Community Life: Rational
The Church is a communion of persons modeled on the interpersonal life of the most holy Trinity and the variety of gifts distributed among the persons who make up the one Body of Jesus Christ. Priests act in the name of the Church, and in the person of Christ, the head of the Church. As such, they are to be eminent men of community and communion. As men capable of building community and training others to live in communion they need this experience and training first! This is what the seminary community does for them–forms them in relationships of fraternity, humility, mutual service, patience and unity. The daily reference for learning this community style of life is the common celebration of the Eucharist. Monks and seminarians together, formators and candidates together learning friendship, unity and fraternity and patience.
SCK’s Contribution
The Seminary of Christ the King has a longstanding tradition of a community style of formation. The proximity of the monastic community to the seminary has always had a deep influence on the seminarians. Life is learned by example and witness and that attention to the details of ordinary life which forms the basis of a life integrated around common prayer, the primacy of the Eucharist, the necessity of manual labour and study, and a fraternal life lived joyfully and peacefully. Monastic life brings order to a chaotic world and teaches true peace and harmony that comes from preferring nothing to Christ, the Liturgy and the sick. Seminarians exposed for a length of time in a community style of formation– anywhere from five years in the high school to eight in the college – emerge with an experience of stability and confidence in the ability to be architects of true Christian community.