the stranger inmates! )

Made me very self reliant, agnostic, disrespectful of authority in general, completely unemployable and hopelessly in love the Rome and living abroad.